Conditions are definitely favorable on the Crimson waterfront these days, and as the team nears its first major meet with Dartmouth on Friday, February 5, few defeats are expected to mar the season. In fact, as this is the inaugural year of the Eastern Intercollegiate Swimming League, this season seems particularly appropriate to Varsity mermen for hanging up an undefeated record.

If it wasn't for the perennial blue streak launched at New Haven, this goal wouldn't seem in any way stratospheric; and after looking over Coach Ulen's material, even Yale's marine supremacy takes on a less invincible aspect.

So far this season, the team has had no acid test, winning both the Green wood Men's Club and Providence Boy's Club meets with the greatest of ease, and the annual Alumni obstacle also caused no difficulty. According to Ulen, these encounters served primarily to give him an idea who's who and what's what; and in general, the squad's performance was very encouraging. Several facts with a slightly pessimistic hue, however, were forcibly revealed.

Chief difficulty is that the team is short handed in the freestyle ranks, a situation caused by the failure of several potential crawl experts to report. This means that many of the regulars will have to double--some even triple and quadruple--duty in the meets. Luckily, most of this year's top-notch swimmers are capable of bearing this burden, but the final score of more than one meet may hinge upon the perfect conditioning of these multiple-duty men.

The new Eastern Swimming League is almost entirely an Ivy proposition, including: Princeton, Yale, Dartmouth, Columbia, Navy, and Penn. Although the team will take water against several other colleges, it is within the sacred ranks of this League that all attention will be centered; and the League Championship which will necessarily include an Eli scalp, is the Lotus Isle toward which these mermen will be swimming all season.

A checkup of the team's personnel reveals a fairly even distribution of strength in the various events. Lead by Olympic veteran Charles Hutter, the 50, 100, and 220 yard events will undoubtedly be fertile fields for Crimson harvests this winter. Intercollegiate champion in the 100, and holder of numerous other records, 'Hydroplane' Hutter shouldn't have to paddle through anybody's wash all year. In the 220, he will be ably supported by Ray Benedict and Darle Berizxi.

As things now stand, the quarter milers need to improve considerably before they will be winning points with regularity equal to the middle distance squads 'Powerhouse' Berizzi is the pace-setter for this contingent, with Frank Coleman taking second honors. Harley 'Steamboat' Stowell gave early promise of developing into a reliable 440 swimmer, but illness has forced him to scratch from the recent meets.

The sprinters include in their numbers Captain John Colony, and the Dons Mackay and Barker. They are all strong swimmers, and will probably divide first laurels throughout the season. Together with Hutter, they will form an unusually fast relay team.

Graham Cummin reigns among the backstrokers, and should find little difficulty in floating through an undefeated season. Last year, Cummin broke the intercollegiate record, but was able to retain his title for only one week. In the next meet, against Princeton, he suffered his only dual defeat of the season but forced his rival to lower the mark he had set up. This son of Nassau is not competing this winter, which should leave things pretty much Cummin's way. Crosby Keller will be his understudy.

Arthur Jameson has developed rapidly to become the Crimson number, one man in the breaststroke, with Jim Munroe backing him up. The divers include Rusty Greenhood, Lobey Forebusch, and Bob Snider. Greenhood is the most consistent performer in this event.