Professors Vote To Protest FBI's Loyalty Program

Forty local chapter members of the American Association of University Professors vated unanimously last night o protest to Congress certain aspects of the government's loyalty program. They adopted a motion calling for protest against two amendments to the National Science Foundation Bill, amendments requiring an FBI loyalty check for all of the Foundation's fellowship applicants.

Norman F. Ramsey, associate professor of Physics, told the meeting that the amendments would lead to a weakening of national security by "diluting" security standards, that they would tend to drive scientists into other fields. Ramsey also revealed that the Physics department intended unanimously to protest the amendments.

Preceding Ramsey, Kirtley F. Mather, professor of Geology, described recent efforts to curtail academic freedom. Mather cited examples of legislation, action of academic groups, and "pressures by self-appointed guardians of youth" which have restricted teachers.

Mather said "we must stand foursquare on the principles of academic freedom . . . we must not wait secure in our classrooms while others go down on the firing line."