HEARSTIAN:

The back page of the Tuesday "American" carries a cartoon depicting Uncle Same deaf to the entreaties of two sharp-nosed individuals labelled conspicuously "Meddler" and "Busybody". Page 5 of the same issue prints the headline "Attack on constitution taught Harvard students" There follows a garbled but strong criticism, of Harold Brogan's "Government of the People", the text now in use in Government 1: of Professor Holcombe; and of Professor Laski, the author of the foreword. All are accused of spreading subversive and communistic doctrines among the students.

One does not expect much from the Hearst press. Its self-appointment to the position of "official watchdog of America"; its alacrity in "climbing on the band-wagon" as soon as the trend of any public issue is divined and its strict attention to circulation together with an equal disregard for ethics or facts have all given the Hearst press a very definite place in the opinion of thinking Americans. That place is not very high.

Harvard is used to such meddling. The teacher's oath bill is typical Heart-sponsored legislation. It catches the popular fancy, it requires little though and what is infinitely more important it boosts circulation, brings the pennies rolling in and entices fat advertizing accounts. Though Harvard has withstood and can go on withstanding meddling on the part of ignorant and ill advised critics, it cannot hold out against deliberate and premeditated falsification. Brogan criticizes the constitution from an English scholar's point of view: he does not spread red propaganda.

A sincere and constructive criticism of the government department would be greatly appreciated by Professor Holcombe and his entire staff. A malicious, untruthful and ignorant attack such as the one by Alan Frazer in the American will be read and remembered with a contempt due the author and the publisher.