Evening star., 1939-11-25

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laws governing the use of passports.
An Indictment is mere aCcuSa-
ton OF guilt and has never before
been regarded here as a basis for
denial of civil rights to anybody.
Upon conviction, of course, diff
ferent set of consequences enSueS,
but if indictment for an alleged
criminal offense is to be used by
the universities as a reason for deny
ing freedom of speech, then other
Americans whose views are often
sought by the colleges may be af-
fected.
Thus, the Justice Department
nowadays secures indictments
against business men on criminal
charges in connection with alleged
violation of the antitrust laws.
Would any of the universities bar
such men from speaking or deliv-
ering lectures just because they are
under Indictment? To do so is to
lend weight to a rapidly growing
but unfounded impression that in
dictment is the equivalent of estap-
lished guilt.
An Administration Technique.
The use of criminal indictments
for alleged economic offenses has
been rare heretofore, but under the
present administration the policy is
openly proclaimed as a necessary
part of law enforcement. Did the
colleges take this into consideration
when they barred Earl Browder?
Another angle to the case is the
assumption that university students
are unable to think for themselves
and when exposed to a speech by
a Communist leader, will succumb
to his propaganda. Soap-box ora
tors have declaimed for genera
tions on New York street corners
on every possible ism" and there
are certain folks who contend this
should be stopped altogether. The
argument usually made in opposi-
ton is that such speakers get far
more attention when attempts are
made to suppress them then when
they are permitted to blow off
oSSel1Ai o4I Vic 0llCcD
Indictment Offers Alibi.
For the universities to put them
selves on record as afraid to lis
ten to an address on Communism Is
a trend away from freedom of
speech, but it is, of course, not on
that ground Mr.. Browder was ex-
cluded from the academic halls.
When his indictment by a grand
jury is announced as the official
reason, the colleges which bar him
are open to criticism because they
have used an indirect device to do
that which they probably would not
care to do directly.
College students have a curious
way of going contrary to the au-
thoritieS. Now that Mr.. BroWder
has been barred by some colleges.
he will doubtless be invited by many
others. Some of the student or
CARNATIONS will consider it a prank,
and others will quite seriously at
tempt to see whether freedom of
speech is something to be permitted
only for the thought we like instead
OF for "the thought we hate" as the
late Oliver Wendell Holmes, Justice
of the Supreme Court and a great
liberal, once defined freedom of
speech.
Cooperation Denied Dies.
Since the war emergency began,
the TRADE against Communism and
Fascism has reached a new high
throughout the country. The Dies
Committee has been uncovering sub
versive activities on the part of Com
munlsts, and there seems no doubt
some OF them actually represent
foreign governments. But the Job of
prosecuting them for their activities
Is up to the Justice Department,
which, for one reason or another,
has not followed up what the Dies
Committee has revealed. Indeed,
Representative Dies is complaining
publicly that the administration is
not giving him the help of Govern
ment agencies in ferreting out these
subversive activities. Most congress
sional investigations nave had the
active aid of administration officials
and their staffs, but because Mr..
Dies has stepped on the toes of many
OF the left-Wingers hereabouts. the
cooperation he needs has been
denied him. This only means that
at the coming session of Congress,
the administration will find itself
the object of an Communist
drive and possibly large sums will
be voted to the Dies Committee to
continue its inquiries.
If the college authorities want to
stamp out Communism they can
develop forums for the discussion of
subversiye activities as well as Com
munistic doctrine, and perhaps the
students will be happier when they
hear all sides of the controversy than
when they are, in effect. denied an
opportunity to make a f1rst-hand
examination and judgment of what
the Communists have to say.