Stringent Loyalty Checks at Yale Keep Teachers Tense

The FBI has moved in on Yale University. New Haven agents wander in and out of Provost Edgar S. Furniss' office "every day." Young instructors report the same traffic at the Sloane Physics Laboratory.

But it is not these eight or so agents or their open inquiries which have frightened groups at Yale, especially groups in the sciences.

They are afraid because two times, and possibly a third, these known agents have gone beyond the official FBI code of ethics to interfere directly with academic and political liberties inside the university.

They are afraid because for every known agent of the FBI, there are several undercover agents and general informants in the area. These are the men likely to charge them with guilty-by-association. These are the men they suspect of watching their homes, and in one case of opening their mail.

On page three of this issue are the stories of FBI pressure on two instructors at Yale and of a secret report submitted to the administration on another.

They are afraid of Yale's vague policy on appointments. President Charles Seymour has stated, "We do not intend to hire Communists."

What they fear is the methods the university may employ to implement President Seymour's policy. In the one known "Communism case" to date, they know that an inaccurate secret report was used. They are afraid that such voluntary reports may become the normal procedure in "communism cases."

Provost Furniss has assured, "Accepting any such report is neither a university practice nor policy." Later, however, the Provost said he would oppose any appointment if the fact that the man was a Communist "came to my attention."

The fright is also confined in varying degrees to specific departments, mainly among the sciences. Some of the more independent segments of Yale, such as the law and medical schools, are not even worried.

The Yale appointment system is primarily responsible for these differences in attitude.

Under this system, a candidate for a faculty position must be approved by his department before his application ever reaches the Yale Corporation level.

A strong department will almost invariably fight a corporation rejection, the young scholars know. Therefore the young men in these departments have very little fear of being refused an appointment on groundless charges. They know their department will demand to know the charges and will help fight any injustice.

On the other hand, young men in a weak department cannot be certain of such support. Thus, the fight of FBI and University tactics is strongest in the weak departments. Most young scholars say that some day they may want to teach.

The young faculty members and the graduate students interviewed all stated that no one had objections to the FBI's loyalty checks on men who had applied for government jobs. These checks are made in the open by the known FBI agents. Usually several of the higher members of the particular department are interviewed.