FOR THE DEFENSE

A howl of protest from all sides may be expected this morning to greet the announcement that meal prices will rise next year. It is only natural to assume that those who have, wanting to cling to their dollars, and those who have not, confronting the prospect of being forced to find more dollars, will point to the $40,000 which the dining halls turned over to Student Employment last year and ask the reason for the boost.

Faced with a decided and unquestionable rise in expenses, good business judgment has two avenues of escape--increased revenue or adulterated quality. In pursuance of the policy of satisfactory meals, Mr. Durant has been forced to boost the price in order to maintain the present standard of food without dipping into other pockets of the University. The president increase will allow the same margin of safety as that which existed in the past two years when approximately $40,000 was cleared, a margin of approximately 4%. On an estimated total of well over $900,000 it is approaching folly to shave this margin when the University makes no provision for losses in the Dinning Hall department.

When the Houses were first instituted the meal rate was $10, the index number for food prices, well over 100. When the index dropped to 89.7 in 1933 the meal rate dropped correspondingly to $8.50. With the food index this year at 123.9 it is only natural that the dining hall charges must take corresponding upswing. To the student who must dig into his pockets for an extra $27 next year the change is an unquestioned annoyance; the figures, however, should be sufficient evidence to silence any rumbling suspicion that he is being robbed.