Evening star., 1954-12-17
Phi Beta Kappa
Official Denies
Charge
Replies to-Accusotion
Hopkins and Goucher
Bur Nd. u. Chupter

blames Johns Hopkins Univer-
sity and Goucher College for pre-
venting establishment of a Phi
Beta Kappa chapter at Mary
land, but a former official Of the
honorary fraternity believes the
charge is unjustified.
DR.. Wilson H. Elkins, new
president Of the University OF
Maryland, said DR.. Byrd's
charges against Hopkins and
Goucher do not represent the at
titude OF the present Maryland
administration.
He said nothing has been done
to obtain a chapter since he took
over September ] because it was
learned that the fraternity could
not act before the fall Of 1855.
DR.. Byrd made the accusation
against the neighboring Balti-
more colleges in a letter he sent
to the Maryland campus news
paper. "Diamondback." A reply
to the accusation was made by
r. E. Loving of Richmond, Va,
former president of the Southern
Atlantic District of Phi Beta
Kappa.
In his letter, DR.. Byrd seeks
to answer some of the charges
leveled against him in the fall
political campaign, when DR..
Byrd made an unsuccessful run
against Gov. McKeldin. One
Of these blamed DR.. Byrd for
ineffective administration of the
university. The lack of a Phi
Beta Kappa Chapter at Mary
land figured in the Republican
charges.
Disclosed in Campaign.
1t was disclosed during the
political campaign that Mary
land had been denied q Phi
Beta Kappa Chapter in 1948. A
1948 letter to DIR. Byrd from Carl
Billman, secretary of the frater-
nity's Committee on Qualifica-
tions, was publicized. It listed
DR.. Byrd's "autocratic powers"
as president and a faculty which
does not function at all as a
legislative body" as some of the
reasons for refusing member
ship.
To support his charges against
Johns Hopkins and Goucher, DR..
Byrd has quoted from a 1850 let
ter written by Mr.. Loving, who
at that time was president of the
Southern Atlantic district of the
fraternity. The Loving letter
states:
g. In fact, if Hopkins and
Goucher indorse the University
OF Maryland, it would be, almost
sure to win a chapter and if they
oppose or are cool toward it, I
doubt if 1t can win in the South
Atlantic district or in the next
national council"
OF this DR.. Byrd said: "It is
evident, therefore, that the rea-
son why the University of Mary
land has not been granted a
chapter is because of opposition
by Hopkins and Goucher."
Explains Procedure.
Notified of DR.. Byrd's charges,
Mr.. Loving replied that he
thought Maryland's former
president was not justified in
implying that Hopkins and
Goucher fought Maryland.
LAS I recall it," said Mr.. Low
ing, II was asked what pro-
cedure Maryland should follow
to get a Phi Beta Kappa chapter
established on the campus. I
merely told them the first step
was to get Endorsement from the
Phi Beta Kappa chapters of two
neighboring colleges, which
happened in this case to oe
Hopkins and Goucher
Mr.. Loving said that he knew
of no jealousy" or rivalry" by
Hopkins and Goucher toward
Maryland.
BYRD Just 8 Little Sore"
II expect DR.. Byrd is just a
little sore" commented MIR. Low
ing.
DR.. Byrd said he had no direct
part in Maryland's latest efforts
to acquire a chapter OF the
honorary society, but q Baltimore
businessman became interested
in the matter and tried to find
out what was wrong. 1t was the
Baltimore man who wrote Mr..
Loving.
DR.. Otto F. Kraushaar, presi-
dent of Goucher. declared that
DR., Byrd's charges were COM
pletely unfounded.
DR.. Kraushaar's predecessor
at Goucher, DR.. David Robert
son, was a member of the Phi
Beta Kappa Accrediting Com
mittee and the fraternity's sem
ate in 1948, when Maryland's
last application was rejected.
Hopkins Dean Replies.
G. Wilson Shaffer, dean Of
students at Hopkins, said he was
certain Hopkins has done moth
ing to prevent the University of
Maryland having a Phi Beta
Kappa chapter.
Asked If he thought DR.. Byrd's
blast might jeopardize Mary
lands chances If an application
is filed. DR.. Elkins replied:
81 would hope that Hopkins
and Goucher would not be con-
cerned toe much-that they
would realize that it was a
statement from DR.. Byrd and it
does not reflect the attitude of
the administration at this time. 7"
lzuok Walton League
CHARIQTTES WILLIE. Va