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Source. Theorem 5 and its proof, printed pp. 1325–1326 (published PDF).

Statement. Let (S,M)(S,M) be a finite matroid with rank rr, let A=(Ai)i∈I\mathcal A=(A_i)_{i\in I} be a finite indexed family, and let k,t≥0k,t\ge0 be integers. There is a kk-transversal XX of A\mathcal A with r(X)≥tr(X)\ge t if and only if, for every J⊆IJ\subseteq I,

k∣A(J)∣≥∣J∣,(6)k|A(J)|\ge |J|, \tag{6}

and

r(A(J))≥∣J∣+t−∣I∣.(7)r(A(J))\ge |J|+t-|I|. \tag{7}

Proof. First take k=0k=0. If I≠∅I\ne\varnothing, condition (6) fails on a singleton, and no representative assignment has multiplicity at most zero. If I=∅I=\varnothing, the only support is ∅\varnothing and has rank zero; condition (7) at J=∅J=\varnothing is 0≥t0\ge t, so both sides hold exactly when t=0t=0.

Now suppose k≥1k\ge1. Replace every x∈Sx\in S by its kk labeled copies and put

Aik=Ai×[k]⊆Sk.A_i^k=A_i\times[k]\subseteq S^k.

By the lift in the definitions, kk-transversals of A\mathcal A are exactly projections of full transversals of (Aik)i∈I(A_i^k)_{i\in I}. By Theorem 6,

rMk(Z)=rM(π(Z))(Z⊆Sk).(8)r_{M^k}(Z)=r_M(\pi(Z)) \qquad(Z\subseteq S^k). \tag{8}

Suppose first that a kk-transversal XX of rank at least tt exists, and lift a witnessing representative assignment to a full transversal ZZ of (Aik)(A_i^k). Hall's necessary condition gives

∣⋃i∈JAik∣=k∣A(J)∣≥∣J∣,\left|\bigcup_{i\in J}A_i^k\right| =k|A(J)|\ge |J|,

which is (6). The necessary direction of Perfect's criterion applied in MkM^k gives

rMk(⋃i∈JAik)≥∣J∣+t−∣I∣.r_{M^k}\left(\bigcup_{i\in J}A_i^k\right) \ge |J|+t-|I|.

Using (8), its left side is rM(A(J))r_M(A(J)), proving (7).

Conversely, suppose (6) and (7) hold. Equation (6) is exactly Hall's condition for the copied family (Aik)(A_i^k), so that family has a full transversal. Equations (7) and (8), together with Perfect's criterion, give a partial-transversal range YY of (Aik)(A_i^k) satisfying rMk(Y)≥tr_{M^k}(Y)\ge t. Since the copied family has a full transversal, transversal augmentation extends YY as a set to a full-transversal range ZZ. Rank is monotone, so rMk(Z)≥tr_{M^k}(Z)\ge t. Its projection is a kk-transversal XX, and (8) gives rM(X)≥tr_M(X)\ge t. This proves sufficiency. □\square

The proof is relative to finite Rado through Perfect's corollary. Hall's theorem and all copied-ground-set identities are linked or proved explicitly.