The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1915-04-29
President Lowell Of Har-
ward Replies to Pro-
fessor Meyer
CONCERNING
PRIZE POEM
Tells German His Students
May Write Poems Against
Either Side in the War

Cambridge, Mass, April 2.-Presiden
Lowell of Harvard university made pub
lie yesterday his reply to the letter ad
dressed to him by Professor Kuno Mey
er of the University of Berlin, in which
the latter protested against the publca
ton by Harvard student paper of 8
poem entitled Scott Nit Uns." DR.. Low
ell disclaims for the university authori
ties any responsibility for the verses ant
says that Harvard's policy of freedom Of
speech will be preserved. His letter fol
| lows:
Cambridge, Mass, April q.
"My Dear Professor Meyer:
"Your letter has come, and ] an
grieved at the feeling of irritation
against Harvard that it shows. The
poem and prize to which you refer had
never heard of until your letter came
On inquiry find that it was prize of
fered by the students for a student poem
"a matter with which the authorities
of the university can hardly interfere.
AS you are aware, the freedom of
speech of neither the professors nor the
students in an American university is
limited, nor are they themselves subject
in their utterances to the direction of
the authorities. On the contrary. we
have endeavored to maintain the right
Of all members OF the university to ex-
press themselves freely without censor
ship or supervision, and have applied this
rule impartially to those who favor Ger
many and those who favor the allies:
to the former in face of pretty violent
agitation for muzzling professors, by
alumni of the university and outsiders.
This policy of freedom of speech we
shall continue to pursue, for we believe
il to be the only one which accords with
the principle of academic freedom.
hope the time will come when you and
your colleagues in Germany will recog-
nize that this course is the only right
one, and that it is essential TO the cause
of universal scholarship and human prog
ress that scholars should associate to-
gether on friendly terms, without re-
gard to national conflicts that have oc-
CURED. Very truly yours,
"A. Lawrence Lowell"
Prof. Munsterberg read with interest
Pres. Lowell's reply but refused to COM
ment on the controversy. Pres. Emeri
tus Eliot was another who refused to
discuss the Meyer communication.
Prof Never was invited to lecture at
Harvard on Celtic literature last fall
but the invitation was later withdrawn
in view OF his active propaganda among
I he Irish in favor OF Germany
The poem which occasioned all the
trouble is as follows:
Colt Nit TINS.
No doubt We are the people; Wisdom's
flame
Springs from your cannon-yea from
yours alone.
God needs your dripping lance to prop
his throne;
Your gleeful torch His glory to proclaim. .
No doubt We are the people; far from
shame
Your captains who defsce the sculp- |
tured stone
Which by the labor and the blood ana |
bone
)f Plus millions calls upon His name.
II
10 doubt We are the folk; and It's to
prove
Your wardenship OF virtue and Of lore |
We sacrifice the truth in reeking gore 1
Upon your altar to the Prince Of Love.
Yet still cry We who still in darkness
plod:
IT'S Antichrist ye serve and not our
Cod"