But the ideological evolution from far left in the '60s to moderate in the '90s reflects a historic Crimson tradition.

"The newspaper's political leaning is forever shifting," says Epps, who was at Harvard when The Crimson celebrated its last major anniversary--the centennial.

For politically conscious writers, "struggling with how politics and journalism should co-exist," Alter says, is unavoidable.

Crimson editors admit they did not always achieve an objective balance in their undergraduate years. But those who have gone on to careers in journalism say their Crimson experience was instrumental to future success.

Although he regrets having produced some "over the top" writing during college, Glassman explains the importance of ideologically motivated journalism: "It gets people to think about what they otherwise wouldn't have."

Politics has waxed and waned on the pages of Harvard's daily from before the days of Crimson President Franklin D. Roosevelt '04 and through the years of John F. Kennedy '40, a former Crimson executive. The Crimson has not easily tread the line between journalistic neutrality and human conscience.