(The Crimson invites all men in the University to submit signed communications of timely interest. It assumes no responsibility, however, for sentiments expressed under this head and reserves the right to exclude any whose publication would be palpably inappropriate.)

To The Editors of The CRIMSON:

Believing that I can qualify as an authority on "The Costs of a Degree," it is my duty to take exception to the editorial which appeared, under that title, in the CRIMSON for April second. That article is worthy of no comment; suffice it to say that its author obviously knew very little about the subject.

I have been entirely self supporting since my entrance to High School. After finishing High School I had to decide, for and by myself, whether or not college is really worth while. After making my decision it was my task to finance my chosen career. Being unable to find anyone who could or would advance me a small fund as a "working capital," it was necessary to labor for four years and save my money. This created a reserve fund of $1,800. for my college career. During my first three years of college I made expenses by working during vacations and at least sixty hours a month during college. Incidentally, I was attending a Far Western college where the students' total expenses are less than one half what they are here. During my Senior year my activities encroached upon my time for work so I abandoned labors and drew upon the reserve. The balance of it I am exhausting here as a graduate student devoting full time to studies.

The author of the article in the CRIMSON seems to forget that the student is of the nonproductive class while he is in college. In other words, a man is not only spending money already made but he is also spending his time which in these days of high wages, is worth $1500 to $1800 a year for common work. The writer in the CRIMSON pointed out that a man's living expenses must continue regardless or what he is doing but in his application of that principle he forgets all economic laws. A man's living expenses are really invested in what he is producing. If he is working, the investment goes with his own labor to produce a savings account and a higher position in work and society. If he is at college he makes the investment in an education, and additional prestige. One must, therefore, compute living expenses, for his entire college career, together with his other college expenses. To this he should add the difference between his expenses and the money value of his time in order to arrive at a fair estimate of the cost of each year at college.

I have actually spent, in money and wages earned, about $4000 for 5 years of college training. Now I am going a step further than the estimate in the Yale News. I left a $1,200 position, prewar basis, to enter college and, this fall, I left a $2,400 position to resume my college work here. My salaries have increased gradually from the low price to the higher price. This will make an average of $1,800 per yearn for 5 years or $9,000 as the total worth of my time for the period. I have seen receiving from 7 percent, to 15 per cent on investments. In fact I can get 15 per cent on good security. This rate, computed at compound interest payable semi-anually, on the worth of each year of time invested, plus the original capital of $1,800 and its interest, plus the above $9,000 brings the total amount to more than $16,000. I believe almost anyone will agree that a man's college education is worth more to him than the worth of the mere time that he spends in the career. This amount varies according to the individual. However for the sake of a conservative estimate, I will eliminate that factor altogether and cut the estimated that factor altogether and cut the estimated worth of my complete five years of college education down to $15,000.C. P. WILSON 1G.B.