TRAINING RULES

The editorial in today's H.A.A. News, reprinted in full below, is stood obviously an attempt to smooth over an unpleasant situation which arose a week ago when Coach Farrell at a special meeting of the track team, requested the squad to cooperate in strictly maintaining the training rules.

Phrased in terms which are extremely ambiguous, the editorial declares that "the punishment for breaking training rules must be... dismissal from the squad." It then goes on to say that Harvard undergraduates on the squads realize the need for training, are ready to recognize the right of the coach to make rules, and adds the comforting information that "the will to win is still a prized heritage handed down from generation to generation of American life." The excellence of these sentiments comes abruptly to an end in the last paragraph, when the editor casually observes that it would be gross negligence on the part of the Director of Athletics and the Committee to tolerate an attitude of indifference to the physical preparations of athletic contests. That such a conclusion is not only equivocal but entirely unsatisfactory may be seen from the fact that no explanation is made why members of the football team who abused the training rules last fall were merely requested to turn in their uniforms if they so desired, and why if the rule has been dismissal, no action was taken on those members of the football team who abused the training rules last fall were merely requested to turn in their uniforms if they so desired, and why if the rule has been dismissal, no action was taken on those members of the track team who were known to have been recently breaking training.

The H.A.A.'s effusion is apparently an answer to the editorial in this column on February 15 entitled "Breaking Training." The complacent content with worn out platitudes merely substantiates the CRIMSON's view that there is a wide divergence of opinion on this matter between officials and undergraduates. In the last five years the student has come to regard any sort of college athletics as individual exercise, and the training rules as a guide to his own conscience and physical development. This attitude is not subject to debate; it is a fact. There is sufficient evidence to prove moreover, that student opinion does not respect the view expressed by the H.A.A. or the various devices which are essential to its enforcement.

Although it is natural for the H.A.A. to be unwilling to discuss its policy, or rather lack of policy, in regard to past cases, it is inexcusable for it not to declare straightforwardly what its policy will be in the future. The H.A.A. owes it to every undergraduate to make its position clear on this point.