Judging from the energy which has already been expended by a large number of prominent graduates, here and in New York, there is every reason to hope that within a few weeks the plan announced for forming a Graduate Athletic Association will become a practical reality. The value of such an organization, efficiently managed, will increase each year of its existence, and its field of usefulness should continually broaden.

The great weakness of Harvard Athletics, a weakness which extends through every department of sport, and indeed through the whole of the less serious side of the University life, is an utter lack of permanent organization. The policy of the Faculty and the other University officials is to leave the regulation of athletics and of social questions so far as possible to the undergraduates themselves. The Athletic Committee's function is not to guide and develop, but to restrain. Its work is in a sense purely negative. In many respects this policy of non-interference is wise, but it has a distinct disadvantage, for it makes a permanent policy an utter impossibility. College affairs in these fields may be said to be under the control of the Senior class of each particular year. Each class as it reaches this responsibility attacks the problems it must meet to the very best of its ability, but its time is so short that just as it has learned something by experience and is in a position to accomplish something, graduation puts an abrupt end to its opportunity. Next fall another equally green set takes charge. Thus there can never be any real continuity of purpose. With such a complete change of personality every year, gradual, careful construction of a system in athletics or in any thing else is not to be expected.

The talk about "favoritism," "indifference," and the other absurd explanations of Harvard's lack of success in intercollegiate contests is a mass of nonsense. The radical difficulty which lies back of the whole situation is that undergraduates are left to do as best they may without organized conservative advice from older heads. Harvard's competitors have today systems of permanent supervision, supplied by shrewd, mature men. Harvard has nothing of this beyond what is supplied by the scattering efforts of individuals.

By supervision we do not mean interference. Graduates can assist without causing friction. The present plan is then a welcome one. Harvard, owing to peculiar conditions needs organizing more than any other college, and she may well be grateful to those who are making this earnest effort to provide the machinery.