Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-05-26
THE PROTEST IGNORED
COLUMBIAN UNIVERSITY FAC
ULTY DECLINES TO HEED 1T.
Students Filed Objections to the Con-
ferring of Degree of D. G. L.
on a Woman.

The class Of candidates for the degree OF
doctor of civil laws at the Columbian Uni
versity has been disrupted by a dissenslon
that arises through the presence of wo-
man, Mrs. Emma Reba Bailey, in the
class. There are nine members and sew
eral of them have visited the president of
the university. DIR. Charles w. Needham,
to protest against the comforting of de-
gree on Mrs Bailey. Dr. Needham heard
the protests of the members of the class
patiently and stated today to Star re-
ported that Mrs. Bailey would receive the
degree. despite the protest.
The matter of comforting degrees on
members of the student body of the univer-
sity lies wholly with the faculty" said DR..
Needham Mrs. Bailey has qualified for
the degree and she will receive it. she
has worked hard, and her standing COM
plies with all the requirements. Whatever
action the students take can have no
weight with the faculty in the comforting
of this degree
The trouble In the class has been brew
Ing ever since last fall, when Mrs. Bailey
was admitted as member OF the class
The students did not like the presence Of a
woman among the candidates for the
degree of doctor of civil laws, which is one
of the highest degrees the Columbian Uni
versity confers.
Arguments Of Protestants.
The protestants rest their case on the
ground that Mrs. Bailey is not sufficiently
grounded in the fundamental principles Of
law to obtain so high a degree as the one
to which she aspires.
1t is claimed that If she should be granted
a degree, an injustice and injury would be
done to the school and the class. 1t is
maintained that the statements of those who
have protested against Mrs. Baileys grad
uation are borne out In her thesis. which
she was required to submit as part of the
course. the title of which is "Shall the
Power of the President Be Extended or Re
stricted." The thesis covers thirty-fve
typewriter pages 1t is stated, and in 1t
the writer attempted to grapple with one
OF the most intricate constitutional prob
lens. 1t is alleged that whole page of the
thesis Is devoted to a eulogy of the Sec
rotary of the Interior. which. 1t is claimed.
can have no bearing on the question at is
sue
Mrs Bailey is clerk in the general land
office and is a graduate of the National Law
School and the Columbian Law School. She
endeavored to enter the School Of Jurispru-
dence last fall but did not succeed until
she had petitioned the executive board for
special permission. This was granted and
she then became candidate for the de-
gree of D. c. L.
The members of the class state that thew
nave no personal animosity against Mrs
Ba1ley, but on the contrary she Is a good
friend OF most of them 1t is the principle
sert that Mrs. Bailey is not sufficiently
familiar with law to warrant her receiving
SO high a mark ~
Council Meeting Today.
meeting of the council of the univer-
sity was held this morning in the Office of
President Needham. The meeting was one
of the longest in the history of the organi-
cation, beginning at OILS o'clock and con-
tinuing until almost o'clock. The men,
bers of the faculty and President Need
ham stated afteFe the meeting that the
matter of comforting the degree on Mrs.
Bailey had not been considered at all The
meeting was for the purpose Of making
final arrangements for the graduation ex-
ercises, it said, and beyond the fact
that the degree of D. c. L. is to be con-
ferred during the exercises the matter was
not mentioned.
The members of the class are: Mrs. EN-
ma R. Bailey, Georgia: Alfredo Alvarez
Calderon Peru; Edward Carpenter Dutton,
Maryland John X. Hench. Pennsylvania;
Samuel Herrick. Pennsylvania: Alexander
W. Kent and George Xavier McLanahan,
New York; Haskell B. Talley Tennessee,
and Luther Mason Walker, Kentucky.
Mr. Calderon is the only person who re-
mains neutral. Mr.. Talley is the president
of the class.