New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-06-22
ALUMNI DEMAND
TRUSTEES BARE
NEARING FACTS
Committee of 20 Formed
to Organize Graduates
for Action.
fHg Telesr,ph to II. H.,

Wv wv - AbI 70 ne lFIl.re
Philadelphia, June 81. TO dir,., -.
campaign for the Reinstatement, a, n.
1cott Nearing. deposed from nj, =.
fessorship at the Wharton School ..
his free speech attitude, con-,,,..
Of twenty, including his faeslty sri.,l,
and university alumni, was o,gari,,,
to-day.
Letters were drafted By the .o--,
tee and mailed tonight 70 each ~
vidual member Of the board Of trv,
.cec demanding the facts in the y.,.
,Ls case. 4, &c same tine steps var.
taken 20 make the Nearing ouestiss
rational issue by bringing Il 70 y.
attention Of tho American A5socg.,,
OF University Professors, formed "a,
he purpose Of maintaining acaderi,
freedom of speech for professors ara
instructors a few months ago.
Professor John Dewey, Of Colunb,
University, president Of the assOe..
ton, in a telegram received here IA.
night said the matter had not re, be-,
brought to the notice Of the as,oe,.
ton. This will be done within a i.T
days with 2 formal petition, local sr,.
porters Of DR.. Nearing said tonight
Letter to Trustee
The letter sent TO the trustees so,.
lows:
1--WE are, as alumni Of the Uniyersi,,
Of Pennsylvania, very directly ir.s,.
ested in the discussion occasioned NJ
the abrupt termination Of the eoansc.
ton Of DR.. Scott Nearing with n,
university. Il has been generally a.
sumed that this action on your psr,
has been due 70 the views on social
and economic questions expressed by
DR.. Nearing. For two years in M,
press throughout the United States 4
has been. repeatedly stated that Dr..
Nearing would be dismissed oeeaus,
his views differed from those Of IA.
trustees.
MS us nlSSdl Hds uOH DcCOTe 4
fact, and the press persists in plsc;r,
IL upon these grounds. II unexplainst
we believe the public generally will at
cept these grounds as the true ones.
In view of the circumstances and .hs
relation Of the university to the pub.
lie, VIC deem il Of the utmost import.
ance that the trustees state clearly The
reasons for their decision, 50 that IL,
alumni may be able 20 take such &C.
ton as seems TO them appropriate %
undisputed facts.
Sincerity of University Questioned.
1.-THE public has come 70 consider oar
institutions of learning as centres
where current problems can be dis.
cussed and the slightest suggestion Q!
an effort on the part Of any group o.
individuals 70 use their power over II,
means of livelihood Of professors to 10.
fuence the expression Of their though,
affects the confidence Of the whole con.
munity in the sincerity Of opinioa:
voiced by all professors and instrse.
tors.
"In order that you may not feel thai
this is the opinion of only few alumni
and in order that you may have fo'
your consideration the attitude o. /
larger number than can now be ealsi
together, We are sending a copy Of tai
letter to certain groups Of the alum
with the request that they write q
you expressing their own opinicn'
thereon"
The letter is signed by twenty alum
nj, whose time of graduation rangt'
from 1891 to 1911. These men, who DE-
clared they had always looked upo'
Provost Edgar Fahs Smith as frisr:
Of any member of the faculty in AZ
affair with the trustees, seemed mis-
led at his apparent sympathy with IN
trustees.
The Baptit.. ministers at their week
ly meeting ro-day aired the Nearing
case and passed a resolution pro.es'
ing against his dismissal without BE-
ing informed of the grounds upo'
which il was done. The resolution
among other things, branded the 81
lence on the part of the trustees as o.
admission that their action was mean
as blow against Tree speech. IL as'
developed to-day that a joint commit
tee representing the American soeo
logical Association, the American teo,
monte Association and the Politics.
Science Association would take up W
hearings case.
Twelve members Of the faculty :,
the Wharton School met to-day ana
decided to ask the trustees Of the UNI
versity their asons for not reappoIn.,,
ing Scott Nearing 10 his position ?,
assistant professor of economics IN m'
School of Finance. n
After to-days meeting DR.. RosseI
Cheney McCrea, dean Of the Whsr'o'
School faculty, made this statement:
Twelve members of the wharton
School faculty, who are in the eN'
held an informal meeting this morn'ns
The matter of the dismissal OF y.
Scott Nearing was discussed. Inc ae'.
was requested by the group 10 azores
a letter 10 the trustees asking iol
statement of the reasons for tner f'
fusal to reappoint DR.. Nearing.