Six Stayed Home

In only two years, Student Council importation of German exchange-students grew from a frail plan to a full blown program. With a $12,000 subsistence stipend from the High Commissioner's office and University remission of tuition, the Council could finance six visitors, and everyone was well-satisfied with the mutual benefits of foreign students in the College.

Then, last spring, in some State Department fund juggling, the government transfered the fiscal responsibility from the High Commissioner to the Fulbright committee. Fulbrights are awarded on a competitive basis; hence few students on the undergraduate level can win them. And, since German currency restrictions and United States immigration laws make it impossible for the exchange-students to support themselves, the Council announced a one year lapse in the program.

If this halt meant only that for a year's time Harvard would be deprived of a rewarding experience, it would be bad enough. But the effect on German schools, which had almost completed the processing of candidates, is incalcuable. The Council can expect little more than leery cooperation when the plan is revived next year.

Worst of all, the half was unnecessary. Had the Council approached the Committee on Financial Aid, it would almost certainly have found the University quite willing to underwrite the German students' living expenses for the year, especially since the Council anticipates little trouble in persuading private corporations to finance a future five-year budget. Surely the University should not balk at a loan when last year it gave six full tuitions as an outright gift.

While the Council deserves praise for initiating and--until now--maintaining the exchange program, this incident underlines the mistake of cherishing independence above cooperation. It is now too late to avoid the one-year gap in the German exchange plan, but this breakdown should show the Council the folly of headstrong separation from University Hall.