Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-06-23
TRUSTEE TELLS WHY
HE OPPOSED NEARING
Ex-Attorney General John G.
Bell Says Professor Insulted
Episcopal Academy.

A sighting remark about the Episcopal
| Academy was the reason John c. Rell
one Of the University OF Pennsylvania
trustees, voted against the retention of
! Scott Nearing at the Wharton School,
according to n statement issued by Mr.
Bell coincldent with the publication by
! students OF a resolution OF protest against
his dismissal
Harrison H. Morris. an executor Of
the estate of Joseph Wharton, founder
OF the Wharton School, answered the
charge of Mr., Bell within a short time
after It became public He said the re-
mark attributed to Mr.. Nearing had been
made in the privacy of Dean McCrea's
office. None other was present in addi-
ton to these two but deficient student
The statement OF Mr.. Bell In part, fol-
lows:
IL voted against the unemployment of
Doctor Nearing. ! did 80 in the discharge
OF my duty al trustee, because l believed
that the good OF the service and of the
university required me so to do, and be-
cause of the PROFESSIONAL utterances in
the University unbecoming teacher and
against the best interests of the institu-
tlon and its student body.
81 shall not enter into detail further
than to say, as an indicative instance,
that an instructor who intemperately de-
clares reported to us by his dean, that
If | had son, | would rather see him
in hell than have him go to the Episcopal
Academy-one of the longest established
and best preparatory schools in the city,
and titting school of the university
invites dismissal
WHARTON BARKER'S PROTEST.
In letter to Provost Smith, under date
of April s. made public today, Wharton
Barker, one of the trustees of the Uni
versity and one-time Populist nominee
for President, staunchly defended Doctor
Nearing and intimated that the Univer-
sity sought to get rid of those who were
not in accord with it's ideas Free speech, |
he said was evidently not permitted any
longer at the institution. He also charged
that the attacks launched on Doctor
Nearing were inspired by capital, not
because OF his original ideas on religion |
and economic conditions
Mr.. Barker. referring TO the action !
taken by George Wharton Pepper and J. !
Levering Jones on the dismissal of Doc
tor Nearing, said that If the University |
acted in accordance with their views |
(Which he believed was impossble), Jews,
lInitarnns and other dissenters would be |
driven from the University.
New York dispatches today quote sew
eral University of Pennsylvania alumni
as caring little about the dis
mlssal of Nearing. William A. Redding.
president of the General Alumni Society
Of the University. and William Guggen-
helm. treasurer of the New York Penn
5ylvanla Club, are among those who are
Inclined to support the trustees.
PETITION BY ALUMNI.
Albert Journeay football star. and ]. E.
track men: Homer h, Sullivan,
me of last years editors of the Pennsyl-
'anian, and Edgar Cope. Jr., of the Uni
'ersity Civic Club. are circulating a petit
ion among the alumni TO have the mem
,ers of the latter organization protest to
Provost Smith,
Another committee of 20 men has been
ormed and has drawn up n letter to be
ent to the provost and trustees Pro-
essor Samuel McCune Lindsay. of
University, who made an in
estIgatIon Monday in behalf of the
american Association of University Pro-
essors, gave out the following state
nent
that he resign as head of
he University because of Nearing's dis
lissal In disregard of the faculty rec
and without consultation |
18th the vice provost. The case Of
fearing is n strikingly good one on
'hich to drive squarely home this mat
n OF INSTRUMENTATION. There Is a
ian I'm Pennsylvania to whom Near
lg's child labor views were particularly
bnoxious. This man threatened to de-
Eat Brumbaugh, and after Brumbaugh
as elected Governor he came to Brum-
aughs office and told him that II things
ere not run to suit, and Nearing sup |
ressed, he would fight to cut off the
annual appropriation in the
legislature. This man was kicked out OF
ie Governors office. Afterward he wrote
a trustee of the university making
lreats about what would happen II
caring was allowed to go on"