Communications.

EDITORS DAILY CRIMSON:-I was somewhat astonished to read the editorial which appeared in your issue of Wednesday pertaining to Memorial Hall. I deem it my duty to answer it and explain each point.

In the first place, nothing could be more unwise than to publish an article written in such a spirit. Memorial Hall is a student co-operative institution, and its success depends entirely on the interest and co-operation of its members, and such misleading statements as appeared yesterday are most damaging to the interests of the hall. There never was a Board of Directors who put more interest in their work than the present board, and any such remarks as your article expressed shows, at least, little respect for the great interest and sacrifice of time of the directors.

I ask you to look at the results of this last year's work. The membership is sixty more than was supposed to be the greatest seating capacity of the hall, and this extraordinary number of members (730) has continued unchanged, except for a few days at a time, since October 1st. The bill of fare has been improved in every possible way that was consistent with the scheme for carrying on the hall.

The Monday lunch has been kept the same as of last year, because it was found to be necessary, as long as the price of board was not certainly below $4.00. The meeting held last Friday, decided to have a committee investigate and see what consistent improvement could be made in the Monday lunch. It was too late to make any change for last Monday, so the committee took action for next Monday. Your criticism on this point was therefore premature.

The next remark, that the hall does not pretend to furnish board at less than $4.50, is an entire mistake. The steward receives $1500 for his fixed salary, but the rest depends directly upon his ability to keep the price of board down to $4.00 For every additional ten cents in the price of board, his salary would diminish $7.30 per week.

The steward is thus placed in a delicate position of being obliged to keep the board at $4.00, and at the same time to keep it satisfactory enough to keep the hall full. The success of the Hall depends on the maximum number of members. During the last term, the calculation of the price of board was fixed at $4.00, and the directors were unwilling to make any changes in the bill of fare which should make it exceed $4.00.

During the Christmas vacation, as there were only 140 boarders, and 590 members paying half board, and as the half was cut down, and the general running expenses were diminished, there was an unusual surplus to go into January's board. This brought the price of board down to the very low cost of $3.74. Although steak on Sunday and coffee every night, ( making a difference of ten cents per week for every person ), were added to the bill of fare.

From the constitution of the Hall, it will be seen that the Board of Directors have no right to add anything to the bill of fare, if they feel confident that the steward is capable, and by doing his best is keeping the price at $4.00. The Directors are satisfied with Mr. Sullivan, who is now giving much better board than was given two years ago, at a cost of from $4.50 to $5.00, and their intention is to keep the price of board at $4.00 for the year if possible, and keep it up to its present standard. You also make the statement that the " board is altogether too poor." I merely repeat that almost every seat has been occupied since October 1st, and that it will not be necessary for anybody to stay from a feeling of patriotism for the success of the hall.

I must also add that only one complaint was put in the Complaint box in four weeks, and that was to the effect that only four chairs were left in the gallery. I am very happy to say that the other fourteen were needed in the Hall.

Very respectfully,

WM. H. BALDWIN,JR. Pres. H. D. A.