The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1940-01-17
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man, Mary E. Ferguson, w. P. Clark,
c. w. Leaphart, N. ]. Lennes, A. l..
Stone. Edward M Little, Freeman
Daughters, ]. H. Ramskill, Rufus A
Coleman, Harold Tascher, E. F. A.
Carey, M. H. Ephson, ]. B. Speer,
Guy Fox, ]. P. Rowe, H. Chatland,
b. E. Thomas, E. L. Marvin. r. j.
Schlueter, Bernice B. Ramskill. F. E..
Cod, w E. Schneider"
The second petition which was
signed by 40 faculty members stated:
1--WE respectfully ask ~ that the
action of your honored body in re-
questing the resignation of Profs. E..
A. Atkinson and H. G. Merriam and
Dean c. E. Mollet and enforced re-
tirement of Prof. N. j. Lennes be re-
scinded; (2) that the designations of
Profs. E. A. Atkinson end H. G. Mer-
riam, now in your hands, be not ac-
cepted and Professor Merriam be
given one years leave Of absence
beginning October 1, 1899; (3) that If
any action seems necessary against
any member of the staff he first be
given, If he so desires, hearing by
the faculty service committee"
1t bore these signatures, in addi-
ton to those who also signed the
first:
A H. Weisberg, Robert G. Line,
Gordon B. Castle, Donald M. Heller,
]. w. Hoard, C. w. Blom, IN. s. Nor
ris, C. w. Hardy, Stanley M. Teel,
j. E. Miller Edwin M. Briggs.
Atkinson and Uennes signed the
first petition, but not the second.
With the boards permission to
cross-examine any of the witnesses,
the following were present:
James d. Graham, president of the
Montana Federation of Labor; E. j..
Stromnes, Great Falls attorney, chair
man of the house judiciary committee,
who emphasized that he appeared
merely as a friend of the board"
with an alumnus' interest in the pro-
ceedings; William F. Edgerton, Uni
versity of Chicago professor repre-
senting the American Association Of
University Professors which put the
university on it's censure list at the
New Orleans; James Leary, Butte,
representing the University Profess
sors Defense committee; G. M. Moss,
Whitefish, chairman of a legislative
committee named at the last legisla-
tive session to probe university af
fairs, and H. o. Ekern, Thompson
Falls, a member of the Moss com
mittee; Walter Aitken, Bozeman, rep
resenting the faculty members which
Simmons has asked the board to GUST
and in which the board concurred.
The testimony of DR.. Lennes, head
of the university mathematics depart
ment for 26 years and internationally
recognized mathematician and one of
those on Simmons custer hist, brought
into the light of day the influence
and control of the Missoula Mercantile
company and other business interests
in connection with Simmons and his
administration of university affairs.
DR.. Lennes testified that while his
relations with DIR. Simmons were still
on friendly basis, Simmons told him
he intended to summarily dismiss
Keeney and Merriam. When DR..
Lennes argued that such action would
be harmful to Simmons, and while the
president declined to make any defi-
mite charges against the two members
of the faculty, he said to Lennes:
well, you know how set Wallace
Brennan is" Brennan is an automo-
bile dealer in Missoula.
Whom Lennes failed apparently to
impress Simmons with the possible
consequences of his planned action
against Keeney and Merriam, Lennes
spoke to G. H. Mcleod, president of
the Missoula Mercantile company,
calling McLeod's attention to the pos
sible reaction against Simmons if he
took such action. Lennes testified
"he (McLeod) said he would stop 1t
and he did at that time"