HDC Executives Question Own Power

Two executives of the Harvard Dramatic Club yesterday attacked the undemocratic selection of Loeb productions the five-man executive committee.

Charles N. Ascheim '66 criticized the club's year-old constitution for making a prevision for regular communication between the executive committee and the membership-at-large of the HDC.

The committee, a self-perpetuating, non-elective governing body, has complete responsibility for choosing Loeb plays and their directors. It also conducts negotiations with the senior staff of the theatre and the faculty's Committee on Theatre.

Reconsideration

Ascheim suggested that the self-perpetuating status of the governing body be abolished, and asked the 30 members present to seriously reconsider reconsider the constitution before accepting the present committee's nominations for for its new members.

'We think we have made a list of of the most qualified people, but I think you should worry a little about the fact that you cannot do anything if you disagree [with our choice]" Ascheim cautioned.

All members of the HDC have received polls with the names of six nominees, two of whom will be chosen by the executive committee to fill the places of graduating members. According to the constitution, fifty per cent of the membership must veto a nominee before his name is withdrawn.

Timothy S. Mayer '66, a member of the executive committee, referred to the present constitution as "a democratic fraud," but contended that the failure of the club is not due to its political structure.

Each member of the executive committee is involved in his own productions, and is unable to read over enough of the scripts submitted for production, Mayer continued.

Nominees Involved in Plays

Three of the five committee nominees have themselves submitted plays for consideration by the committee, according to Peter L. Skolnik '66, president of the HDC. He recommended that the committee be chosen each semester, and composed of members not involved in their own productions.

Peter S. Ivers '69, a member of the executive committee now up for re-election, recommended that the president and secretary of the HDC, now only official functionaries, be made members of the executive committee. At present, they are allowed to sit in on meetings, but hold no vote.