Probe Clears Council Of Dishonesty Charge

Conduct of the 1950 Permanent Class Committee elections involved no personal dishonesty, but the Student Council's election machinery needs much overhauling, a three man Council-appointed Hearing Committee concluded in a report issued last night.

The committee, composed of Roy M. Goodman '51, Council Treasurer, and James E. Barrett, Jr. '51, and Howard W. Robbins '52, Class Committee Chairmen of the juniors and sophomores, based its report on evidence collected at a hearing held Tuesday on charges of "complete bungling" in running the 1950 elections.

Complaints of procedural irregularities in administering the election are invalid, the report declared, because no hard and fast rules govern the Council's conduct of elections. Absence of an iron clad elections procedure is regrettable, however, the Hearing Committee said.

A principal complaint in an unsigned open letter to the Class of 1950 published in the CRIMSON Monday was that the 1947 Paul Report on Class Affairs had been completely ignored. The investigating committee affirmed the Council's contention that the Paul Report is not binding.

Letter Writer Unfair

"The unidentified writer of the letter . . . flew off the handle," the report claimed. "His anonymous letter of clarification did not rectify the damage done by his first letter which received publicity far out of proportion to its significance."

Participation by members of the Class of 1950 in administering an election concerning their own class was attacked by the Hearing Committee. "Strict impartiality was thus somewhat jeopardized," the report noted.

The Hearing Committee submitted to the Council three suggestions for avoiding confusion and public criticism.

1) The Council should adopt new election procedure, based on the Paul Report, which would be binding on succeeding councils.

2) A Council Election Committee should be created, consisting of a Council member as Chairman, a representative from each House, and one from Dudley.

3) The present system of nomination through the House Committee chairmen is too cumbersome and open to irregularity and should be replaced by nomination by petition.