21 This Year

Sirs.—Recently I was glancing through an old copy of Salient, April 13, 1944, to be precise, and under the title "Editorial" were the incredible words "Stud. Ass. Bookshop?" This issue was printed exactly two months before I was born. In other words, for 21 flaming years students have been talking about getting a bookshop.

The editorial makes two points: (a) "The profit made on all books is excessive, between 50 and 100 per cent ..."

(b) "Bookshops are unwilling to take any risk for the students.

Orders are insufficient; they arrive too late and are confined to absolute essential texts. It cannot be said that this is entirely due to the war. The situation was substantially the same in 1939."

The editor of 21 years ago then suggests that we could "have a Stud. Ass. Bookshop in our new Students' Union Building."

Another quote from the editorial may be of some interest: "At a conservative estimate books could be retailed to students at two-thirds of their present price, with a sufficient profit. Co-operation with the staff would ensure an accurate estimate of requirements at least six months in advance."

It is to be hoped that the new Exec, will make some effort to make a decision that is 21 years overdue.