(Ed. Note--Large parts of the above letter have been cut as they duplicate the material found, below).

The Editor of the CRIMSON:

The Harvard Dramatic Club cannot let pass unnoticed the comment on its Spring production, both editorial and otherwise, favorable and unfavorable, which has recently appeared in the columns of the CRIMSON. The Dramatic Club considers this comment as constructive criticism and thanks its critics for crystallizing sentiment on the policies of the Club, past and present.

I do not feel that the Dramatic Club has by any means departed from its traditional policy, which has never been notably rigid: on the contrary, the club in many respects has come nearer to its former policy than has been the case for several productions. The CRIMSON has already lauded the return to complete amateurism which "Close-Up" will introduce. After a lapse of several years, the club has again chosen the work of an undergraduate author. The objection of the critics must, therefore, be that the Spring production is to be a musical comedy.

I should like to say a few words in defense of this choice. First, I believe that everyone will agree that since its beginnings, the theatre has had for its main object, that of providing entertainment, whether serious or light. The stage has developed much art, but its object has always been entertainment. There has arisen beside the old comedy and tragedy another form of entertainment known as the musical comedy which has invaded the modern stage to such an extent that it is considered by many to be an integral part of the drama. Is it not consistent with the aims of the Harvard Dramatic Club many of whose members will adopt the stage as a career, occasionally to devote its time and energy to producing this important type of theatrical diversion?

Secondly, the Dramatic Club has always considered with an eye to production the dramatic efforts of undergraduates, but it has been impossible to produce any of these plays which have been submitted in the last few years. Most of them have had little or no merit, or if there has been merit, the plays have not been of the kind which local censors could witness unblushingly. Since the days of Professor George P. Baker, Harvard College has taken little or no notice of the drama as a field of instruction until quite recently, with the result that the quality of student dramatic literature has suffered deplorably; and yet the Dramatic Club is criticised for not producing undergraduate plays.

The club has also been criticised for "commercialism" Unfortunately finances do not always permit such an organization to do exactly what it would like to do; in fact, a college dramatic club may be considered fortunate if it can pay for one production out of the proceeds of the next. The Harvard Dramatic Club, then, cannot shut both its eyes to the box office.

In closing, I should like to say that the club sincerely hopes to obtain before its fall production an undergraduate play of real merit. Meanwhile it feels that it has a good musical comedy written by an undergraduate, which it demes more expedient to offer than a poor play. Very truly yours,   E. T. Batchelder '30.   Production Manager.