Council Draws Protest, Praise For Statement

When the Student Council, after long, painful labors, gives life to a statement presumably reflecting student body views, it is usually reported in the morning CRIMSON and promptly forgotten with the rest of the day's news.

A different fate met the Council's recent stand on academic freedom and Congressional investigations. The wire services carried its statement to newspapers, large and small, across the nation. Letters reflecting a spectrum of political beliefs soon swelled the Council mailbox.

Sen. William E. Jenner (R-Ind), and Rep. Harold H. Velde (R-III) both saw fit to comment. There were the usual complement of crank letters too. Many colleges expressed interest. At last report the student newspaper at Bonn University in Germany printed an account.

The National Students Association currently to distributing the policy statement to its 300 member schools. At this summer's annual conference the NSA will consider adopting the Council statement which would, in effect, virtually make it the official view of the American college student.

Communism, as a political philosophy, should be taught in colleges, objectively, the Student Council said, like any other academic subject. In their statement, they urged investigators to tread carefully lest they "stifle free thought through the pressures engendered by widespread fear."

College education today is not a process of indoctrination but evaluation. "Communism is no exception," the statement continued. "To evaluate communism we must have thorough knowledge of the particular issue and confidence in our method of inquiry." The student need not be shielded from any idea, for he is mature enough to recognize indoctrination and will "protest vigorously against it."

Limit Free Expression

The danger of current Congressional investigations, according to the Council, is that they tend to limit free expression through fear. "Such limitation," the Council contends, "denies the student the opportunity to explore any subject and thereby undermines the basic principles of the educational process."

The complete statement was printed in a letter to the New York Times signed by President Paul D. Sheats '54.

Commented Edwin G. Boring, professor of Psychology, "What a splendid idea for the students themselves to tell the world that they have a right to achieve maturity by resolving contradictions among not-infallible professors! No professor or dean can speak so surely on this matter."

"I am glad to be advised of your views," Representative Velde, Chairman of the House Un-American Activities Committee, replied tersely, after having received a copy of the stand.

Senator Jenner, Chairman of the Internal Security Sub-committee forwarded his own group's policy statement as recorded in the Congressional Record.

Reveal Conspiracy

The purpose of his committee's investigations, he wrote, is "to reveal the elements of the Communist conspiracy against the educational process so that the thousands of loyal teachers and administrators may be on guard."

Jenner told of evidence that a "small but dangerous group" of Moscow-directed teachers is "attempting constantly to corrupt other teachers, students, and teaching materials for the weakening and ultimate destruction of our country."

"Private citizens and local bodies cannot meet this threat alone," he continued. "It is the function of Congress to deal with the national and international aspects of this conspiracy."

Jenner concludes by calling his committee a champion of academic freedom which merely spotlights elements of "the alien conspiracy" that academic leaders might see the plotters for what they are.

Other letter-writers saw Congressional investigations in a quite different light.

Perpretate Status Quo

One gentleman equated the investigations of schools with similar Soviet Russian tactics as a means of perpetuating the status quo. He wrote:

"Human groups grown powerful are primarily interested in education for their self-perpetuation, i.e., for the perpetuation of the forms which preserve and extend their power. Their goals are largely static in that they orient not toward expansion and development of human potentialities in the planetary community, but toward status quo preservation; regardless of what 'objective study and conscientious investigation' may suggest. Education for freedom and mature adulthood is obviously not compatible with an inflexible socio-cultural milieu hostile to all change which might affect its structural lineaments.

"It is in such a context, . . . that the Congressional investigation phenomena must be viewed, if we are to become sensitive to their deeper meaning as a local phase of opposition to human advancement. It should be noted that all of the above applies as well to the Soviet Union and the relationship between its educational system and its total organization; the points in this case being crudely obvious."

The Teachers Union congratulated the Council for "joining the fight" against investigations:

Ultimate Victim of Repressions

"The Teachers Union, which has been opposing loyalty oaths and inquiries into the beliefs, opinions and associations of teachers for several years, has consistently maintained that the student is the ultimate victim of repressions directed against teachers. Events have borne out our warnings that the target cannot be limited--even if that were desirable--to alleged Communists, but that once launched the witchhunt had a logic of its own and ends by engulfing the freedom of all. We are not happy merely at having been proved right, but we are glad that others are seeing the truth of our admonitions and joining the fight."

A New York doctor who describes himself as "a teacher of over 50 years in Colleges and Universities" wrote the Student Council three provocative letters in the space of two days.

Investigate the Investigators

The earnest doctor warned that "Western Civilization . . . is at a point where it may cease to exist," slammed students for their timidity, rapped Communists and Clergy alike, and made certain "suggestions." Perhaps the most interesting of these suggestions was one to have students investigate those Congressional investigators "who have unjustly injured teacher or student. Expose fully what they, too, have done," he exhorted. "There are thousands of American students. This campaign would be an easy one. If the PAST of Teachers can be investigated, investigate the PAST of the ones doing the injury."

Education in Korea

A New York housewife, after praising the patriotism of inquiring Congressmen, suggested, "I think the professors and students of colleges should get their ideological education in the Korean trenches, where communists are killing American boys. I do not believe inexperienced youth can judge any ideology objectively, from professors who taught Alger Hiss, Lee, Pressman and other disloyal Harvard graduates."

Not all letters were black-edged; many writers held tongue firmly in cheek. Someone sent in a printed circular which broadly hinted that Harvard students needed more meat to prevent rheumatic fever.

Another anonymous sender forwarded a pamphlet on "The Communist Technique." Still another sent a brochure on "Esperanto, The International, Auxiliary Language."

The self-styled author of "Broadway Baloney Ballads" campaigned for books for Korea with a hastily scrawled poem:

Youse Harvard guys are wise, We're told

With wits aflame but hearts quite cold

"Potential high brow pundits, Yes

To cause us 'lowlife's' much distress

"Well gents I got such virile gall

That fallcon I dont heed at all

"That gall bids me to ask of youse

Send GI's books--Good Will--good news."