Committee Bias

Imminent construction of the new Harvard theater has increased the need for some effective co-ordination of the various college drama groups.

The Opera Guild merger proposal is one of the major proposals before the Student Council committee studying the future of Harvard drama. The proposal, calls for a joint treasury for the Opera Guild, the Gilbert and Sullivan Players, and the HDC. It also seeks to restrict House dramatic organizations in their use of out-of-House personnel.

The members of the Council group include an ex-president of the HDC, an ex-president of the Gilbert and Sullivan Players, and three students who are connected with Leverett and Dudley House drama. All of these individuals have, at one time or another, indicated strong opposition to the Opera Guild's proposal. One has stated that such a move would be "impossible," another that it is "totally unnecessary."

Half of the committee comes from House drama associations. Since the proposal would presumably damage House productions, this segment of the group could hardly be expected to view it dispassionately. Significantly, the committee includes no representative from the Opera Guild.

Generally speaking, a study group of this nature should either be impartial, or evenly divided in its opinions. This one is neither. A less biased group could include a representative of each of the college-wide drama organizations, including the Opera Guild, a member of a House drama group, and one or two impartial observers. This would not exceed the limit of six which the Council prefers to put on its study committees.

The Guild's plan admittedly has its flaws; undoubtedly, it has its bitter antagonists. Yet it is not, as one committee member condescendingly put it, "almost a thing of the past." It will be unfortunate if a group designed to facilitate the necessary drama co-ordination will, by its bias, ignore the Opera Guild, and slight its proposal.