To the Editor of the Crimson:

In its regrettable irresponsibility the Harvard Crimson has gone too far, so far as I am concerned. First, it published, without my permission and authorization, a stupid and ludicrous version of supposedly my lecture about the social functions of the school, -- the version which had an astronomically remote resemblance to the ideas expressed in my published works (Social Mobility, ch.ix), as well as in my lecture. Second, contrary to the rule of an elementary press-ethics, it did not publish my letter of protest and repudiation sent to the editor of the Crimson. Third, in this way Crimson started the avalanche of yellow, stupid, and half-obscene publicity in which the super-sensate and silly ideas of the reporters were ascribed to me. Fourth, few days ago Crimson added to these steps an impudency of reproduction of the picture of the foul imagination of the Click.

By all this Crimson broke not only the standard of any responsible, decent, and accurate press, but even the standards of the yellow and sensational press were about exceeded by it. In spite of a seeming wide popularity of all the ideas ascribed to me by Crimson and by press and radio, they are the invention and ideas of those who have written them. The authorship belongs to them, not to me. I stand firmly for the ideas I expressed, but I do not have a slightest claim of authorship for the ideas which are, in my opinion, silly, stupid, obscene, and moronish. P. A. Sorokin.

P. S. Due to my sickness, only to-day I learned about the reproduction of the Click's super-sensate and super-vulgar dirt-painting. Hence, the delay in my letter.

1. Professor Sorokin gave the Crimson permission to run a feature story of some kind on his lecture.

2. Professor Sorokin's earlier letter was not published because the Crimson did not think he intended it for publication. We regret this misunderstanding.

3. After the story appeared in the Crimson, several Boston reporters interviewed Professor Sorokin. He in no way denied or criticized the Crimson article, but rather enlarged on some of the details for the downtown press.

4. In printing with the publisher's permission Click's imaginary photograph of Professor Sorokin's entrance exam, no impudence was intended or implied by the Crimson. The article was of general news interest.

5. The Crimson regrets that the printing of the story has caused Professor Sorokin any embarrassment.--Ed.