The labor world., 1917-05-26
PROF. F /; C|DD|NCS
FOR FREE SPEECH
His Attitude No Small Factor in
Maintaining Rights Of Other
Faculty Members.


believe in the rights of free speech
and free press-in theory. A few also
believe it in practice. DR.. Franklin H.
Giddings, head of the department Of
sociology at Columbia university in
this city, belongs to the latter class.
Some time ago, when certain pow
erful influences had been exerted to
muzzle another member of the fac
ulty who had been especially en-
phatic in his protest against our en-
try into the war, DR.. Giddings hunted
up his colleague and told him: IF
anybody attenl pts to prevent you from
expressing your opinion on any sub
ject whatsoever, I'll fight with every
ounce of strength possess to help
you maintain your right to say what
you think. I'll do that in spite Of the
fact that in the matter on which they
are trying to shut you up, think
you're wrong as hell" DR.. Giddings'
attitude OH the matter was no small
factor in maintaining inviolate the
rights Of all members of the faculty
to free speech.
The Espionage Bill.
Concerning the Espionage bill. with.
it's clauses to limit the right of the
press and Of individuals to discuss
matters connected with the conduct
Of the war, DR.. Giddings today made
this statement: ANY attempt to vio-
late the right of free discussion is 4
blow at the very foundations in this
connection. I am not indulging in
mere rhetorical phrase making. +
mean what I say literally. For what
after all is the bond which holds US
together as nation? !
THE earliest forms Of human or
ganization of which we have any
knowledge were based on kinship.
Even in tribes of considerable size.
the bond of unity was still to be
found in blood relationship supple
mented sometimes by a superstitious
belief in a common duty. Gradually.
out of the welter of inter-tribal wars,
new form of social organization de-
veloped. Kin-wrecked men-mem-
bers of broken tribes or outcasts from
their own tribes-sought protection
frcm the chiefs Of other tribes; and
in return for this protection. they
, sN ore unquestioning loyalty and obe-
! dience.
New Relationships.
'.,ut while this development was
going on, an entirely different form of
political relationship was growing up.
!, Here and there along the great trade
! routes of the period, principally on
the seacoast, towns grew up composed
of artisans and traders from many
tribes. In. these compact city-states.
the ties of blood, and the relation be-
tN cen lord and vassal. came to be re-
placed by the broader bonds of q
common interest, whether in COM
mercial intercourse in times of peace.
o.: in the necessity for mutual protec-
ton during periods of war. For the
first time in history, individuals be"
san to claim and exercise the right
to say dam YOU to the government
and mean it. The foundations of our
mcdern political institutions are to be
found in these small beginnings.
when, however, we get a great
national state, especially federal
state like our own, so different from
the small city-state, men of every
race and nationality are represented
not crIy in the population but also
in the citizenship. We find within
the same community every religion,
every shade of political belief, every
graduation from egoism to altruism.
and from ignorance to the highest ed
ucation. Put in spite of our extreme
hetercgeneity-in spite of the facts
that the old bonds of kinship, Of al
legiance to a common lord, and 20
some extent of community of in
terest, have disappeared-we are nev-
ertheless in some respects fairly sue
cessful mutual benefit association
What is the bond that enables us to
| work together for common ends in
more or less harmony?
"All the great popular governments
in the world are held together, in
spite of the extremely great diver
gence of views on nearly everything
else, because there is practical unity
! Of belief, feeling and behavior on one
specific thing--an abstraction with Il
concrete manifestation. That one
thing is procedure, the agreement TO
abide by the decision of the majority.
Procedure Is Complex.
This procedure, however, is much
! more complex than the simple man.
ner in which l have stated it would
imply. What notion impels the min
ority to acquiesce in the decision of
the majority? 1t is the fact that GER
tain rights are always to be guaran-
teed to the minority. Those rights are
set forth in the constitution, which l.,
! the last analysis is merely a document
that tells the majority what it may
i not do.
"In short, our government is based
on the agreement both tacit and i'm
piled, that the minority shall always
have the rights of free speech, IF
! free press, and of free agitation, in
order to convert itself if possible from
| a minority into a majority. As soon
as these rights of the minority are de-
MED. it will inevitably reSort to secret
meetings, conspiracies and finally
force. In times of stress. it may he
extremely embarrassing for the ma
jority to be hampered in quick. de-
cisive action by an obstinate minor
ity; but nevertheless, the recognition
of the right of the minority is our
sole bond Of unity.
For this reason, I repeat that any
attempt to interfere with the rights
of free speech and free press is a
blow at the very foundations of our
government"
STRIkE'TO UNIONIZE LINES.