"No, Racial Discrimination" at Harvard, Orders Corporation

"It is Harvard's principle that there should be no racial discrimination among our students."

This dictum, handed down by the Corporation, will from now on form the basis of the Athletic Committee's policy according to a statement from Athletic Director William J. Bingham '16.

The Corporation's stand was contained in a letter to Bingham suggesting that the Athletic Committee "should make it plain to other institutions with whom we are competing" what Harvard's position on the question of racial discrimination actually is.

This statement comes as an answer to the question of what the University's position should be in regard to the participation of colored athletes on Harvard teams in games with Negro-baiting institutions.

Brought up by the removal from the Harvard lineup of Lucian V. Alexis, Jr. '42, colored lacrosse player, when Naval officials refused to let their team play against him, the question has since been debated at great length both by students and Administration.

The full text of the letter, released yesterday, follows:

Dear Mr. Bingham:

In reply to your letter, in which you asked the Corporation to consider certain problems in connection with Negro players on athletic teams representing the University, the Corporation has asked me to reply as follows on their behalf.

They think that in the future the Athletic Committee should make it plan to other institutions with whom we are competing that it is Harvard's principle that there should be no racial discrimination among our students. Very sincerely yours,   Jerome D. Greene,   Secretary to the Corporation.

The implication of the policy is that if any Harvard team with a colored athlete on the roster is scheduled to play a college with known or suspected anti-Negro sentiments, the Athletic Committee will inform them of the fact. If the other college refuses to play against the colored athlete, the game will simply be called off.

The principle maintained by the Corporation does not apply to athletics alone but refers to racial equality "among all students." No statement, however, could be obtained from officials of the Glee Club, which barred a colored singer from taking its Southern spring vacation trip because of opposition from Southern colleges.

An interesting development to the situation on Saturday, before the statement of policy was announced, was the complete acceptance of Alexis by the Army in a lacrosse game at West Point.