A CAMBRIDGE GRIEVANCE.
(To THE EDITOR OF THE " SPECTATOR.") Sin,—In view of the very large number of Cambridge men who are readers of the Spectator, may I bo permitted to make use of your columns to bring to their notice a grievance of a large but rapidly dwindling number of members of the University, of which my case is typical ? Of the 1913 Freshmen, a considerable portion joined His Majesty's Forces in the Long Vacation of 1914, and of these many were, like myself, serving overseas before the Univer- sity had again reassembled. With the exception of any who may have been subsequently discharged, and so been enabled to return to their studies, not one of these men has obtained his degree. Many of us started out to take honours, and successfully passed the " Mays " in 1914. To get a degree of any kind now we are expected to go into residence fora certain number of terms and to pass further examinations—for the majority of us an impos- sibility even were the war to finish to-morrow. Contrast our case with that of the man of our year who remained at the University for a year or more after the outbreak of hostilities; pass or honours man, the Statutes were so altered as to allow him to take his degree in considerably less time than under normal conditions.
I have discussed this matter with Cambridge men in all branches of the Service, and in many places, including front-line trenches, and all have agreed with use in condemning as scandalous a state of affairs that places eo great an embargo on the man who merely made the mistake (?) of responding to the Government's urgent request for volunteers instead of placing his own interests before national needs by remaining at the University. I am not aware whether this applies to other Universities, but that it is entirely eut of accordance with the traditions of Cambridge nobody will deny. Why it exists at all I do not understand; possibly one of your readers can give some explanation. From time to time during the past three years I hare brought this matter to the notice of my College authorities, and although I have been assured by them that the Senate has been approached, I have failed entirely to get any satisfaction;. hence my invitation of your assistance in giving the necessary publicity, which may have the effect of causing action to be taken in the proper quarter.— Thanking you, Sir, for allowing me to call public attention to what I consider to be a real injustice, I am, Sir, &c., CANTAB.
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