BOONDOGGLE

In years past Government 1 has been the butt of student comment, not without some justification. This year it has once again given those enrolled in the course reason to criticize, for it has failed to supply them with the number of books necessary for all to do their work.

Last week the required reading was Ashton's "The Fascist: His Mind and His State." It was almost impossible for the greater number of students to get that at the first asking. Government 1 complied by purchasing, in all, eighteen books, just enough to permit everybody to do their week's work. This week, however, the conscientious members of the department decided to use Fritz Morstein Marx's "Government in the Third Reich." Of this they were able to obtain just four copies. When it is taken into consideration that there are approximately 500 in the course, and only 78 hours during a week in which Boylston is open, it becomes mathematically impossible to believe that more than 185 students will be able to do the required work. Practical proof lies in the fact that while just twenty students were in Boylston last night, not one of the four copies were to be had.

Even if one-half of the students in the course were to buy copies of Marx, everybody would still not be able to read it. Yet all that Government 1 need do is to purchase six more books for public use. In the future, what is more necessary is that the department be sure, before requiring students to read a certain edition of a certain book, that it can supply enough copies.