Evening star., 1928-05-03
NEW HAVEN D. A. R.
LEADERS RESIGN
Prominent Members Protest
Black List as Contrary to
Free Speech.
Rr the Associated Pres.


NEW HAVEN, Conn, May g.
Eleven prominent members Of two local
chapters OF the Daughters of the
American Revolution have resigned In
protest OF the blacklisting of speakers.
The organizations black list, which
names many prominent persons In the
country who are barred as unpatriotic
from addressing D. A. r. meetings, re-
Gently received the Endorsement of the
national organization.
Mrs. William Lyon Phelps, wife Of
Yale professor, and Mrs. Joseph
Whitney, widow of Judge Edwin B.
Whitney, two of those who resigned,
issued a statement saying they can
no longer continue membership in an
organization which adopts a policy
striking at the roots of American free
first amendment of the Constitution,
which 1t has sworn to uphold.
The United States has grown In
power and influence for $50 years by
carrying out the principles of our
fathers. of free discussions Of public
questions.
lyTannlcaA Suppression.
For this the present policies of the
D. A. r. substitute a face-about to
tyrannical suppression Of all who differ
with the present national officers on
the questions of the day.
IF such action should succeed the
result would be to crush the initiative
people.
I'VE wish Godspeed to those fellow
members of the d. A. r. who retain
their membership In an effort to con-
tinue their protest against the actions
of the present officers. but We see small
chance of success so long as their
principles cannot be presented, with
those of the officers. in the meetings
of the different chapters for discussion
by the membership and intelligent
choice between them.
THE principles We have asked in
vain to have debated before the chap
ters can be stated as two points:
The D. A. r. should not try to sup
press free speech when such is within
the bounds set by the laws of our coun-
try.
THE D. A. r. should encourage its
membership to study the social prob
lens of the day, especially the efforts
of our Government to aid in the estab-
lishment of good will between nations
and the relations of arms as a means
of national defense to the progress
made in arbitration and the legal
methods Of settling disputes.
Protest Bar to Scholars.
I'm rejecting these principles. the
officers virtually deny TO the members
the use of their inteilec.s. They warn
against listening TO some of the most
distinguished scholars in the United
States and frighten us with imaginary
dangers.
Sister organizations are denounced
although officers of those organizations
are, many of them, members of the d.
A. r. themselves.
"The climax is reached when the
preaching of ignorance is called 'patrl-
otto and efforts to prevent the horrors
and agonies OF another World War are
called 'unpatriotic 1t is then time to
protect our patriotism, our love of the
traditions Of our fathers and the prin-
ciples on which our country was found
ed and through which 1t can best
flourish In the future as in the past.
Others who resigned were:
Mrs. Irving Fisher. wife of q Yale
professor who had been named on the
blacklist Miss Mary E. Dana, former
president OF the rev haven tlSlllnS
Nurses Association: Mrs. Hanna Town
shend. the Arst New Haven woman
representative In the Legislature: Miss
Elizabeth w. Farnam, head of the New
Haven League of Women Voters; Mrs.
Cliffard Newton. Mrs. Josephine New
ton. Mrs. Edward l.. Bradley, Mrs Allen
! B. Squire and Mrs. j. T. Babb.
All those resigning are prominent In
local civic affairs and had been men,
bers of the Eve Lear and Mary Clap
! Wooster Chapters.