HARVARD GROUPS CONDEMN BUTLER'S COLUMBIA SPEECH

Harvard recorded its unanimous disapproval of President Nicholas Murray Butler's curtailment of freedom of speech at Columbia yesterday whom American Defence, Harvard Group, joined with the Teachers' Union, the Student Union, and the American Defense League in condemning the action.

Recognizing "no possible emergency so great as to justify a university or college in enforcing uniformity of faculty, opinion in matters of national policy," the Faculty Defense Group took the lead in the attack in a five-point statement of their position in regard to academic freedom.

Attach "Fascist" Philosophy

The Teachers' Union heads, Francis O. Matthiessen, associate professor of History and Literature, and Kirtley F. Mather, professor of Geology, were no less strong in their attack of an "attitude of mind more in harmony with the fascist philosophy of social organization than with the democratic."

Likewise unity of front was achieved between the two leading undergraduate groups and the Student Union American Defense League.

Butler Repeats '17 Action

The stand of President Butler in asking "those whose convictions are of such a character as to bring their conduct in open conflict with the University's freedom to withdraw of their own accord," was generally interpreted as a repetition of his action in 1917 when two professors were dismissed for their views.

Professor Mather saw the real issue presented by Dr. Butler's statement as "the old problem of who it is that determines what "social learning" and moral teaching" are. If the faculty is to partake in the important matter of determining these things, differences of opinion may arise. He expressed the hope that President Butler's example would not be followed by the President of other universities "dedicated to the free pursuit of knowledge."

In its pronouncement on the address, the American Student Defense League said, "The Little Napoleon of Columbia" has defined the duty of a scholar to direct public opinion in the paths of reason, by inference making himself the scholar of scholars. We admire his intellectual self-confidence, but deplore his un-American intolerance."

Referring to Dr. Butler's pronouncement as "astonishing" and a "frontal attack on the liberties of students and scholars in a free country," the HSU held this "thorough perversion of the phrase 'academic freedom'" to be "one more clear indication that many of our senior partners in the academic world have, through their subservience to the war drive, abdicated their position of leadership in America."

The statement of American Defense, Harvard Group, in response to President Butler's statement at Columbia, follows:

"1. We support strong measures of national defense, including aid to other defenders of democracy, in order to protect fundamental American values; among these, freedom of speech and opinion.

"2. We regard it as the particular obligation of universities and colleges to maintain these values in their own practice.

"3. We recognize no possible emergency so great as to justify a university or college in enforcing uniformity of faculty opinion in matters of national policy.

"4. We believe that the principle of academic freedom applies to students as well as to the faculty, and that universities and colleges should maintain that principle in dealings with their student bodies.

"5. As an unofficial organization in the Harvard University community, we stand for complete freedom of speech and opinion, so far as regards academic control, for teachers and students who disagree with the position taken by this group."

Editors of the Columbia "Spectator" could not be reached for a statement last night because, according to the telephone operator, "they've all gone out to dances and won't be home until two."