No Purge in Debate Council

To the Editors of the CRIMSON:

Last Friday's CRIMSON carried a feature article on the Debate Council's commendable record during the past year. The Ivy League championship and the number of victories speak for themselves. It is unfortunate, however, that the author did not check all of his facts. As a result, the article contains a gross error of fact and omissions that are misleading.

Specifically, the article states that "many of the old executives were purged in the annual January elections." It goes on to discuss charges made against last year's committee with respect to "extra-legal and improper administration" etc. The first statement concerning the "purge" has no truth at all. Of the six "purged" officers last January, three were seniors and not eligible for re-election, one declined renomination, and the other two were re-elected.

Nor do the other charges have validity, as a check of the front page of the CRIMSON of January 13, the day after these were made, will show. The unfortunate facts were that a single individual saw fit to publish an open letter the night before last year's election, making the claims included in Friday's article. After an immediate meeting of the entire Council, a full vote of confidence was given to the officers, the vote being 28 to 1 with several abstentions, including last year's president. The single nay was that of the person who made the unjustified charge. Mention of this meeting was omitted in last Friday's CRIMSON.

It should also be noted that a large share of last year's fine record, both financial and forensic, was compiled during the tenure of last year's executive board. H. Werner Pleus '51   Melvin L. Zurier '50 1L   Jerome B. Spunt '50   Norman M. Hinerfold '51