Communists Unqualified for Faculty Posts, States Report of Universities

Communists are unqualified to teach in the universities, and professors should be wary of hiding under the Fifth Amendment, according to a statement of the Association of American Universities, issued over the vacation.

Provost Buck officially represented Harvard at the meeting of the 37 colleges, which also urged universities to cooperate with legislative inquiries.

The A.A.U. called loyal citizenship, as well as professional competences as requisites for appointment and retention of a University position. These qualities, it stated, are incompatible with membership in the Communist party.

No Place Teaching

Present members of the Communist party and those who silence criticism of it in classroom have no right in American universities, and forfeit university support that must always be given in defense of true academic freedom, the report claimed.

Consequently, it said, the universities should maintain the highest standards of appointments and promotions.

Although not referring to any particular congressional committee, the Association urged that universities cooperate with legislative inquiries. It added that they should meet possible abuses from committees by appealing to public opinion rather than non-cooperation or defiance.

The universities should also reexamine the qualifications of professors invoking the Fifth Amendment in refusing to answer questions. The professor should bear a heavy burden of proof of his fitness to continue teaching, the statement said.

The Association emphasizes university authority instead of political authorities should have the final decision of discipline or discharge of a professor.

"Discipline on the basis of irresponsible accusations or suspicion can never be condoned," it added, however.