Dartmouth publicity men have billed their swimming team as one of the bright spots of the winter sports season. If it is, it will be an unusually told and discouraging winter in Hanover.

The Indians lost five squad members early in the season for undisclosed reasons, and if this was not enough, they lost three more men recently for academic and medical reasons.

Dartmouth holds a slight edge over the Crimson in its season's record. The Indians have won over Williams, 50-45; Harvard has beaten Springfield and lost to Army and Navy. But the service teams, especially Navy, are unusually strong this year, and losses to them do not necessarily mean Harvard is weak.

Then too, Dartmouth's personnel problems have left the team unbalanced. There are no lettermen in the event, and sophomore Hank Art must carry the backstroke. Hank Marshall is the only experienced breaststroker. Crimson coach Bill Brooks, on the other hand, rates his team as having at least "average balance."

Coach Cautious

Coach Brooks is cautious after two straight losses. He says that "although our present squad is not the usual strong Harvard team, it is a good one and we look forward to having a good meet."

Brooks predicts that Harvard spinters Eliot Miller, Gregg Skalinder, and Eric Kiausemann "will get good competition from Don Waite." The Crimson's All-American Dave Abramson and Ed Seaton are the likely entries in the 200 and 500 freestyle races, facing sophomore Steve Shipps. Altogether, things add up to a score not too different from last year's lopsided 60-35 figures.