Evening journal., 1915-09-29
1900 Students ASK
NEARING Return
University of Pennsylvania
Undergraduates Petition
Provost Smith and Trustees
DECLARE QUESTION
is PUBLIC ISSUE

a general undergraduate movement
for the reinstatement of Dr. Scott
Nearing was commenced yesterday at
the University of Pennsylvania. Fif-
teen hundred students, the majority
of them from the Wharton School,
signed their names 10 a petition re-
questng Provost Smith and the trus-
tees to give back to DR.. Nearing his
assistant professorship of economics
from which he was deposed after nine
years of service.
Every class room in the Wharton
School furnished subscribers to the
petition. Many students of the College
department also signed it, including
a number of co-eds. The movement
was unmarked by any demonstration.
but this was just as It was planned,
since most OF the student friends of
Or. Nearing thought it unwise to be
demonstrative.
Placards in heavy black type an
nounced: "This is Nearing Day on the
campus" They were posted in con-
spicuous places and exhorted the stu
dents to "sign the petition to have
DR.. Scott Nearing reinstated in the
Wharton School, for the good name of
our University and in the interest of
fair play"
Edgar W. Cope, Jr., president Of the
University Civic Club, and an ardent
advocate of free speech, who was
among those. interested in inducing
Samuel Gompers to talk to the stu
dents last Spring after he had been
refused permission by the trustees to
talk on the campus. led the movement
10 reinstate Dr. Nearing. He said the
petition probably would be presented
to the provost on Friday at Chapel
when the general student body partici-
pates In the service.
Very few of the students refused 10
sign the petition. George Wharton
Pepper. Jr.. a son of the trustee, was
asked whether he would attach his
name to 1t, but he politely refused
He is a Junior in the college depart
ment and rowed on the crew ano
earned his Varsity letter on the foot
ball team last year.
Mr.. Cope said the lack Of a student
demonstration has been due to desires
upon the part Of the students to aVolt
'disadvantageous notoriety." He ad
ded that this should not blind tho
eyes Of any one to the fact that oul
belief and confidence in Dr. Nearing
still exists"
He said a moderate estimate OF th'
number OF signatures attached to the
petition would be fifteen hundred.
"The spreading of the petition is no
an official act of the Wharton Schoo
Association" said Mr. Cope, "and al
though Wharton school students have
naturally been most anxious to sigi
Il. no effort has been made to restic
It to that department.
Men in other departments are
little slow in realizing that the dis
missal of DR.. Nearing without a wore
Of explanation is a University and
public issue, but they are beginnini
to wake up Every department OF the
University. including co-eds, has mum
erous representatives among th'
signers of the petition.
Gust a few instances OF the enthu
siasm exhibited may be significant
One man, a Wharton Senior, Frank r
Gels, obtained over 200 names in thu
first class hour in the morning. anC
an English Quiz section in COLLEGE
Hall returned forty-eight signatures
out Of fifty odd men in the course"