Another Point of View.

[We invite all men in the University to submit communications on subjects of timely interest.]

To the Editors of the CRIMSON:

A word to allay some misapprehensions in regard to the defeat of the relay team on Saturday will be timely. Both the editorial in Monday's CRIMSON and the communication yesterday are extremely unjust in the conclusions they draw as to the "unexplainable lack of judgment" said to be responsible for the defeat.

There was no "blunder" nor was there "unexplainable lack of judgment." A very little sane consideration will show this conclusively, now that the first keen disappointment in losing a race which, frankly, everyone expected to win, is over. What were the facts? Van Brunt was an experienced runner, the only "H" man qualified to make the relay team and the only one who had had previous experience on University relay teams. He has made better time in the half-mile run than any other man in College. He had had sufficient practice. A bad ankle, which had prevented his training as much as the other men, was perfectly well and did not trouble him in the race; he himself felt in good condition and the other men on the team thought that he should run. Not only did these facts justify him in believing that he could do his fair share, but they also show that Coach Lathrop, whose long experience in handling track men entitles his judgment to great weight, and Captain Dodge are not accountable for "bad management." An accident like the one in the race cannot be reasonably foreseen; long experience by runner and trainer cannot avoid such an occurrence. The strongest team in the University, viewed from the circumstances existing before the race, ran against Yale. The team's defeat was simply a misfortune.

Such censure as has followed the race is extremely unfair to all concerned and wholly unjustified. It is always easy to criticise. When criticism is justly due, in athletics or in other University affairs, let it come. But rather than jump to conclusions, as in this case, from the mere result of a race, let those who criticise first acquire a thorough knowledge of the facts of the situation. WILLIAM G. GRAVES 1906.