The San Francisco call., 1908-03-25
ROW AT STANFORD
DIVIDES ALUMNI
Executive Committee Supports
Faculty's Stand Despite Dis
sent of Large Faction

The hopes entertained by the student
body of Stanford university that the
alumni of the institution would rally
TO its support in the present contro-
versy with the faculty or that some
action would be taken by the graduates
as body which might lead to an ami
cable adjustment of the existing diff
culties were dashed last night by the
action of the executive committee of
the alumni association. Despite the
pressure brought to bear by many
alumni to have a meeting called for a
discussion of the Stanford trouble, the
executive committee finally refused
last|flight to call such a meeting and
expressed itself as strongly in sympa-
thy with the stand taken by the uni
versity authorities.
That the controversy arising from
the recent demonstration of the stu
dents at the university will extend to
the body of the alumni and that serious
dissension will break out in the ranks
of the alumni organization is highly
probable in view of the decided stand
taken by the executive committee of
the association. Feeling already is run
ming strong among Stanford graduates
over the occurrences during the last
two weeks at the university, and alumni
who have aligned themselves on the
side of the students have been insistent
in the demand that the alumni body
take some formal action.
The executive committee of the
alumni association took the matter up
last night in response to the requests
from many sources that a meeting be
called for consideration OF the vari-
Gus questions involved in the dispute
between the faculty and the under
graduates. After considering these re-
quests at length the executive COM
mittee not only announced it's inten-
tiop of ignoring the matter, but placed
itself on record In support of the ad-
ministrative authorities of the univer-
sity. The action is severe blow to
the students, who say they are fighting g
for a principle of justice, as IL practi-
cally destroys their hope of alumni
support and places the alumni organi-
zation in the attitude of repudiating
them.
A large number Of the alumni are
known, however, to be in sympathy
with the students and antagonistic to
the attitude assumed by the faction in
control of the association. 1t is possf-
BILE that efforts will be made to bring
about action through the medium of
the Stanford club of San Francisco.
though this Organization has SO far
kept clear of the controversy on the
ground that its membership is not linn
tied to graduates of the university but
includes former students who did not
complete a college course.
The refusal of the executive commit
tee to take action because of its view
that the situation Is being properly
and judiciously handled by the univer-
sity authorities was contained in the
following statement given out after
the meeting last night:
In VII of the sfrua tim Stanford ,,nfv.p
sity and the newspaper publicity given to it, and
the pressure brought to bear on the executive
committee to call meeting of the alumni as
sociation TO consider it. the executive committee
after careful investigation of the facts, has
decided that there Is no occasion for any action
on the part of the alumni association; that the
situation is being judiciously and properly
handled by the university authorities. who are
fully capable of disposing of the same to the
best interests of the university and the student
body.
Executive Committee of the Alumni Association
b. +. OAKFORD, Chairman.
Il. W. BARRETT
March a. 1905