Evening star., 1924-10-31
DUTCH SCIENTIST
SEEKING REDRESS
Herman M. BerneIot Moens
Appeals to President for
Compensation.


land scientist of repute abroad, whose
anthropological exploits in the colored
public schools of the District in 1919
created the greatest sensation in the
history Of the public school system,
has come from his long seclusion to
seek redress from the Government
for the wasted six years of life that
the false accusations against him
cost
Injured in health and financially
ruined, Moens has appealed to Presi-
dent Coolidge for compensation to
cover the years of wasted effort fight
ing charges instigated by the Depart
ment Of Justice which have now been
proved trumpery and have been dis
missed from the courts. Failing in
obtaining 1t by this means he intends
to carry the matter to the govern
ment Of the Netherlands and seek
diplomatic aid
The brief outline of the Moens case
represents an instance of a foreign
anthropologist duly accredited by his
own government, who was first ac-
cused of being a German spy. and la
ter, when this first charge became
openly impalpable, was thrown into
Jail for possessing pictures which the
department agents branded 'inde-
cent" but which leading American
scientists personally certified as prop.
er and of value to science.
First Here in 1914.
MoenS came to this country in
April, 1914, on his way to Japan TO
undertake anthropological research.
He was provided with an introduction
from the legation of the Netherlands
certifying that he was Dutch citi-
zen and professor of zoology and
-, l. t,,t
dorsed by Robert Lansing, then acting
Secretary of State. The war changed
his plans and he went to Panama to
study the wealth of mixed racial
types which that country presents
| and which was his special field of re-
! seavch. In 1916 he came to Wash
inRton.
Moens was not informed of two
things about the United States-the
feeling of the white population in re-
gard to the colored and the existence
Of Comstock laws against the exhi-
bition of photographs in the nude.
Furthermore, the conclusions of his
studies tended to belief that the
perfection of the human type will be
accomplished by an intermiXture of
the races that will retain the peculiar
physical and mental contributions of
each race.
MY HTSt ConCiuSlOE, hOeIS is
quoted as saying, rs that no race has
copyright on individual mental or
moral force or achievement Genius
has found conspicuous manifestations
under other than white skins. If the
Caucasian race maintains its present
intellectual isolation; If it perpetu-
ates its conviction of its own Su-
periority and its recent impervious-
ness to contributions from other
ic rcb in IN 1nfa
THE object of my comparative
studies is to determine the social
political and biological conditions un-
der which perfect man can be pro-
duced, and the only way to do this
is by scientific methods. at least to
the extent employed in breeding do
mestic animals. The caste system in
America is the potent barrier to the
production of the perfect man. We
need education to Danish the caste
system to enable the race to develop
as nature intended. instead of de-
feating natures purposes by segre-
eating races into isolated groups.
America has a melting pot. but it
does not melt"
Under normal conditions the an
nunciation of this theory, whether
or not acceptable to the mass of
American opinion, would not have
brought definite action. The trouble
started when Moens gained entree
into the public schools Of Washing
ton in pursuit of his studies.
Moens, first made a few scientific
observations in the colored schools,
but later went beyond the rights
granted him in taking pictures of
several girl types posed in the nude
distinguished member of the Dun
bar High School faculty aided him
as chaperon. But when the
scientists exploits were revealed, a
shadow of suspicion was cast on the
teacher and she resigned.
Charged With Being Spy.
On October %, 1918, representatives
of the Department of Justice went to
Moens rooms and charged him with
being an Austrian national and a spy
for Germany. The implication was
that he was attempting to stir up the
negroes to a revolt that would have
hampered the conduct of the war.
The agents were referred to the le-
CATION of the Netherlands and to the
Library of Congress, where his
genealogy appeared. The spy charge
was dropped, but two days later he
was arrested and put in Jail for "hav-
ing and exhibiting obscene, disgust
ing and filthy pictures"
A jury in the District courts con-
victed the scientist of the obscenity
charge on April /, 1919. He had pre-
viously been approached through the
Netherlands legation with the sug
gestion that he plead guilty. pay a
fine of $4,000 and leave the country.
He was told that this would be the
easiest solution of his difficulties. but
he refused to admit a charge which
he described as absurd, unjust and
malicious" The refusal cost him six
years Of waiting for release from
bond in this country and the ordeal
of another trial, the first one having
ended with a reversal of judgment
and the second one eventually in the
quashing of the indictments and COM
plete vindication,
Appeals to Fair Play.
Moens' legal advisors admit there is
no remedy in law for the recovery of
what he has lost in the United States
through the long years of litigation
Therefore, he declares, he is driven to
appeal to the sense of fair play of the
people of the United States at large
and for that purpose he has written
to President Coolidge in which he re-
views his arrival here with creden-
tails, his previous scientific accom-
plishments and the treatment Accord-
ed him in this country.
With the following appeal Moens
closes his long letter to the Presi-
dent: Whereas I have needlessly
suffered in the United States injuries
which can never be undone, loss of
work, money and impaired health, as
well as five years Of my life total
waste, I feel that I am entitled to
more than merely letting me go home
now.
sT %h>..S1.o oppeo1 - x,1,, U,~,
lency as the Chief Magistrate of this
country to do unto me as Won would