Religious Leaders Spurn PBH Endowment Offer

Leaders of Protestant, Jewish, and Catholic religious groups last night indicated that they will turn down PBH Graduate Secretary Cornelius D. Hastie's offer to extend House endowment funds to their organizations.

Christopher Neibuhr '56, speaking for the six students whom Hastic has urged to organize a Protestant ecumenical society, said when it organizes next year. A PBH Association Cabinet decision has already cancelled the Graduate Secretary's plans fro the 1954-55 academic year.

Martin Brownstein '56, president of the Harvard Hillel Society, and Leo Zavatone '55, president of the Harvard Catholic Club, echoed Niebuhr's sentiments. Brownstein said that while his group has not yet formed a final opinion of Hastie's plans he himself is not at all interested in the use of PBH endowment funds. "Our primary interest," the Hillel president said, "is in he office space, convenience, and prestige of the House."

The Hillel Council will meet on Monday to take a definite stand on Hastie's offers. Brownstein said that while the Council would probably accept PBH's offer of office space there was no indication that it would ask to use Brooks House finances. Hillel, he explained, is a large and relatively well-off group and thus is not in need of help from other organizations.

Zavatone said that his group and its chaplain, the Rev. Vincent A. McQuade, felt very definitely that there was no need for use of House funds--especially he added in view of the PBH Association's great financial needs.

Will Accept Office Space

At the same time, Zavatone said that his club has tentatively accepted--subject to future study--Hastie's invitation to use PBH second floor office space. The club's present quarters, in the Student Activities Center, are much too small, he said. His group had planned to petition the Students Council for a larger office at the close of this year.

William J. A. Jablonski '55, a former officer of the Catholic club and presently vice-president of the PBH Association, said last night that the club will also continue to operate a non-sectarian social service program through the Brooks House social service committee. This program is in contrast to Hastie's plan fro sectarian social work within the religious organizations.

Budget Demands Up

Douglas w. Hunt '55, president of the Phillips Brooks House Association last night praised the actions of the religious club leaders. "The Association really appreciates the sectarian groups consideration of our financial needs," he said. Hunt stressed that because of an expanded program the PBH undergraduate organization's budget demands re almost double the expenditures of two years ago.

The House president, in noting the group's acceptance of office space, said that he considered it fair for the religious clubs to make use of any space not already occupied by the Association, Students Council housing agency and selective service office.

He called attention, however, to a lack of office space which will be inevitable if the Association continues to expand at its present rate.