The Harvard correspondent of the Evening Post, ascribes all actions of the Athletic committee to the policy which aims at giving " the greatest amount of exercise to the greatest number." According to this policy, he asserts that foot-ball and base-ball, limited to a small number of men, have been discouraged, while all gymnasium work, track athletics, tennis, etc., in which an unlimited number of men can take part, have been encouraged. It is needless to state that all thoughtful students at Harvard would heartily concur in any measures which would induce a greater number of students to take exercise.

But, will the changes or reforms brought about by the committee accomplish this object? It does not seem possible. Experience in boating proves that the surest way of increasing the number of oarsmen is to make boat-racing an important inter-collegiate event. The class crews and class races were organized by the boat club of its own accord, in order to supply material for the university crew. The Post correspondent maintains that in base-ball and foot-ball, all interest centers in the university nines and elevens, that the class nines and elevens exist only in name. Finally, that the restrictions on athletics, such as the prohibition against playing with professional nines, will enable a larger number of men to participate in these sports. The Athletic Committee, however, " all trained athletes as well as cultured men," know full well that the great obstacle to exercise is not the " scientific accuracy which debars the general student from an enjoyable sport," but the limited area of land devoted to out-door sports. With additional land at command, class nines and elevens would have been formed long ago from policy, just as the class crews were. As a matter of fact, since the first restrictions were laid on base-ball, no larger number have played base-ball than before. The changes introduced by the committee cannot, therefore, make exercise accessible to a greater number. Nor do we believe that this has been the motive of the committee. In each case they have been led by moral reasons, either in accordance with their crusade against professionals or, as in the case of foot-ball, from their belief in its brutalizing effect.