Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-29
ADOPTS EWSPEL[|NG
language Association Then
Starts a Warm Dispute.
NOT AN ASSURED FACT
Body Must Use Reform Methods in
Printing the Records.
CONFUSION ABOUT THE BALLOTS
Individual Contributors Will Spell
Just as They Please, Despite
the New Rules.
NOT AN ASSURED FACT
CONFUSION ABOUT THE BALLOTS

NEW HAVEN, Conn. December ga
hornets nest was stirred up yesterday af-
ternoon by forcing through the American
Modern Language National Association an
Endorsement of simplified spelling and a
vote for the records of the association to
be printed in the reform dialect. Sharp
opposition marked the debate on the reso-
buttons indorsing the application of the
simple life to spelling. and DR.. p w. Long
of Rryn Navy College declared that many
who voted for the resolutions DID so under
misunderstanding. thinking that they
Were voting simply for an amendment to
the list. He says:
The permanent adoption of simplfied
spelling by the association is far from an
assured fact ! shall call w the question
at the next annual meeting and shall move
that the vote be rescinded.
Profs. c. T. G.. Scott and Calvin Thomas
OF Columbia University presented the reso-
lutions when the time arrived for discus
sion of simplified spelling. The first was a
general expression of sympathy with the
program of the slmplitied spelling board in
furnishing from time to time lists of words
which 1t recommended for use; the second
narrated that members of the association
should pledge themselves to use the spelling
as far as the association approved of it,
ana the third insisted that the official pub
LEGATIONS of the association should be in the
forms prescribed by the simplifed spelling
board but in the case of contributions that
the authors individual preference should
be followed.
Prof. Thomas said:
i do not wish to commit any of the mem
bers of the association to the Recommended
ton of other forms than the Individual
members prefer. The resolutions are not
intended to commit the association to any
more than general sympathy with simpli-
fled spelling and their acceptance of the
present list of ,Ssl words does
them To- the acceptance of any further rec
ords of the board.
The President of the United States ap-
proves of the movement and has sought
to introduce it in federal documents
This announcement was received with
laughter.
The Reform Movement.
Or. Scott gave a detailed sketch of the
history of the reform movement. also re-
ferring to Mr. Roosevelts Endorsement
Profs Long of Bryn Mawr, .Cunliffe of To-
ronto University and Greene of Johns
Hopkins University opposed the resolu-
tons DIR. Long taking an aggressive stand
against their" adoption. DIR. Cunlffe was
somewhat satirical, while DIR. Greene con-
fined his remarks to an argument based on
past work of the reform and the committee
of conference.
DIR. Long said:
Il object to the resolutions being intro
without notice. Only a general discussion
OF the subject was scheduled and MANY
VINO otherwise would have taken part per-
maps unfavorably, are not here. Some who
nave attended other sessions are not here
who would be present if they knew such
resolutions We're before us. In the second
place, the work of the spelling reform
board was done without due announcement
of the methods by which they arrived at
their results.
I'm the third place, in the history of the
movement the advocacy by the board of the
slmpllhed spelling in h instead of Af, in
such words as mediaeval and E. instead of
OE in oesophagus, has resulted in needless
CONFUSION. whereas uniformity would have
resulted If the board had advocated the
diphthongal forms. The same kind OIL con-
fusion Is likely to arise from the adoption
OF + instead of ED in past particlples.
consider the necessary step in preparing
any such reform to be a careful investiga-
don of tendencies of present usage"
Confusion of the Vote.
Prof. Grandgent of Harvard introduced
an amendment to the last resolution. which
ordered the secretary to publish the con-
tributions 10 the association records in sim
plified spelling, only when the author re-
Quested this form to be used Confusio, fol-
lowed the taking of the vote, which was
upon the main motion, while some of the
members thought that they were voting on
PROF. Grandgents amendment The motion
members voting, although fully 200 are in
The city attending the convention. The vote
The opponents of the resolution declare
shows conclusively the large number of
ahsenteeS.
Last night some of the directors to the
Vofe talked of moving today to reconsider
yesterdays vote, but they decided finally
not to Introduce such vote without giving
warning To the association for weeks in
advance. According to the vote finally
passed the records of the association com
piled by the secretary will be In simplified
spelling for the present, but individual con-
tributions will be spelled as the authors
wish. AT yesterdays meeting the foreign
members OF the association rather generally
opposed the resolutions. The older members
rather generally favored them anu the
young members opposed them, although
this rule was not tightly observed.
Simplified Spelling Favored.
CHICAGO. December 29-Delegates from
the universities of middlewest to the an
nual convention of the central division OF
the Modern Language Association OF Ameri-
ca, held at the University Of Chicago YES
terday, adopted unanimously the simplfied
spelling code. There was only one vote
against the proposed change.
Work for the Firemen.
The plant of the Washington Gas Light
Company, in the southeast section of the