Unlike Tono Bungay, rotary traffic is not intended to cure everything. As it is being administered by the Cambridge Engineers Office at present, it is aimed at alleviating one or two of the more important problems that confront Harvard Square rather than solving the entire constipated traffic mixup. Though the first two days of the experiment was a fiasco, the City Engineer's Office last week, in conjunction with the State Engineering Office, installed a substantial number of stoplights, cross-walks and other innovations. The end result has been a safer but more complicated Harvard Square.

As the man directly responsible for many of the changes, city engineer Edgar W. Davis has shown considerable intelligence in ordering numerous changes. Although he has climbed out on the proverbial limb in terming the experiment a success, he definitely has not blinded himself to other improvements. Merely as a matter of comfort, the MTA was requested to raise the level of the trolley tracks on the Coop side of the kiosk, thereby removing the hollow that was turned into a sea of mud and water almost every rainstorm. Davis, furthermore, is well aware of the student's plight in crossing Cambridge Street. He would like to see as topflight installed at that point, and is working for one at present.

As far as the complaints of Cambridge cabbies are concerned, Davis is wont to turn a deaf car. For something like 40 years, he explains, the hackies have dominated the Square. With rotary traffic, the days of reckless U-turns are gone for the cab drivers; they must obey the new laws as much as any one else.

Only the removal of the kiosk or the construction of a Porter Square station to funnel off much of the current MTA traffic could further simplify Harvard Square. The chance of this happening in the near future is nil. Not only is the MTA broke, but Harvard Square merchants would be sure to protest the resulting drop in trade should Porter Square become the North Cambridge outlet.

Although engineer Davis is convinced that rotary traffic holds the only practical solution to eventually speeding up traffic through Harvard Square, he has yet to convince most of Cambridge and the student body.

the fact of the matter is that R.T. still hasn't had a fair test. Construction still is under progress, commuters, remain unfamiliar with the system, and pedestrians are all too often downright hostile and uncooperative. But barring a gang war between can companies, the Harvard Square battleground should soon develop into merely another busy, but otherwise normal, intersection. Although not as tasty as Tono Bungay, rotary traffic should effect more material results.