17 OCTOBER 1947, Page 16

SIR,—The heavy guns from Boar's Hill and the House have

thundered forth. Perhaps nevertheless the coup de grace may be administered by lesser artillery. A university appointments board was recently approached by a famous oil company and asked to put forward the names of six men in their middle thirties who were considered suitable candidates for high administrative appointments in the £2,000 a year range. The com- pany's letter concluded with the words, "Other things being equal, we should in every case prefer men with classical degrees."—! am, Sir,