University of Washington Officials Bar Campus Address by Gus Hall

Gus Hall, former General Secretary of the Communist Party of the United States, has been denied permission to make a public address on the campus of the University of Washington, according to an article in Washington's Dally.

Commenting on their action, the Faculty-Student Advisory Committee on Public Speakers stated "We are not concerned about whether our students should hear about controversial subjects from controversial speakers; we hope they will hear and insist upon hearing both sides, and the middle as well."

University rules, however, prohibit the appearance of individuals or organizations who defy national or state regulations concerning political parties, the committee explained. It maintained that Communist party members, who refuse to register as the Internal Security (McCarran) Act demands, violate federal law.

Convicted in 1949 under the terms of the Smith Act for conspiring to overthrow the government by violent means, Hall jumped ball and fled to Mexico. He was deported in 1951 and later served five years in jail for the Smith Act violation and for contempt of court.

"We are interested in Hall, not as a Communist, but as an expert on the McCarran Act," claimed Miss Tamara Turner, vice-president pro tem of the student group that asked Hall to speak.

"The university must be aware of the impossibility of their demand on Hall. It appears to be a subterfuge," she charged. She referred to his exclusion on the basis of his not being registered, but pointed out that registration would bring on his arrest. Under Washington law, it is a felony to be a Communist, said Miss Turner.

Faculty opinion divided over the issue. "I have the fullest confidence that students wouldn't be corrupted by free access to all political opinions," declared a professor of political science who favored admitting Hall.

A professor of economics disagreed. "It seems perfectly reasonable to me to refuse to provide a forum for a person who lies out of both sides of his mouth," he complained.