UNIVERSITY FRANCHISE

[To the Ediloi. of THE SpECiwronj

Sm,—I observe in your issue of March 29th a letter dealing with this subject in which reference is made to the University of London Graduates' Association. I have been a Member 9f the Council of the Association, for, 82 years, and a Vice- President for over 28 years. The writer incidentally seeks to disparage the Member of Parliament for the University, Sir Ernest Graham-Little, who has had the support of the Association throughout his parliamentary career. Sir Emest's position in Parliament is too well established to require defence.

I am also, and have been for some 12 years, the Honorary Treasurer of that Association, and I contradict indignantly the suggestion which is made in the letter that we have no balance-sheet, no list of members, and no council meetings.

The Association has no connexion with party polities. The rule which it has followed in supporting any candidate for any office is that if he is prepared to maintain the interests of the University as it sees them, his private political opinions are his personal concern. Sir Ernest has explained his political position in Parliament very fully ; that that position meets with the approval of the vast majority of the electorate is obvious from the ever-mounting figures by which Sir Ernest has been returned at three successive contested elections. • ' The Association was founded in 1899 with the express object of maintaining the interests of graduates and their influence within the University. The latter aim, the Asso- ciation considers, is best secured by sending to the Senate, as representatives of the graduates, members who are enthu- siastic in serving those interests. At the forthcoming elections to the Senate in May next the following candidates have accepted the nomination of the Association : In Arts .. .. Dr. Scott Lidgett, cu., D.D., M.A.

(Senator).

Prof. Sir Percy Nunn, MA., D.Sc., LL.D., D.Litt. (Senator).

Professor A. W. Reed, M.A., D.Litt. (Senator).

Mr. Thomas Hynes, LL.B. (Senator).

Sir Ernest Graham-Little, B.A., M.D. ., F.R.C.P., M.P. (Senator).

„ Science Professor Greenwood, D.Sc., F.R.C.P., M.R.C.S., F.R.S.

SI If • . Professor G. B. Jegery, M.A., D.Sc., F.R.S. In Engineering .. Mr. Roger Smith, B.Sc., M.I.C.E. (Senator).

The list speaks for itself and demonstrates the confidence accorded the Association by graduates of the University of every type.

Scrutiny of votes, upon which your correspondent com- ments, is a procedure followed by all universities in Great Britain, and dates from the time when universities first won Parliamentary representation some three hundred years ago. This procedure received expressly-renewed sanction in that great measure of electoral reform, the Representation of the People Act of 1918.—Yours truly,

IV

If . VI • •

.• Laws • • „ Medicine

JOID4 A. DOUGLAS. The Athenaeum, S.W. 1.