ON a more serious note, however, since Mobuto took power in 1965. Zaire's government has been stable. Zaire has not been wracked by the constant civil war that has plagued other African nations.

Zaire is an artificial political entity. Its borders were decided arbitrarily on some Belgian map a century ago. Within those borders are over 250 potentially warlike tribes.

Perhaps without Mobuto's iron hand and corrupt body politic, Zaire would have fragmented long ago. Perhaps the blood Mobuto has shed is less than the blood that would have spilled were it not for his autocratic rule.

Perhaps Mobuto believes he is faithfully following Machiavelli's advice to an effective Prince--that it is better to be feared than to be loved.

Nevertheless, we who share a perhaps hopeless idealism, we who hold a perhaps naive belief in the power of democracy must firmly, resolutely oppose the suppression of human rights. We most follow our perhaps irrational faith that even if the trains do run on time. dictatorship is inherently evil and can never be tolerated. And especially such a murderous dictatorship as this one should be abhorred.

What a pity that Harvard, the world's foremost liberal institution. Must degrade itself by permitting the words of an evil man land within earshot of her eternal ivv.