New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-05-09
FREE SPEECH AT HARVARD
\ Discussion of Germans and the
Cambridge Incident.

To the Editor of The Tribune
Sir: That some German sympathizers
reach their conclusions by curiously muddIed
processes is no new discovery. case in
point is the letter OF Mr. Thompson in your
issue Of May g. "Harvard's Neutrality"
Mr. Thompson's indictment of Harvard is
briefly this: Harvard doesn't practise free
speech Now, probably the best proof of
Harvard's fanatical devotion to free speech is
the retention OF one Hugo Munsterberg in
the department of philosophy this in spite
of his public absurdites and because Har-
ward doesn't wish even to seem to GUST a
man because of his unpopular opinions. In
that same department Of philosophy William
James and Josiah Royce, prophets respective
Is Of pragmatism and idealism 1.-THE Phi
losophy of Loyalty') rubbed elbows and
taught opposites in complete disagreement
upon most points, but in perfect harmony on
one freedom of teaching. Teachers OF lit
crature at Harvard attacked during Or.
Eliot's long service as president all the
presidents most cherished policies, and they
did this over their own signatures in the
public prints with perfect impunity, for Har-
ward believes in free speech.
Mr. Thompson's onslaught upon Harvard is
based upon the fact that while President
Lowell grants free speech to his students and
professors he doesn't grant free speech to a
certain itinerant professor, DR.. Kuno Meyer.
for many years attached to the University
Of Liverpool, but now actively sharing Dr..
Dernburgs labors in insJructing the United
States how to ruE its own business. This
attack upon a great American university
would be a grave matter if justified, for this
particular university has for its motto "Neri-
tas"-a word extremely hard TO translate into
Gcrman-American. The facts, however, are
these: Free speech is tradition at Harvard
as we'll as an active fact, but free speech does
not imply opening the university pulpit 70
every irresponsible propaganda who IS tour
ing the tank towns. When Mrs. Pankhurst
visited Harvard it was made clear to her and
TO the many supporters of suffrage at Har-
ward that, while Mrs. Pankhurst was free to
address any number of Harvard students in
any hall in Cambridge or Boston ard the
students were free 10 attend or not as they
saw fit, the university would not ndorse her
militant policies by opening one of the col
ege buildings for her meetings. It is in the
! same spirit ldhe u, lNdL ItSlutHI LO"tlL
declines to o. X. the genial Professor Meyer,
of Berlin, and his violent word war against
the country where he resided for something
over twenty years, and leaves him free to
wreak his vengeance upon Gcrmany's enemies
through the public press. on the lecture plat
form and AT all shindigs Of the Clan-na- Gael.
Free speech is exactly what Professor Meyer
will find throughout the United States. Is
not his grievance against Harvard simply
that that university insists upon his hiring
his own hall?
For long time have suspected that Am
bassador Bernstorff, DR.. Dernburg and Pro-
lessor Meyer were secretly In the pay of the
British government and subsidized by the
crafty, underhanded Sir Edward Grey 20 pro-
woke dislike and suspicion Of Germany
through their tactess, laundering and violent
assaults upon American common sense Now
/ am sure of il. W. b. y.
New York. May 6, 1915.