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To the Editor of the CRIMSON:

With the same success that Professor Baker had, the manager of the Harvard Dining Halls for several years fought to have the ancient and overequipped Memorial Hall abandoned. In its place he desired an up to date, first-class cafeteria with a modern restaurant. He proposed that the college erect a two-story building, on or near Harvard Square. The ground floor was to be a cafeteria, similar to the Splendid, the second floor was to be a well furnished restaurant. His efforts were rewarded by refusals, coupled with the recommendation that the cafeteria, which was disliked by the President, be closed. It was thought by the authorities that the cafeteria drew trade away from Memorial Hall. That able and wise manager succeeded in running the cafeteria and Memorial, but he tired of having to fight to keep the cafeteria. He saw changes coming. He knew that the cafeteria was doomed. For more than two decades he had run the dinning halls successfully and well. He knew that the men who were eating in the cafeteria would not fleck to Memorial when the cafeteria was closed. Before the crash came he resigned.

A new man was appointed. He also ran the halls successfully and well. But the President still disliked the cafeteria. The fact that the "caff" was too small to feed the number of students desiring to eat there made no difference. Despite the fact that every year a waiting list, numbered into the hundreds, while Memorial Hall was begging for customers, it was decided that the cafeteria be closed. The burning of Massachusetts Hall afforded an excuse of expediency. The college needed the room for offices. Here was a chance to discontinue the cafeteria, and to make Memorial Hall conform to the ideals of the President. No one will deny that Memorial Hall is improved. Most of us realize that the price of board has risen from $8.50 to $12.50 at the same time. It is worth it, and there is a demand for it, 300 strong. But there is a much bigger demand for a cafeteria where a student can eat on credit at anywhere from $6.00 to $15.00 a week.

The new manager has done heroic, work at Memorial. He has given excellent food and good service with the minimum use of equipment, often expediting the service by working, himself, in the kitchen. But 300 men will not support an out of date equipment, designed to serve 1,000 to 3,000. Despite a fine "esprit de corps" the Hall has failed. The reasons are under Memorial Hall in the form of a power plant, ice plant, electric laundry, a large bakery, a butcher-shop, numerous refrigerating rooms, an oversize range and roasting oven, numerous old-fash-loned steam jacketed ketties, sundry machines such as electric ice cream freezer and an automatic potato peeler.

The objection which prevented the building of a modern plant was that people might think the college was becoming commercialized. Sentiment for-bade the students to have what they desired. A building on Harvard Square would have paid for itself by now. But sentiment forbade.

The old cafeteria used Memorial Hall kitchen. But serving both "Mem" and the "Caff" the kitchen was utilized up to its minimum capacity, at least. Instead of moving the cafeteria into the lower end of Memorial, the lower end was partitioned off and left blank. Half of the Serving-room is idle. All equipment is half utilized. The upstairs rooms are empty. Yet there was no room for a cafeteria, for the cafeteria was disliked. Sentiment again. At the first of the year graduate students were preached a sermon, "Be thou gregarious". To be gregarious meant to eat in groups of two, four, and six, rather than tens, or twelves as it used to be on Kirkland street. To get the most out of our studies we should eat at Memorial Hall, which had been refitted with the purpose of bringing students into conversational groups. The idea works well for those who are willing and able to pay. But meanwhile a larger body is turned away. They take refuge in the very one-armed chairs from which Memorial Hall should save them. "At cost" at Memorial! Hall is more expensive than "with profit" elsewhere.

Now we are confronted with inconsistency. Sound business propositions were turned down and actually prevented from operating for sentiment's sake. The college refused to give the students ideal eating conditions on a commercial basis. It was preferred to remain on a sentimental basis. Yet for a purely commercial reason Memorial Hall is to be closed.

Memorial Hall is designed with a double serving room. One end is idle. The same end of the hall is empty. There is room for the expansion of the forward end both on the floor and up-stairs. A cafeteria could easily be installed in the lower end of Memorial. If opened at the first of the next term the chance to eat" on your term bill" at a nominal rate would win back the lost patronage, Next year Memorial would serve 800 to 1000. Memorial would cease to be a white elephant, and the students could be gloriously gregarious. C.S. Nuvv 1G.