What more noble?

To the Editor of the CRIMSON:

It is understood that the City of Cambridge is about to ask the authorities of this generous University for the use of Memorial Hall as a gymnasium for Cambridge boys and girls. Cambridge has seen that Memorial Hall is vacant and think this would be a good and noble use for it.

Undoubtedly this would be a good and noble use. Our authorities would show themselves wise and kind, if they allowed Memorial Hall to be used as a gymnasium. But we earnestly hope that they will carefully consider whether this is the best and noblest use that can be made of the Hall. Although being a dining hall, it is hardly suited for a gymnasium, still with minor or even essential changes, it might be made to serve many other purposes. Then, too, although Cambridge boys and girls undoubtedly deserve Harvard's generosity, there are all sorts and conditions of men all over the world who might advantageously use the hall.

After much serious thought, may I make a suggestion? I have fried not to to influenced by ancestral or sentimentalties. I think my conclusion is unbiased. Might we not, without fear of injuring the feelings of the City of Cambridge (which we can ill afford to do), might we not offer Memorial Hall to the Irish Republicans? There is a small deserving. Freedomloving God-fearing group whom the cruelty of England has put under the yoke. But they are still alive. And here would be a drill hall! What could be nobler than for us to further the cause of liberty in this way?

Distance and space might be raised as objections to this scheme. But even these might be easier task-masters than brutal Britain. At least, it would be a fine thing for Harvard to make such an offer. It would be for God, for Liberty, and for Ireland.

I may add that sentiment seems to favor such a scheme. Memorial was built in memory of brave warriors. What is more fitting than that it should be used by people to whom war and fighting are so much at heart as the Irish?

At any rate let us hope that Harvard will not be so selfish as to let Memorial Hall remain unused, or even to use it herself, but let us hope it will be devoted to some noble cause quite outside the harness academic circle. John Reed Walden '26