White Inclemency

A small but noxious minority of landlords who list in the University Housing Registry turn down non-whites as roomers.

By Massachusetts law, or lack of it, rooming-house owners may be as biased as they like. But the University, since it is a private list, might exert some moral pressure by refusing to include those who will rent only to whites.

The only problem this entails is that to shorten the list for a minority is to penalize the majority by the reduced selection. It would seem, though, that most room-seekers would be willing to cut down their percentage chances of finding a place in order to combat even this mild form of racial bigotry. Besides, the University should not be a party to such discriminatory practices, a fact which the University undoubtedly knows.

It would be best for the registry secretary simply to ask landlords who want placement on the list if they will rent to non-whites, and if they say no, to refuse to list them.

Unfortunately, allegations of malpractice are not confined to the question of housing discrimination. It might therefore be prudent for the University to arrange a thorough outside investigation of all procedures in the Registry office.

To avoid further incidents, such an investigation should begin as soon as possible.