Debaters Facing Financial Crisis

The Harvard University Debate Council currently faces financial difficulties. The Council will try to increase membership and funds through an open house today, Edward W. Jones '70, the Council's president, said yesterday.

The Council gets its income from a $600 yearly endowment plus the profits it earns at its intersession tournament. In the past the tournament profit has been as high as $1500, but the amount has varied and has been an irregular source of support. Compared to other top-rate debating schools, Jones said, Harvard has one of the lowest budgets in the country.

This year's tournament did not earn as much money as the Council expected. The lack of on-campus accommodation caused a drop in the number of competing teams from 160 last year to 100 this year.

The American Forensic Association, the supervisor of national debating, is now considering a measure which would prohibit universities from operating profit-making tournaments. If the measure passes it will cut the Harvard Council's main source of income.

Jones said that the Council has begun a drive for alumni contributions. However, past appeals to the alumni have produced little money, Jones said. And since the Debate Council is classified as an undergraduate organization, it can receive no University aid.

This year, the top Harvard team of Joel S. Perwin '70 and Richard P. Lewis '72 has finished first, second or third in each of the nine national debating tournaments it has attended. Perwin and Lewis came in first in the Marietta Round Robin Championship--which invites only the top ten teams in the country--and have consistently placed high on the best speaker lists.