Finds Poll Deceptive

To the Editors of the CRIMSON:

Today the Harvard Free Enterprise Society handed out the results of a poll taken in the college student body. According to the introduction, "Because of its scientific sampling methods and high percentage of returns this poll of Harvard students lays claim to being the most accurate of any political survey conducted in the college this year." However, correct sampling technique isn't the only prerequisite for a good poll. Questions should be objective as possible, and interpretations should not go beyond what can be deduced from the figures. This survey falls down on these counts, and it also seems to fall down on its sampling technique.

For example:

According to the poll, 1% of the total sample represents 62 Harvard College students. Thi would make 100% equal to 6200 students, which would mean that the pollsters questioned every undergraduate, which is not the case.

According to the poll, Republicans think that business should be regulated somewhat less, when the printed figures show that 15% are for more regulations, 45% for the same amount, and 35% for less. Evidently the free enterprisers added 45% for the same to 35% for less and came out with 80% for "somewhat less"...

I doubt whether the Free Enterprise Society purposely took a biased survey, but if they are going to call it "the most accurate of any political survey conducted in the college this year, they ought to be a lot more careful. Bob Levine '50