Only four months now remain before the annual contest for the Mott Haven Cup at New York. In those four months Harvard must work exceedingly hard if she wishes to retain the ascendancy which she has held ever since 1878.

Our success has been so uninterrupted for the past few years, that the college awaits the winning of the cup with almost as much assurance as the annual examinations, If any one in college entertains such ideas with regard to our chances this year, he is entirely mistaken.

Last year we won with five firsts and five seconds; Yale was second, with four firsts and three seconds; and Columbia was third with three firsts and four seconds. This was a very close shave, for had Yale won any of the five events taken by Harvard, the great challenge cup would have gone to New Haven instead of coming back to Cambridge. Of the successful team of Harvard men last May, Goodwin, who won two of the first prizes, has graduated, as have two of the winners of second prizes, Allen and Mandell. Yale and Columbia have their teams of a year ago practically intact, so that to win this year, we must strain every nerve to fill up the vacancies, if we hope to even approach the foremost position. Nothing but long and steady work on the part of every man who has any show at all for the Mott Haven team can save us from an overwhelming defeat at the inter-collegiate games. The management of the H. A. A. is doing all in its power, and so are some of the men already on the team. There are some, however, who have not yet come forward, and others nominally members of the team who are not doing their proper share of work. It is these men whom we wish to bring to a realization of their duty to Harvard.