The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1917-08-10

for Incompetency or immortality.
To the Editor
There are friends of the University
Of Vermont who advise that a state
ment, digniiied, authoritative and final.
he made to our alumni and the people
of the state concerning the socalled /
"Appclmann ease. Newspaper con
trovcrsics are seldom profitable and |
never cdifying. During my public life
have usually kept out of all such con-
troycrsies. My departure from estah-
ished custom in this instance will not
lie marked by any indulgence in TN
pleasant personalities. Because certain
misapprchcnsionS have found Judgment
in many honest minds, | shall try to re-
view the case as briefly aud compre
hcnsively as possible.
/. Prof Anton ii. Appelmann, Phi.
| d., came to the University of Vermont
upon the recommendation of the Ger
man department Of Harvard University
IN January, 1913, for temporary. service
to fill vacancy in our teaching staff
made by the death Of the late Professor
Stctson. Ills service was SO satiSfac
tory that he was continued by the
board of trustees as acting professor
during the following year. Near the
close of this temporary engagement our
board of trustees urged him to take
permanent appointment as professor Of
the German language and literature
and he had accepted, with the an
nounccd intention of becoming an
American citizen, before any Of us
even dreamed of European war.
>. During the summer OF 1914 Doc
) tor Appclmann returned to Germany to
5 settle some private business matters
preliminary TO final settlement in this
country. While III the homc-land war
began. At that time he was not sub
jcct TO direct military service anC
!. could be used only in a clerical position
He felt, therefore, that with perfec'
i, proprietv he could demand his pass
ports to return to Vermont for the full
lillment of his contract with the uni
J. vcrsity. In good faith he came to NEE
: his engagement and initiate his citizen
- ship.
!, 3. As the war progressed the situa
:, tion for Germans in this country he
. came more difficult. Suspicious wcr
= easily engcndered and mere rumor
: were accepted by people usual
i thoughtful as established facts. 1t wa
" only natural that Doctor Appelman
- then pursuing his college duties uno.
- tcntatiously, should fall under suspicion
There were those who soon charge
him with anti-American activities.
These charges were finally based upo
correspondence which had been seize
by the British censors Even thong
the United States was not then at w;
-, with Germany, it was clearly the dut
of the president Of the university
know that all employees and membc
. Of the staff were observing a dignifC
neutrality. Prompt investigation {
the reports circulating to the discrcd
of Doctor Appelmann seemed to ind
cate that they were without good has
for their existence; consequently no +
port was made TO the board of truste
10y the president, such as It would har
been his duty to make had he fouI
otherwise.
I. During the commencement Sc
son of 1916 the associate alumni adof
ed resolution calling for the appoir
ment of a committee b. the preside
to the association to investigate t
alleged anti-Amcrican activities
Doctor Appclmann and report the
findings to the board of trustees. TT
committee, comprised of five promine
alumni, was appointed the followi
week. After thorough and painSta
ing investigation and many months
0 earnest dclibcration, the committee
investigation, by a vote OF four to q
: gave Doctor Appelman complete exc
;, Grafton. The four majority members
the committee are gentlemen of uni
Peachablc character and Of undoubt
5 ability. The names of Edward
~
Y Robbins and Edwin w. Lawrence
sufficiently well Known in Vermont
guarantee absolute confidence in
rcctitude of their motives They
VIZ respectively prominent Vermont l.
yer and q former state treasurer, a j
fessor of economics in the great
technical school in America, the IN
ager of an important metropolitan y
fishing company, and the chief attorI
III for one of our great railroad syste
All are iudiciallv minded men. III
were under no obligations to Grant
vOrs IN this case and none were as
of them. Those who know them
not need to be told that any after
to influence them contrary to the
dence in the ease would have met "
prompt resentment and deserved
bul5c.
II .. OF the four letters which excl
suspicion one was to Doctor APP
mann s father and it was written in
free and easy fashion of a son talk
20 the home folks.
The second letter was to Miss
ISombe, a school girl, and the style
that of an older person attempting
present matters that would be of in
est to one of her years. The &c
CRY played trick referred to in
letter, and which aroused so much
H sure, becomes as harmless as a gam
"blind man 5 buff when it is KIN
~ that the trick was simply chang
- ship and sailing date in order to Sc
M quick and safe passage to the Tn
stO States.
nabie; II was the letters TO DIR. Paul r