The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1917-10-02
COLUMBIA PUTS !
OUT DISL0YAL
PROFESSORS
Cattell Dropped for Oppos.
ing Draft and Dana for
Pacifist Activities.
ACTION rs UNANIMOUS
Entire Faculty of Mines, En-.
gineering and Chemistry
Asked Dismissal.

The board Of trustees Of Columbia
University summarily dropped from the
teaching stan OF the institution Prof.
James McKcen Cattcli and Prof. Henry
W. L. Dana yesterday afternoon because
Of their public stand against the Gov
ernment's conduct OF the war with Ger
many.
This action followed the report Of
committee which was appointed March
Is to inquire into the teaching methods
Of the various professors and specifically
to see II any doctrines that amounted to
disioyalty to the United States or the
state Of New York were being advo-
Gated. The committee reported that the
two professors had ended tl.eir useful
ness to the university and recommended
that they be retired from their positions.
In addition to this the entire faculty
Of the schools Of mines engineering and
chemistry Joined in asking that their
classes be protected from the effects Of
the teachings Of these two educatoreI
Offence Of Prof. Cattell.
The committee specifically charged
that Prof Cattell on August % used the
letter head OF tho university TO write to
several members OF the House OF Repre-
sentatives urging them TO support
measure that would prevent the sending
OF any conscripted soldiers to Europe
against their will. The letter said the
President and the present Congress were
not elected to send conscripts to Europe
A soon as this letter reached the
capital many Representatives wrote in
dignantly to the university officials de-
nouncing tine suggestion and calling at
tention TO the fact that the prestige OF
the university was being used iinprop-
erly To such letters the reply was
made that the professor had not acted
with the sanction Of the university. and
the letters were turned over to the COM
nittec for their consideration.
Prot. Cattell's son was one OF the
three young persons arrested by the
Federal authorities at the beginning OF
the sciectivc draft movement for circu-
lating literature that was intended to
promote sentiment in favor OF resisting
the operation Of the draft law. The son.
Owen. wss-fpedf $50 and given one day
in jail for conspiracy. hut the court sus-
pended sentence and let him go with
warning as to tine danger OF advising
persons to take a stand against the Gov
ernment.
Dana Is . Paciast.
Prof Dana. like Prof. Cattell, has been
nronincn. pacitist. The committee
charges that there is in existence an
organization l;nown as the Peoples
Council which has for its purpose oppo'
si,'on to the met nods and policies OF the
Government in CARRYING on the war with
Germany This body, says thc commit.
tee, tried to meet in Minnesota and in
Chicago and was prevented by the
authorities from assembling.
II is charged that Prof. Dana. n
grandson ~ Lon gfellow. was one OF the
leading members Of this council and took
an active nart in all of its dOings, This
membership and activity, II IL stated.
have brought the usefulness OF the pro-
fessor to the University to an end. He
was one of the foremost figures in pro-
noting the propaganda OF the council.
Prof Dana declined las night to dis
cuss the action " the trustees. His
fellow professor was rot in The citj
Decision of the Trustees.
TIE official announcement of the ccti"n
o! the trustees follows:
The proiessorships held hy James Nc
Keen Cattsll OF TIE department OF
psychology and Henry ". l.. Dana of
the department OF English and compare
tive literature were declared vacant by
unanimous action of tho board. II was
the Judgment Of tie members OF the
university faculties, i'll which the trus-
tees concurred. that both Prof. Cattell
and Prof. Dana had done grave injury
TO the university by tneir public agita-
tion against the conduct OF the war.
The members Of the committee or
instruction OF the faculty of applied
science, representing the entire teaching
| staff Of the schools OF mines, engineering
! and chemistry. united in written re-
quest to the president that they and
their work he protected from the Ill re-
| suits OF the activities OF Profs. Cattel
| and Dana. The COMMITTEES of nine, rep
resentatlves OF the University Council
which has been cooperating with a spe.
cial committee OF the trustees In an in.
uu!ry into the state OF teaching in the
| university. reported mat the academic
! usefulness of both Prof. Cattell and
/ Prof. Dana was ended. and recommended
, that Prof. Cattell he retired from active
, service and that Prof Dana be requested
I to resign"
| CnttelI tn several Controversies.
| Prof Cattell completed this year hi.
! twenty-fifth anniversary at Columbia
He had been involved In several contro
I versies with President Nicholas Murray
! Butler before the committee. consisting
! of William Barclay Parsons, John u
: Pine, Francis A. Bangs, George l.. In
graham, stephen Baker and Presiden
! Butler, started out on still hunt fo'
disloyalists.
His first important difference IRON
I President Butler came when Prof Henr,
Thurston Peck was dropped from tn
teaching force following his breach o.
promise suit, Then Prof, catten at
tackled the action and said that INT
bureaucratic system pN which nearl,
everything is done by the president /!
subversivA to academic freedom
Later he was brought TO book fo
writing letter advocating tina, tn
$500, 900 "mausoleum' used by Prof
Butler for his home he turned over Il
the Faculty Club.
+ ARain he got In the limelight when th'
| Century Association blackballed DR.
JACQUES Loeb Prof cattell. his spon
sor, said the action was the result o.
race prejudice. II was after this tim'
that an EFFORT was made to retire Prof
Cattell, but the trustees held him II
I place after a very acrimonious fight,
|