The Catholic times. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1951-current, 1953-02-27
Just Among Ourselves
Passing Comment Considered or lneonsidsrss

There is hubbub now about the impending inves-
ngauon OF colleges TO discover teachers and teach
ings that subversive of national faith lot
ol good and loyal men may feel indignant. But
the feeling Is personal 1t is not reflective of sound
judgment on the nature of loyalty and the dangers
that threaten it, Surely, there is likelihood of over
zeal in heresy hunt But just as surely or more so,
1t IS the job of government to dig out of hiding the
enemies that crawl and lurk, and strike in the
dark, and when apprehended, whine about "aca-
demic freedom"
Two professors of Harvard law school,-of all
places one might eXclaim.--have spoken words Of
wisdom for the guidance of teachers who may be
called upon to give witness before an investigating
committee. They recall the fact that it is the first
duty of a citizen to cooperate in government. II is
neither the right nor the privilege of a witness to
refuse testimony because he doesn't happen to like
the court, if the court has legal competence, he
must respect it, and cooperate in its work whether
he personally approves of that work not
The witness, say these two professors is not
the Judge of what will will not ncriminate
him This reason for refusing to give testimony is
valid only when there is actual danger of witness
subjecting himself 10 conviction for crime Mere
dislike of testifylng, mere embarrassment, is no
for refusing to testify. The fact that dis
closure OF present or past association with the Com
munSt party VIII cause uOuDe Tor the witness Win
his church. his lodge, his union. his employer.
his university, docs not excuse him from answering
questions about it when subpoenaed before a
petent body"
The two wise professors conclude their advice
with the words 1T is not only legal requirement
but also principle of wisdom and good citizenship
for an individual TO answer questions frankly and
honestly"
There is strange superstition abroad in the
land that university professors necessarily SUI
perlor people interested solely in the discovery and
propagation of truth A lot of them are, of course.
But the superstition consists in the blind belief that
the fact of mans being associated with college
faculty is proof and guarantee Of his ability and
sincerity and of his devotion TO all things excellent
There are, by the sheer necessity of things, many
crackpos faculties, and not few plain shysters.
The cry Of academic freedom might reasonably
be raised by men of tested and recognized ability
in graduate schools and institutions of research But
that any pedagogue who is given the opportunity Of
shaping immature minds and who uses has place not
with sense of responsibility but with fever TO
make his pupils the disciples of some pei scheme
or theory of his own, should find protection under
the cloak of academic freedom, is not only ridic-
ulous but tragically wrong.
The college professor, whether in plain col
lege that calls itself such or in college that claims
the name Of university,-has a deep responsibility
to his pupils TO truth, and 10 his country. We may
omit, as unacceptable to modern superficial minds,
the responsibility that the teacher has before God
We should include, however. that responsibility
which the teacher has towards the parents of pupils
who admiring and eoggling adolescents, ready
To worship the person and the word of any teacher
with an crsdts Harvard accent and PhD.
What insane sort of academic freedom can be
II. l.g IL
teach them truth and il he is not competent 10 do
that he is certainly not free to sell his doubts
as to the ultimate truth, or to preach up any phil.
0Sophy OF life or government which happens To
have the high favor of his current fancy. No Amer
ican teacher or teacher in an American institution,
has right to attack the structure of govern
ment Nor has he right to teach American pupils,
especially those who are intellectually immature,
if he is essentially alien TO them in spirit by
of his allegiance 10 party which seeks TO destroy
their government.
Our government is a human institution AS such,
il is certain to have many mperfectons. We do not
worship our politicians, nor do we adore the State
itself We are the people; the government is ours;
VIC seek to improve it, and, when necessary we do
not long hesitate TO make important changes in
II We feel free 10 study it, TO find fault with de-
fecls io work for bettering IT, We arc not afraid
TO talk about il IN public or private, we have no
"hush-hush" policy; we fear no OGPU or Gestapo.
But while many of us want government i'm
proved in this phase that none of us want our
government DESTROYED And we will not tolerate
SneakS who work into influential positions so that
they may work for its destruction We shall not
spare them, even if they cry academic freedom
till ail's blue,
We call in doctor when sick We do
not resent the fact that he tells u.s. perhaps with
harsh words for our careessness in letting ourse
YES get into such state that We have this defect
and that disease But We don't want doctor who
will whisper to the family that this patient is so
shot through with infirmates and EMBELLISHMENTS
that really had better poison him and get some
body else in his place. We fire that doctor quick.
We get I'D of him If can, we sec that he is put
IN jail.
The academic profession" has too long assumed
that II privileged class. that 1t is ex-lex in all
matters, even of morals and certainly of economics,
politics and government This is fundamental
dogma with the unthoughtfu teachers who think
that teaching is merely pouring out any bllge they
happen to like or approve We hope the investigating
committee will be wise and reasonable. But We
hope also 10 have an end of this seemingly endless
nonsense about academic freedom among the
fInr II N1~a