New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-07
U. OF P. STORM
GATHERS OVER
NEARING CASE
Student Revolt, Faculty
Protest and Labor Meet
ings Threatened.
CORPORATIONS HURT
BY 4 WHARTON MEN
University Instructor Tells of
Work for the Public That
Gave Offence.
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From a star Correspondent o, TIE Tribune
Philadelphia. Oct. 6.-Student lead
ers at the University Of Pennsylvania
are laying plans for an instruction
next week unless the board of trustees
satisfies college opinion that il is not
free spcech-suppressing olgarchy.
Action will depend on what attitude
the board takes at its meeting next
Monday afternoon when IT comes 10
consider the many resolutions and pro-
tests that will be laid before it regard
ing the discharge OF DR.. Scott Nearing.
Less pugnacious in method than The
students plan, but none the less de-
termined. is movement among the
faculty to "re-establish the principle Of
free speech and individual liberty"
which the members consider was set
aside in the dismissal OF DR.. Nearing.
Labor Unions 10 Act.
Outside the university the leaders Of
the Central Labor Union are getting
ready 10 call mass meetings as a dem
onstration Of public Indignation at the
situation. Ii was 10 the sympathies Of
working men that DR.. hearings radical
utterances. which caused his discharge,
particularly appealed.
Realizing the seriousness Of the
storm that is pilinG up in and out Of
the university. members Of the board
Of trustees are preparing 10 convince
the public IL places free speech among
the foremost academic virtues. and at
the same time to refuse to consider
the reinstatement OF DR.. Nearing.
"ln the first place. the question OF
free speech is not involved" said
trustee tonight 81 have no doubt the
board will issue statement affirming
its helef in absolute freedom of speech
on the part of the faculty.
"The Nearing case was not simply
a problem of instructions. Tie had be
come an administrative problem. be
cause his utterances were such as TO
offend and ALLEVIATE the people to whom
the university had 10 look for support"
Trustee Believes in Nearing
Wharton Barker, ucxt to the oldest
member in point Of service on the
board, has stated and still believes, he
said to-day. that the sole issue is one
Of free speech, and that the action
Of the board in the Nearing case had
been undemocratic. He believes. he
says, that the University Of Pennsyl-
vanja is now fighting out the question
VI 4ittNblu ANl every university lI INC
country, for he has seen a trend tow
ard oligarchy IN many other universi-
~ administrations
81 will introduce" said Mr.. Barker,
"a resolution that the trustees Of the
University of Pennsylvania adopt az
an adequate expression of their views
and purpose the statement of Thomas
Huxley upon his installation as rector
Of Aberdeen University. in 1874: Uni
versities should be places in which
thought is free from all letters, and
in which all sources of knowledge and
all aids 10 learning should be access
BILE TO all corners, without distinction
Of creed, country, riches or poverty"
Harrison :. Morris. executor Of the
Wharton estate, by which the Wharton
School was endowed. who has been one
of the most aggressive of the fighters
in DR.. Meanings behalf, said to-day
that even should Nearing not be rein
ated the university would win by this
Incident.
zone thing that will be gained" he
said, els that the trustees of the uni
versity Will not dare to move again for
the suppression Of free speech
The real resons behind the dis
mssal Of Dr. Nearing" said one of the
instructors at the Wharton School to
day, ARE deeper and more ominous
than purpose to suppress simply DR..
Nearing because of his free speaking
against corporations. II was directed
really against the service others. as
well as Nearing, in the Wharton School
have rendered the public as against
certain corporations.
During the last four years the city
has found use for the men at Whar-
I'D he
coal rates inquiry against the Reading,
and as a result the Public Service Com
mission ordered a reduction OF 40
cents. Dr. Pierson is one of the Whar-
ton instructors.
Then DR.. Clyde King did some work
in gas and electric matters that got
under the skins Of the corporations,
and Or. Nearing helped prepare evi-
dence in a number Of hard hitting cor
poration Investigations, and in especial
made a speech before the Public Ser
vice Commission that the magnates did
not like.
"Dr. f. " Patterson, another Of the
brilliant Young men at Wharton, work
ing for Mr.. Cook, Director Of Pubic
Works for the City Of Philadelphia,
wrote the Financial History Of the
Philadelphia Electric Company.
A copy OF this IN pamphlet form oD-
tanned at Mr.. Cooks Office, published as
an appendix to his annual report, bore
the following statements as synopti-
cal Introduction:
"This company is in absolute control
of the electric light and power business
in the city of Philadelphia; 1t was over
capitalized by more than S20,OOO,OOO at
the time of its formation in 1877; Ia
spite Of this tremendous over-capltal-
ization it has been able TO maintain IN
terest on its bonds. and since 1902 div
dends on its stock, these dividends now
being at the rate of per cent per
annum.
an order to maintain these interests
and dividend payments the city OF
Philadelphia and its citizens have each
year paid nearly 81 100000 in excess OF
a fair charge for service rendered
at was this sort Of thing. being
turned out by the men at Wharton
the member Of the faculty went on,
that brought down the wrath of the
corporations on Wharton. Some of the
corporations had men on the board of
/ trustees of the University of Pennsyl-
vania. They would have liked to have
gotten the scalp Of all four of these
men, but DR.. Nearing was the only vul-
nerable one, so they got him"