Mather's Support Of Struik Brings Attack by House

The House Un-American Activities Committee criticized the University and Kirtley F. Mather, professor of Geology, in a report issued yesterday, because of Mather's backing of Dirk Jan Struik, M.I.T. professor indicted for sedition. Last night Mather would not comment on the report.

Calling for legislation which would make espionage in peacetime punishable by death or life imprisonment, the committee also attacked M.I.T. for permitting Struik to teach after he had been accused of communist activities.

The report stated: "History alone will show how many of Professor Struik's students were led by him down the road of communism ... the administrations of M.I.T. share the responsibility for leading these young people away from American ideals and democratic principles."

Struik, who is withholding comment of the report as a whole until today, said yesterday that "I would like to remind the committee that I have been teaching only mathematics."

The committee criticized Mather for writing a letter to clergymen asking them to hold meetings to get acquainted with Struik.

The committee stated: "With individuals like Professors Struik and Mather teaching in our leading universities, your committee wonders who the Professors Struiks were at Harvard who led Alger Hiss along the road of communism until he committed espionage against his country."