W. H. Furry's Statement:

Today I refused to answer certain questions asked me by the House Committee on Un-American Activities. My refusal was based on the rights which every American has under the First and Fifth Amendments to the Constitution.

My refusal in no way implies that I am guilty of anything. The fact is that I have not committed any crimes and I have never done anything with intent to injure the United States. It is also an unfortunate fact, however, that under present circumstances a person who is subjected to interrogation of this kind has cause, no matter how innocent he may be, to apprehend that accusations have been or will be constructed against him.

It is my strong feeling that the Committee's policy of interrogating persons on their private beliefs and associations is utterly inconsistent with American traditions of freedom. There may be some special circumstances, for example in relation to government employment with access to secret information, in which such inquiry, with the results kept closely confidential, can be justified. There can, however, be no justification for singling out private citizens for such inquiry, and giving publicity to the results.

My strong feeling on this point certainly forbids me to submit to any such questioning by the press or other persons. I wish, however, voluntarily to make a brief statement.

I assure my friends and colleagues that I am not a member of the Communist Party, that I have no personal knowledge as to whether or not there is any Communist Party activity at Harvard or anywhere else. Also, as I said at the beginning, none of my actions has had any criminal or disloyal purpose; nor have I ever intruded political matters into my work as a teacher.

The attack on me had its main source, I believe, in my record as an outspoken liberal. My sentiments have always been well known to my colleagues and friends, and to many others. I never concealed them, and am still proud of them and convinced of their essential rightness.