Evening star., 1950-06-24
u. Of California Fires
Isl, Ending Battle on
IAnti-Communist Oath
By shs Assoeieisd Prsss

By shs Asseeiaisd Prsss
LOS ANGELES. June 24.-The
University Of California. worlds
largest educational institution.
has fired 157 faculty members and
other employees who refused to
sign statements saying that they
are not communists.
The dismissals were ordered
yesterday by the Board of Regents
after q stormy meeting at which
it upheld recommendations of
the university president, Or. Rob-
ert Gordon Sproul.
DR.. Sproul told the regents that
1929 letters were sent to univer-
sity employees. asking them to
state as a condition of employ
ment that they are not members
of the Communist Party. All the
non -signers were given the right
to a hearing before the Commit
tee on Privilege and Tenure Of
the Academic Senate. The 157
who were fred ignored this right.
The dismissals are effective June
80. Names of those discharged
were not disclosed. since they
could make re-application for
their jobs by signing the non-
Communist statement in their new
contracts.
No Outstanding Scientists.
Sources close to the university
indicated, however, that there are
no outstanding scientists on the
list.
The dismissals are unprecedent-
ed in American academic history
and close a 14-month row over
loyalty oaths and contracts bear
Il ing Communist clauses. The
action was taken by 18 members
of the 24-member board. Among
those backing up DR.. Sproul were
Admiral Chester w. NimitZ, Gov.
Earl Warren OF California and
Gilman Edwin w. Pauley.
DR.. Sproul told the regents:
"The university must devise ma
chinery that will keep it free of
Communists. but IN doing so it
must not stifle and suppress the
right of private conscience.
have told the Academic Senate
Committee that members Of the
Communist Party consistently
abused academic privileges. We
must wipe out the disgrace Of
communism in free institutions in
a constructive way. We cannot
knock it out with a bat"
Action ON Others Delayed.
At the suggestion of Admiral
Nimitz, action on 81 employees who
were cleared by the Academic
Senate was delayed until the next
meeting, July 81. Admiral Nimitz
said each one would have to be
examined individually.
The regents also voted to defer
action on six other employees whom
DR.. Sproul recommended for dis
missal, and to consider the matter
OF rehiring II employees who OBJ
jected to- signing the statement
because Of religious scruples. Ac-
tion was delayed on two pro-
fessors who are out Of the country.
John Francis Neylan, attorney
and members of the Board of Re
gents. made an hour long appeal
for vigorous action against the
n-signers. He said the regents
for so years have had fullest con-
f1dence in the faculty and that the
refusal of a few to sign the anti
Communist declaration can be
traced to Red elements in the
American Association of Univer-
sity Professors, which opposes
loyalty oaths.
Heroic" War Records Found.
Regent Jesse Steinhart told the
board that in looking over the files
Of the non-signers he found many
who had heroic war records" and
had been cleared by governmental
agencies for handling secret ma
terial.
DR.. Sproul told .newsmen that
some of the 157 who were being
discharged were not planning on
returning to the university, since
their work was completed.
The loyalty oath controversy
started in the spring Of 194s when
the regents announced that a
special oath would be required of
all university employees in addi-
ton to the regular oath Of sup
port for the United States Con-
stitution. Last March 81 it was
proposed that the special oath re-
quirement be rescinded, but the
motion was lost on tie vote.
The regents then voted a COM
promise. agreeing to the present
requirement for only signing a
statement of non-Communist
Party afflliation, and for oppor-
tunity Of employees to have their
cases heard by the Academic