Alumni Group to Probe Selection Of Oppenheimer as Lecturer Here; Faculty Members Not Yet Queried

An organization calling itself The Harvard Veritas Committee has sent out 10,000 letters to selected Alumni in an attempt to make the college reconsider the appointment of J. Robert Oppenheimer '26, as William James Lecturer.

The committee consisting of 8 Harvard alumni from New York and Boston is headed by Col. Archibald Roosevelt, the only surviving son of Theodore Roosevelt.

Roosevelt said that a "fundamental defect of character" should disqualify Oppenheimer from this honor which could have been fulfilled by a more deserving man. Roosevelt added, however, that the committee had little hope of keeping Oppenheimer off the lecture platform.

Roosevelt said that the committee hoped that they would "shed the light of publicity" on the situation and the background of the appointment. He said that at the moment they were trying to find out who was responsible for the appointment. "After that," he continued, "we can decide what we will do."

The letters to the alumni asked for funds and help in determining why Oppenheimer was appointed to the lectureship. Roosevelt said the funds collected would be used to "send out more circulars to get more information."

The letter called Oppenheimer a man of "highly questionable moral background." It said that it seemed strange that he should be selected for this distinct honor in Philosophy, a study closely identified with ethics and wisdom."

Roosevelt said that it would be "very difficult to convince him that the appointment would be beneficial to Harvard, as in his opinion the evidence against Oppenheimer was conclusive.

The members of the committee besides Roosevelt are Edwin Ginn '18, Robert H. Montgomery, Lispenard Phister, Fred Roberts, and Kenneth Robertson '29 from Boston, and William I. Robertson '31 and Arthur Harlow '25 from New York.

Oppenheimer Condemned

Ginn resigned from his position as class agent in protest over Oppenheimer's appointment. At that time he called him "a known Communist sympathizer and confessed liar in matters of espionage."

"Why," he demanded, "must Harvard insult a large body of loyal alumni by inviting so dubious a character to lecture? My conscience will not allow me to continue financial support to the college while such an attitude prevails, nor can I continue to urge others to do so."