The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1925-12-31


the testimony and documents pre-
scented to the committee. 1t also ex-
plains the organization of the some
fifteen corporate foundations, includ-
ing the General Education board, and
their manner of giving. The resolu-
tion would cut off the university from
all of them, the alumni declared. The
gifts of the General Education board
are bestowed without restriction as
to the policy of their use, it is as
serted. No evidence of Interior pur-
pose on the part of any of the founda-
tions was found.
DR.. E. A. Birge, president emeritus
of the university and other members
of the faculty call concurred in the
opinion that the receiving of gifts,
without strings, to the university
from corporate foundations would not
compromise complete academic free
DOM" the report reads.
Assertions In Report.
Some of the assertions in the report
are that:
The University of Wisconsin has
received since its founding, more than
$50 gifts, aggregating more than $4,-
400 900.
Higher education has always been
supported largely by private bene-
faction.
1t has been the immemorial legisla-
tive policy of the state to invite gifts
from private sources to education.
Medical and scientific research are
among the mos. important ana prac-
teal of university functions. Some
times a given line of scientific re-
search requires a. consistent policy
and an assured fund extending over a
period of number of years. Danger
of social economic control from gifts
for such purposes Seems to us too
remote to be real"
A gift with an Interior purpose "is
quite as likely to be offered by an in
dividual as by a corporation and the
likelihood of accompanying pressure
is greater"
eve do not minimize the fact that
the state of Wisconsin has been liber-
al to it's university. We shall beyond
doubt, sometimes have a school of
medical instruction and research sec
ond to none"
/
and willingness on the part of the
state, we cannot approve any action
to refuse or discourage gifts of money
from private sources for the purpose
of aiding the advancement of these
great ends.
Defend Rockefeller Wealth.
eve believe Mr.. Rockefeller's
fortune may be lawfully and morally
given away and conscientiously re-
ceived for the benevolent purpose of
advancing medical and scientific re-
search"
"Some" charges of influence on
academic freedom at the University
of Chicago, sited as literally en-
dowed university, were investigated,
and 1--WE believe them unfounded."
The lengthy report sets forth the
arguments and reasons of the alumni
for making their contentious, and
concludes:
Gall gifts must necessarily come
from the wealthy. The munifcent
Villas gift came from one of the coun-
try's rich men. The large Bradley
Memorial hospital gift came from
| big business and the money, the
making of which Dr. Bradley told us,
duplicated the methods that Rookie
Teller uses The same might be said
of the smaller gifts from Dupont,
Armour, Clark and Hill. If we are to
try to distinguish between the
wealthy men who have made their
money in the business world, and to
/ Iota .xyha4har ha
sessed by one is more wholesome
than that possessed by another and
more fit to be used for the advance
ment of science and health, we shall
have a difficult and unsatisfactory
task. The fact is, we believe, the
world will be better for the dissipa-
| ton, for such benevolent and semi
public purposes of so much of these
vast aggregations of wealth.
"Withal the liberality of the legis-
lature, our university program has
Jagged behind its needs. It's dormi-
tory program, the dream of President
Van Hise, is about to be realized
through the aid of the Trip gift.
The same is true of the much needed
Memorial Union. The Medical school
L u
achievement is not half established.
1t has had 100000 placed at its dis
posal by this same General Education
board for buildings and equipment,
on condition if the raising the amount
to $1,500,000.
Medical School Aid Needed.
"This is the amount which the
medical department estimates will be
required for this purpose. The addi-
tional amount is practically assured
by the action of the last legislature
in authorizing the soldiers rehabili-
tation board to give the balance Of
unused funds to the regents for a
Memorial Medical building. This
fund is estimated at from 100000 to
100000. But if the policy that re-
fused the $4,000 gift prevails, it
will also refuse the larger gift to the
Medical school. Very much larger
amounts of money could be utilized in
useful research in medicine and
science than have ever yet been
available to the university. We do
not understand why tax payers should
insist that they themselves bear the
whole of these burdens and reject
supplemental aid which private bene-
faction is willing TO supply nor why
the regents should insist that they
the tax payers do so. When the leg
a. L. Jn..n