Parallel Reasoning

Like the vale of Kashmir, Gore Hall is now nestling in the middle of an armed truce. One day a recognized territory of Winthrop House, the next day it was a victim of one of the historical accidents which have brought such grief to Palestine, the Sudetenland, and Transylvania in recent times.

But the College is in a unique position to show the United Nations and the world how such a dispute can be handled. Here, far from any thought of war or armies, there is a chance to work out a just and honorable situation.

First, it is imperative that a plebescite be held among the natives of the region, including the minority group in K-entry. This is no time to be governed by a cold hand from the grave, by the ukases of Housemasters, or by the passions of militant Rabbits or adamant Puritans.

Second, the plebescite must be run by an impartial committee. We would suggest a committee made up of representatives of the other five Houses, headed by the Lowell delegate, since Lowell maintains a common frontier with both Leverett and Winthrop.

Third, no troops of either of the combatant parties should be permitted within the disputed region while the balloting is going on.

This seems to us a reasonable program for peace. But action must be taken soon, before animosities become deep-rooted and passions rise to fever pitch. Furthermore, freshmen applying to the Houses will have to know which House is which before making their final choices.

This is the kind of situation which calls for an act of statesmanship. It is not too late for Harvard to become a diplomatic as well as an intellectual leader.