A. Stephen Halstead Jr., Chairman. June 13, 1949

Communist Professors

Town Hall, L.A. Other speaker: President Benson of Claremont Mens College

Gentlemen: Let me first make it perfectly clear that I do not represent the California Institute of Technology. I am speaking for myself. Let me also say that I am glad to be a professor at the California Institute of Technology, and to feel that I can speak for myself - I am glad that President Lee DuBridge, President of the Board Jim Page, and the other Trustees are such men that I need not fear to stand up for my beliefs.

I want to say that I think that a communist professor can be fired - for cause

Also, let me say that I am not supporting communism, but principles. It is the fashion now to attack anything progressive as communist-inspired. It would be much easier for our Universities to follow along with this anti-communist agitation - but it would not be right. A politician may well place expediency above principles, but the Nation must not, or the Universities, or we are lost. I am speaking today because of my firm conviction that we are in danger not of communism but of losing our basic principles.

Montesquieu: "The deterioration of every government begins with the decay of the principles on which it was founded."

George Washington, Farewell Address: "The basis of our political systems is te right of the people to make and to alter their constitutions of government."

James Madison: "Since the general civilization of mankind, I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of the freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments of those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations."

We protect learning from attack and suppression by the principles of Academic Freedom and Tenure. After a man is selected and has achieved tenure he has the right "to hold his position during good behavior and efficient and competent service, and not to be removed therefrom except for cause, in the manner hereinafter provided:

University of Washington code. "Persons having tenure may be removed for one or more of the following reasons: a) incompetency; b) neglect of duty; c) physical or mental incapacity; d) dishonesty or immorality; e) conviction of a felony involving moral turpitude."

Also certain colleges (denominational, say) may make special requirements in their contracts.

Also secret work must be done by reliable people.

I quote the U of W code because two professors were fired there on the sole charge that they were communists - admitted by them. I would not object to their being fired for a) or b) or c) or d) or e); but they were not accused of incompetency or anything else, and given the chance to answer the accusations.

I would, of course, agree that a communist who was proved to be a traitor, to be plotting to overthrow the government by force, should be discharged - he would be in jail anyway, since these are matters for the courts.

I know three men whom I know, from their admission, to be communists.

1. Professor Frederic Joliot-Curie, Nobel Laureate (1939). Discoverer of artificial radioactivity (1934). Director of the entire French atomic energy program. A real practical man. He would be a great credit to any university.

2. Professor G.B.S. Haldane, University of London. Chair of an advisory committee to the British Government. When the hullabaloo arose last year in England about Communists, he was continued in this job - which involves no secrets.

3. Professor Herbert J. Phillips, 28 years on the University of Washington staff. I have spent one evening with him. He impressed me as sincere.

Why was Professor Phillips fired? 8 of the 11 faculty committee recommended that he not be - the other three and President Allen said that he could not teach the truth because he had to accept communistic dogma. However, this was not a charge, but only an explanation - the charge was solely that he was a member of the communist party.

How can this action be justified? Are all communists dominated by Russia or by the New York office? There seems to be doubt. Prof. Phillips said he was a communist because his ideas agreed with the party's - not that he held the ideas because they were the party's. I have been told that it is party policy to allow some members complete freedom - would not such a man be innocent?

William Blackstone: "It is better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer."

Professor Benson, one of the 3, said that he interpreted the a) b) c) d) e) as just examples of the sort of thing for which a professor could be discharged - I think that Blackstone would have been surprised at this!

Also he said that a Catholic required to accept creation of species and deny evolution should be fired for dogma - even though he taught mathematics, not biology.

Is this trend dangerous. I think it is. Next a man could be fired for being a communist sympathizer, a supporter of Wallace (Ralph Spitzer), a Republican - even a Democrat. This is the start toward Nazi Germany, a police state, domination by the military

Quote Bernard deVoto

George Bernard Shaw: "When a stupid man is doing something he is ashamed of, he always declares that it is his duty."

G. W. Gough: "A Communist is a Socialist in a violent hurry."

A politician may place expediency above principles; but the Nation must not, nor the Universities, or we are lost.

1690. John Locke: "Freedom of men under government is to have a standing rule to live by, common to every one of that society, and made by the legislative power vested in it; a liberty to follow my own will in all things, when the rule prescribes not, and not to be subject to the inconstant, uncertain, unknown, arbitrary will of another man."