WITNESS FOR THE DEFENSE

To the Editors of the CRIMSON:

I would like to thank you for the kind consideration you gave the Harvard Student Agencies in your May 4th Editorial, i.e. the summary "H.S.A. is entitled to a fair trial." In keeping with the above statement, I think it only fair that some misconceptions vis-a-vis H.S.A. should be clarified.

Although your editorial entitled H.S.A. was in fact a criticism of the Student Council report with which I do not wish to take issue, many of their statements are taken by you as being true and in accord with your view I think it only fair to point out

1) that our policy is to employ needy students in managerial positions. You are more than welcome to look at the list of managerial appointments and satisfy yourself as well as the student body that they are all classified by the Financial Aid Office and Student Employment as "needy" students.

2) that the managers are not the men who pick their successors. Their recommendations are considered as one of many criteria by the Director of Student Employment, who is the person who makes the final appointment. Again you are welcome to our files to find out that the influence of the past managers is but one of many factors taken into account.

3) that our prices are not high relative to any other commercial establishment nor that we use monopoly advantages in selling them. That the cost of living is "high" in comparison to our student pocketbooks is not the fault of H.S.A. but merely a given fact in the economy in which we function.

I hope that in giving H.S.A. a "fair trial" you will take into consideration the facts as they exist today and not as they did two years ago. Phillppe Charat '60,   H.S.A. President.