Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-06-24
SPEAKING THE PUBLIC MIND
Views the Nearing Case Bboards the
Beach, Neutrality at Sea and Other Matters
of Current Interest.
20 Me Edttor Of Eveninq Ledoer:

To the Editor Of Evening Ledger:
sr-Your editorial in this evenings issue
the theme. "roo Ashamed to Fight" is clarion
call Having spent good part of today in the
endeavor to arouse some Of my fellow alumni
to the significance of the crisis in the affairs of
the University Of Pennsylvania 1 can fully
sympathize with your attitude toward the
"hushers." We found It not easy to get all the
men we wanted to sign call upon the Board
Of Trustees for specific reasons for the refusal
to reappont Nearing, although we emphasized
the fact that the issue was not the Individual
In question, not his views, but his right to eS-
press his views when and where he saw fit the
age old conflict over freedom of speech
These trustees not all Of them, of course, but
the majority, the reactionary crowd, the
''nen behind the guns" There is too much
editorial fustian over reorganization and the
gang" meaning politicians who are merely
agents OF "the interests" These big financial
interests dependent upon ill-gotten franchises
the people with "the stake" They the
interested people. Some politicians are in
politics" for financial gain but others because
they enjoy "the game the power, the prestige
Shoot at the 'men behind the guns" They are
the men afraid of freedom of speech, of expert
investigators of honest economic opinions fear
lessly expressed, of any change in the status
quo which will adjust matters in the interest
of more justice in the distribution Of wealth.
Could any one conceive after n careful read
ing OF the life histories that these men. who
absolutely control the destnies OF this great
institution have any sympathy for the doc
trineS taught the public by Scott Nearing?
Have the late additions to this board been
selected for accomplishments in the educational
world2 Are there any teachers on the board?
Any clergymen2 Any poets2 Any philosophers2
Does not the list of names sound frankly COM
merclal?
Should not this struggle resolve itself into a
determined effort to make this university a
State institution in fact with control by all the
people all the time? Shall we tolerate continued
control by group OF interlocking directors who
control the destlnies of public utility corpora
yyhn q Df fba
peoples disadvantage (strap-hanging and the
abolition of the jitneys being better dividend
paying proposition than seat for every
passenger)?
In the list of appropriations signed by the
Governor appears first one headed State Instl-
tutions Followed, mark you. by one headed
Semi-State Institutions). Where did the Univer
Bity OF Pennsylvania appear2 In the hrsti not
even semi-state. To these trustees for expendi-
ture at their discretion with accountability to
no one goes s75O,oO0 from the public treasury be-
sides $4,000 for the University Hospital Yet
It is not public institution, of the trustees
declares. BY what warrant, then, do they get
this money OF the taxpayers?
Here is the largest school in the State, COW
ering an area within two miles OF the center
of the city that is larger than that OF any
einlilar institution in the State and more vaIu-
able, all OF II exempt from taxation. Here is
an institution which holds itself forth to the
prospective student State institution, print
Ing In the catalogue at the head OF all other
names that of the Governor OF the Common
wealth as ex-otficio its titular head. Why is he
head" by virtue OF his office IL 1t Is a purely
private anair? Why some years ago the
name changed from the College OF the City of
| Philadelphia to the University of Pennsylvania
and why the objections to the names Of JJni-
yersity OF Philadelphia by Banks Business Col
lego and to Western University OF Pennsyl-
vania, now the University OF Pittsburgh unless
the guiding spirits OF this institution intended
| TO make people believe that 1t was q State in
| sttution to attract students In large
numbers7 These are pertinent questions at
| the present junctuFe. ! should like 10 hear
some editorial comment along the lines above
! suggested by the Evening Ledger which Is 10
! be congratulated for its progressive attitude on
| many matters OF public interest
HENRY j. GIBBONS,
| cation.
Philadelphia. June q.