Evening star., 1951-02-02
Dr.. Davies Denounces
System Of Clearing
Speakers at Schools


public schools here with the House
Committee on n-American Ac-
tivities Committee has been
branded damaging to the school
system" by the Rev. A. Powell
Davies, pastor of the All Souls
Unitarian Church.
DR.. Davies MADE sharp criticism
OF School Supt. Hobart M. Corn
ing in letter he dispatched to
the school superintendent yester-
day. He said the clearance policy
had been reduced to absurdity."
Although he has been cleared"
as a speaker at the centennial eel
ebration at Miner Teachers Col
lege next month, DR.. Dawes said
he questioned whether he could
"decently and honorably appear"
because of the situation.
Marquis Childs Discloses Ban.
He said he had tried to with
draw as a speaker but DR.. Eugene
A. Clark, Miner president, said
the program would be in jeopardy
If he did. He then consented to
fulfill the engagement.
DR.. Dawes letter came after
Marquis Childs. Washington COL
umniSt, disclosed that he was one
of the four prospective speakers
banned because his name appeared
in the House Un-American Activ-
tiles Committee files.
Mr.. ChildS, in his syndicated
column, also blasted the clearance
system and said it was an out
rageous" symptom of the distrust
corroding normal relationships in
America today.
The columnist said the commit
tee had two references to him in
its files. One was that he spon-
sored in 1887 something called
the American Writers Congress-. "
He said he never heard of the or
ganization to the best of his recol-
lection.
DIR. Davies AStOnished.
The other reference, Mr.. Childs
said, was in connection with mem
bership in the Washington Friends
of Spanish Democracy in 1898.
This organization was put on the
Attorney Generals subversive list
In 1914, he added.
DR.. Davies. in his letter. told DR.
Corning he had learned with as
tonishment" that Mr.. Childs was
one Of the persons mot cleared ~
This is so preposterous an ex-
clusion that it reduces your clear
ance system-which already was
bordering upon the ridiculous-to
complete absurdity," he declared.
He continued:
Mr.. Childs is a fortnight,
vigorous and highly intelligent
champion of American democ-
racy.
ITO doubt his patriotism is not
merely fantastic. 1t is thoroughly
alarming
Calls for Courage.
"The present cowardly hysteria,
which the Communists have sue
ceeded in producing in this coun-
try, is scoring victory after victory.
How much further is this thing to
go before we call halt. and find
the courage to restore our demo-
cratic values?"
The Unitarian pastor said that
when he does speak on the pro-
gram he will say exactly what
my conscience prompts me toasay
as free, unfettered and confident
American"
DR.. Davies concluded his letter
by saying he noted with deep re-
gret the damage you are doing
to the school system of the Dis
trict and to the aims and purposes
of American democracy in a time
of crisis
Corning Plans to Go Ahead.
DR.. Corning had no comment
He said he would go ahead with
his plan to report on the clear
ance system to the Board of
Education at next Wednesdays S
meeting.
Previously, Dr. Corning has
indicated he is not satisfied with
the system of banning as speakers
any one whose names appear in
the committee files, but feels some
sort of safeguard should be in
effect against Subversive speakers
The present policy followed by
DR.. Corning is to ban any one
whose name appears in the COM
mittee files. No attempt is made
to evaluate the references to the
persons in the files nor does the
committee evaluate the references
DR.. Corning stated he is acting
in accordance with Board of Edu-
cation wishes.
Lee Particularly Insistent.
The matter first arose last fall
when four persons were invited to
speak before the school teachers
training programs. The School
Board members-Adelbert w. Lee
vice president, in particular-in-
sisted the names be cleared Ano
they have been insisting since.
Just two weeks ago Pearl S
Buck, writer who has won the
Pulitzer and Nobel Prizes, was
forbidden to appear at the Car
dozo High School graduation un-
der similar circumstances. Tht
latest incident is the banning o1
the four prospective speakers for
the Miner program.
DR.. Corning and other school
officials refuse to disclose the
names of the Miner four.
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