Vandals in the Stacks

To the Editors of the CRIMSON:

In my capacity as an officer of the Harvard Union and as President of the Student Council, it has been brought to my attention that the privileges of the Union Library and the Widener Library have, at times, been abused. Men have taken books from these libraries for the purpose of doing some special outside assigned or tutorial work, but instead of playing the game fairly and letting others have access to the book they were using, they have selfishly "hogged" that book for their own use, and in some cases forgotten to return it when they had finished. The spirit that prompted such action was nothing more nor less than selfishness and carelessness, but the result was the same as if the man had deliberately committed an act of theft.

The Governing Board of the Harvard Union decided, at its last meeting, that, if any such case should arise in the future, it would fine the offender five dollars, demand that the book be returned (or if it had been lost, then replaced by a new one), and might mote out such further punishment as it saw fit. Such action in these matters, however, treats the undergraduate too much like a small boy. Such provision is all that the Governing Board, can bring forward, and yet the Board, together with those of the student body who have stopped to consider the matter, must realize that the only effective check to such offences is public opinion among the undergraduates.

If the offender felt that his punishment would not stop with the action of whatever administrative board was concerned, but would also include such outspoken condemnation by his undergraduate

friends as would virtually make him a marked man, the property of our college libraries would be kept infarct, out outside, work in various courses would be facilitated, and the "morale" of the student body would be raised just that much. Every man can help build up a feeling against such careless, selfish book "hogs," and it is incumbent on as all to feel that such help on our part is a duty which we have in common.  HENRY H. FAXON '21