The foundation of a Harvard University Press as announced today, is a significant event in the history of this institution. Harvard's position as the leading American University has been won by her creative scholarship and contributions to the advancement of learning. Whatever may be done now to increase this service will add to her prestige and help to maintain her leadership among a rising number of other institutions that are constantly widening their fields and augmenting their influence. It is for this end that the University Press has been established.

Very few, whether connected with Harvard or not, realize what extensive additions are made to the fund of human knowledge within our own walls, Important investigations are made here by members of the Faculty, and their results are set forth in a work, privately published, that attracts wide attention. Yet because the name of Harvard is not linked with the work, the prestige of the University is not advanced. Also many investigations are carried on and yield important results, yet to set these results before the public is impossible because of lack of funds. The establishment of the University Press will make possible the publication and wider dissemination of the results of this original research work. That the need of such an institution is becoming generally recognized is shown by the recent establishment of Presses at several universities in this country. However, none of these universities has established institutions comparable to those of Oxford and Cambridge, which universities have won special fame by the publication of many scholarly books. To do the work of these Presses is the purpose of the new Harvard foundation, which will redound to the credit of the University and advance the general cause of learning.