Reagan Note Boosts Dartmouth Review

The Dartmouth Review, a fledgling student weekly embroiled in controversy with Dartmouth College over its name and conservative editorial bent, has released a letter from President Reagan lauding its editors for their "fine efforts" on an "impressive paper."

Dartmouth administrators have criticized the Review's reporting and editorial policy, and are refusing to provide the paper with university information until its editors drop "Dartmouth" from the paper's name. Dinesh D'Souza, editor of the Review, said yesterday that the College's action amounts to a "tyrannical, reactionary attack on first amendment rights."

Reagan's letter, addressed to a former Review editor now working in the Reagan administration, states, "I must say it's an impressive paper. You should be proud to have started this important movement. Let's hope that your fine effort will be imitated elsewhere."

But D'Souza said that Ralph Manuel, dean of the college, wrote a letter accusing the paper of printing "racist, sexist and ethnic slurs and other matter of obviously bad taste." Review editors hope Reagan's letter will answer such criticism, D'Souza said.

Dangerous Offenders

The Review stands in the mainstream of student and alumni opinion, D'Souza said, adding that its founding last spring filled a gap left by the "editorially biased" Dartmouth, the college's daily newspaper.

He said that the Review's stands against affirmative action, homosexual groups and feminist activities on campus have drawn the wrath of administrators who "don't like a second viewpoint going on to the alumni."

David T. McLaughlin, president of Dartmouth, in Cambridge for today's game, yesterday denied any infringement of the paper's editorial rights. "The only difference we have with them is the use of the name Dartmouth. We don't want outside organizations that are soliciting funds from the college alumni to use the college name," he said.

But D'Souza said that college alumni "are our source of support," and the "achilles heel of the administration." Over $30,000 in donations have come from alumni this year, he added.

McLaughlin said he is refusing any interviews with the Review until it changes its name, and that officially, college offices "are not cooperating" with Review reporters, but added that "that's a fair way of expressing our discontent."

D'Souza said that students at six other northeastern universities, including Harvard, are forming similar conservative papers.