The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-06-13
The Professors Swing Into Action

Action Of the administration of Ohio State uni
versity in throwing out Professor Herbert Adolphus
Miller as an incident in the civil war in the uniyer-
sity over military training has resulted in protests
unparalleled in the history of academic freedom
The usual pattern Of events in such cases is about
as follows: professor is kicked out, there is a
paragraph or two in the papers, the American Asso-
citation OF University Professors announces that 1t
will investigate the case, several months later the
results are published the public has forgotten the
case the professor has obtained another job begun
to sell insurance and the whole affair goes into cold
storage for the chronicles of Upton Sinclair or Scott
Nearing
Not so in the Miller case. Groups of distinguished
professors in other sister institutions have rolled up
their sleeves and told President Rightmre and his
trustees Just what they think about the matter The
Columbia university professors said in part
The sgners of this letter. all of whom are in
terested in preserving the integrity of scholarship
and the dignity of higher education take TINS means
of voicng their reaction to the summary dismissal
of Dr. Herbert A Miller, professor Of sociology.
We understand that the reasons for this action
have been publicly stated by the BOARD OF trustees
and the president to be based on DR.. Milers views
and utterances in fields where he was entitled to
speak and to be heard as an authority
For thirty years DR.. Miller has rendered dis
tinguished service educator and has achieved
prominence in various public and senli-pubc act1yi-
ties We have not heard that in all that time his
professional abilities ever were brought INTO CUES
ton
We deplore and emphatcally protest the treat
ment to which he now is subjected. Apart from the
personal issue involved in this forced interruption
of an honorable career, the dismissal Of DR.. Miller
in these circumstances constitutes striking disre-
gard of sound educational policy and ruthless
attack on the principles of academic freedom.
Even more impressive was the warning from Yale.
Here three deans headed the list who sent in the
protest They warned the president that his action,
if persisted in was likely to end the days Of Ohio
state as a reputable educational institution
Our protest is based upon published reasons for
the dismissal given by yourselves on May 81, 1881
This statement purports to set forth the charges
which YOU have considered against Professor Miller
and is offered as the final Justification for your
action
The unsubstantial nature of these charges indi-
Gates an arbitrary censorship on your part, which,
if permitted to go without protest, would mean the
end of independent and scientific expression Of opl-
ion at Ohio State university.
This is but the beginning. Similar protests are
being prepared in other great citades Of American
higher learning The Ohio state authorities hardly
will get by with no more serious inconvenience than
the pockeing of critical report of the Professors
Association along about next Christmas
Dr. Rightmire seems to be in for hot summer
even warmer than that produced by the normally
generous temperature of Columbus from June to
October
The only prospect of relief is for him to discover
that the crashing prestige of Ohio State is rather
high price to pay for compulsory military training in
great university In his manifesto to the university,
President Rghtmire appealed to his faculty and stu
dents to put first things first" Let him heed his
own counsel