The Day Slichter Spoke

LAST JULY, Harvard's presidential search committee was formed. Committee Chair and spokesperson Charles P. Slichter '45 had no comment. A few months later, a preliminary list of candidates was revealed. Slichter had no comment. In November, the committee met with a few undergraduates. Slichter did not attend and was unavailable for comment. In January, a shorter list was published. Slichter remained mum.

No wonder that two weeks ago, we complained that Slichter "does not speak to anybody." No wonder we called him a "purported spokesperson." No wonder we dredged up the old rumor that Slichter had not spoken to a Harvard undergraduate since his own graduation.

We owe Slichter a serious apology. Caught unawares at New York's Park Avenue Plaza last Wednesday, the spokesperson spoke. Slichter actually responded to a Crimson reporter's query about the possibility of an early April selection.

"God only knows," Slichter said.

What loquaciousness! What openness! What candor! Obviously, we spoke too soon--even if Slichter didn't.

ON A SIMILAR NOTE, a comment from search committee member Robert G. Stone, Jr., has convinced us to retract our specious comparisons of the committee and the Mafia.

On Wednesday, our intrepid reporter photographed Stone emerging from the closed-door meeting in New York. "Take his film," Stone commanded a startled nearby security officer, momentarily forgetting about that pesky old Bill of Rights.

Once again, we must apologize--to the Mafia.