The committee appointed for the investigation of the painting of the John Harvard statue deserve the sincerest congratulations for the success of their proceedings thus far, for although there have been some who were opposed to the appointment of the committee, as is always the case with new institutions of this kind, its members have unselfishly undertaken an unpleasant task, and have worked hard to accomplish it all because it was thought to be for the good of the University.

The action of the committee is not in itself alone anything to take the slightest pleasure in; it has been a disagreeable duty performed to gain a very desirable end. The inexperience of the men involved in the affair, and the fact that they did not, in all probability, realize the serious character of what they did, makes it very hard to interfere with the continuance of their college course.

But if this expression of student opinion is made much of and remembered, as it undoubtedly will be, the example made of these men will almost surely prevent the repetition of such outrages and there by be of inestimable value to the University. Now that the full significance of the committee's action has come to be understood, it is safe to say that not only the Faculty but also the students unanimously approve of it. It has illustrated in a particularly forcible way the feeling of graduates and undergraduates alike on such matters and the members of the committee, therefore, are entitled to the thanks of every true Harvard man.