The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1921-09-23
PROF OR FISHER
RENO ED AS TEACH
ERi m I.AW SCHOOL,
CHARGES PREFERRED
BY AMERICAN LEGION


Hopes Somewhat Tarnished.
Professor Arthur Fisher, Dean Of
the Law School Of Montana, at Mis-
soula; was discharged by the State
Board Of Education Monday, because
Of. opinions expressed IN regard TO the
constitutionality Of the draft and
sedition and espionage laws passed
d,,rshg the late war, md for political
and public activities since, especially
in his capacity IS editor Of the New
Northwest The charges were pre-
ferred by the State Officers Of the
American Legion, who like most Of
the Executive Officers Of the Legion
occupy most Of their time in making
public nuisances of themselves.
The State Board of Education took
the matter up for consideration at
their meeting at Helena, Saturday,
and after trying to get the Legion
officers to withdraw their charges, in
vain. and having the charges pressed
for action by j. w. Freeman, board
member from Great Falls, the matter
was put off until Monday for more
time to think. q.
Monday the matter came up again
and came to vote, which resulted IN
the Professors removal by one ma
jority. 8,
The removal of Prof. Fisher is look
ed upon as political pandering on the
part of politicians on the board who
think that the American Legion as an
organization has some political infiu-
ence which can be won to support
their candidacy for certain Offices.
That Professor Fisher is to be con-
graduated upon the fact that he has
incurred the wrath Of the American
Legion seems to be genrally admitted
amongst the more decent element II
the state, but that he has further had
Iinnficted upon him the verbose petu-
lance Of thorough-g going reactionaries
Iof the Rankin type, bids fair to make
| the modest law teacher Of Missouls
University almost a national charac-
ter.
Fisher, who himself is a man Of
great integrity of character but who
is mentally becalmed within the paliio
twilight-zone of liberalism came I'm.
der the ban Of the American Legion
because he--quite mistakenly 70 be
sure assumed that the Bill of Rights
was a reality rather than a mere or.
! na11nentaI flourish to the constitution
The professor. did not agree with the
idea of the draft lew, he student OF
law came to the conclusion that i
was unconstitutional and was foolish
enough to say so right out in meet.
ing, in fact in the presence OF his
pupils.
| That the draft law was unc0nstitu-
!tional goes without saying-at least
| the United States Supreme Court has
| never been able to make up its min6
| that it was. That however has moth.
/ ing to do with the case. A mere mat
/ ter Of whether a statement be true
or false has never been known K
trouble the heads of the Legion, il
was sufficient that Fisher had back.
bone and manhood enough to say
outright what millions were thinking
There was another complaint
against Fisher. The New Northwest
once the bitter enemy of Governor
! Dixon, passed with the death of DR.
Craighead into the hands OF a GROUP
| of progressive people who placed the
Missoula law teacher in charge of its
affairs.
This was a terrible blow to the as
pirations Of professional candidates
for Office all over the state and agitat-
ed the buzzard roost, all the way from
those who ultimately expected to fill
a job as deputy key-hole Inspector, t.
he whose thirty gaze is fixed upon the
Office of United States Senator.
|, The matter therefore became at
once "a public scandal With two
parties interested in the elimination
of Fisher it was no trick to get the
board of education to take a hand es-
Epecially as not a few of the future
candidates for u. S. Senator were
members of that tribunal. The pro
ffessor's case was brought before them
He was solennly accused Of teaching
the truth TO youths who might be in
tired thereby, and rs solemnly be
headed; and with the exception that
Fit had to pay Fishers salary until his