Montana labor news., 1937-09-30


unhappy to meet him on the campus
and that he read the New York
Times in the morning.
"Dr. Simmons objection to the
reading of the New York Times by
Professor Keeney, the Times being
a publication in general use by Ii
brarians, a special edition Of it being
published on linen paper for their
archives, is at one and the same
time SO trivial and yet so indicative
of deplorable ignorance of the
functions of a librarian on the part
of DR.. Simmons, the titular head of
the chief educational institution of
our state, that l had Attorney Gen
eral Freebourn repeat his testimony
on this point.
'In my opinion this contribution
by President Simmons to academic
criticism is characteristic of the
whole case, or rather the lack of a
case against Professor Keeney. As
I stated before, Judge Padbury,
every man, woman and child in
Montana knows that Professor Kee-
ney was not given a contract re-
newal because of any academic
shortcomings but because of his ac-
tivity in organizing a branch of the
American Federation of Teachers on
the U. of M campus"
Following the first hearing on the
writ of mandamus calling on Cover
nor Ayers and the State Board of
Education to reinstate Professor
Keeney or show cause why he
should be discharged, the status of
the official foes of Professor Keeney
and the position of his supporters in
labor circles are as follows:
Dr. Simmons, by his own admis-
sions and by his counsers brief, has
placed himself in the position of
discharging a professor on perma-
nent tenure, according to Clause 2
of the regulations of the State Board,
without having any reason for doing
so that can be made public. This is
an untenable position for the titular
head of a great educational institu-
ton supported by state funds.
Clause 2 reads: Professors and
associate professors are on perma-
nent appointments; provided, how
ever, that the initial appointment to
a full professorship or to an asso-
ciate professorship may be for
limited term. Such limited term
appointment may be renewed; pro-
vided, however, that reappointment
after three years of service shall be
deemed a permanent appointment"
Professor Keeney, as before stated,
had six years of service. He was
therefore a permanent appointee to
a full professorship. He could be
discharged only for cause and after
hearing. No charges have been
preferred and Professor Keeney was
deprived of his rights under the
statute.
DR.. Simmons personally did not
dare, nor did members of the State
Board appointed by Governor Ayers,
dare to make under oath at the
mandamus hearing any statements
substantiating the low gossip, in
nuendo and insinuations against Pro
fessor Keeney they were SO liberal
with in conversations with members
of a committee of investigation from
the Cascade Trades and Labor Coun-
Gil last May
These unfounded and malicious
statements tended to color the com
mittee's report so that on both the
labor and legal issues involved some
mistaken impressions were created.
The mandamus proceedings have
cleared up these points and exposed
the duplicity of those responsible for
the persecution Of Professor Keeney
and Professor Rowe and the ear
marking for similar treatment of
some twelve or thirteen more of the
University faculty
The morale of DR.. Simmons, Gov
ernor Ayers and the State Board of
Education is very low. They expect
ed to get rid of Keeney, intimidate
the rest of the faculty and wipe the
Teachers Union out of existence
without any trouble. The Montana
labor movement and the American
Federation of Teachers has made
this impossible. Practically every
Central Labor Council in the state
is on record for Keeney's reinstate-
ment. So are most of the large local
unions.
The Silver Bow Trades and Labor
Assembly, following remarks by
Professor Keeney and your cores
pondent, voted to put the Keeney
case squarely up to Senator Wheeler.
Butte Miners Union No. /, after
hearing Professor Keeney, voted an
appropriation to help defray the ex-
pense of a pamphlet now being pre-
pared in cooperation with President
Graham, Clarence Blewett, editor of
the Montana Labor News, and the
Keeney Defense Committee.
Petitions for Professor Keeney's
reinstatement, furnished by the
American Federation of Teachers,