Undergraduate Rebuttal

To the Editor of the CRIMSON:

As an undergraduate of Harvard College the feature which most interested me in Monday's copy of the CRIMSON is the letter written by a certain Frederick Orin Bartlett of the class of 1900.

He compares the presidency of a college to the presidency of the United States . . . . . . . . Certainly English A or some similar course back in the nineties must have taught Mr. Bartlett the theory and practice of correct analogy. The presidency of the college requires cultural qualities with ability to judge scholars and teachers, and to guide the teaching systems of a university. . . .

The requirements of the national presidency are almost totally of a different nature. Legislative wisdom, business ability, and knowledge of men who have the characteristics of certain politicians at Washington is essential. These qualities are evident in the career of Alfred E. Smith. That is why forty distinguished professors at Harvard agreed upon his fitness for the highest office in the land.

Certainly Mr. Bartlett must admit that Lincoln was fit for the presidency. Would Lincoln be an ideal president for Harvard College? A president of a nation does not necessarily need to possess the qualities to be president of Harvard College . . . . . . . What a calamity if Coolidge were to step from the national presidency up to that of Harvard College! Mr. Bartlett feels sure he is eligible. I, then, could very easily conceive why forty professors would "fold their tents like Arabs and silently steal away". Peter J. White Bove '29.