College Hits Bill Aimed At Firing Red Teachers

Strong University opposition went on record yesterday at a State House hearing on a a bill instructing college presidents to "expel communists or communist sympathizers from their teaching staffs."

The University's position, stated by Frank W. Crocker '22, attorney, was the game as it has been the past three years in reaction to General Court bills of similar ilk.

Crocker said that the legislation would impose an onerous task on colleges and would require them to have some sort of investigating group or FBI to examine their staff.

Revoke the Charter

The bill, H-1613, introduced by Paul A. McCarthy of Somerville, would penalize any failure to comply with this act by revocation of the school's chart. The proposed legislation would require a hearing "as guaranteed by the 14th Amendment of the Constitution," before any man could be expelled.

Only opponents of the bill were represented at yesterday's hearing; proponents will appear in the near future at a time not yet scheduled.

Colleges Testify

Speakers from colleges, veterans organizations, the Progressive Party, and the Massachusetts Civil Liberties Union were among these testifying yesterday.

The Civil Liberties Union presented a telegram from Archibald MacLeish, Boylston Professor of Rhetoric and Oratory, in which he stated that the last two wars had shown the Commonwealth was politically sound in spirit. Existing statutes on subversive problems are adequate, MacLeish added, and that the proposed measure might have an effect opposite to that intended by weakening rather than strengthening the colleges.

MacLeish closed by urging the committee to examine other states where old traditions had been discarded. The lesson, he said, was that nothing had been accomplished by the change.