Unless the New York Establishment fencers crump altogether, Harvard's swordsmen will be in for a gloomy week at the Eastern Intercollegiate championships today and Saturday.

With the Ivies out of the N.C.A.A. tournament, the Eastern round-robbins have some the year's most important fence contests. N.Y.U. and Navy, the only final powers outside the Ivy League, will undoubtedly be taking the Easterns more seriously than the Nationals this year. Harvard sophomore Steve Shea has the experience that Jergesen lacks and did nearly as well as Jergesen in Ivy play Though not so fast as Jergesen, Shea is a more intelligent fencer and could place in the top ten.

Tom Musliner and Rick Kolombatovich will tangle with a swarm of talented swordsmen in foil. Because only foils are used in New York high schools, competition in this weapon is usually stiffer than in sabre or epee. Columbia's Steve Weinstein and Bruno Santonocito and Penn's Steve Permut will tangle for first place.

In sabre, Al Makaitis could make the top ten. Makaitis was 10-5 in Ivy play. Columbia's Mark Berger, an all-American last year, should take first. Cornell's Mike Marion, son of Harvard coach Edo Marion, is the best sophomore in the East and may give the New York boys some trouble.