The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1960-06-30

1885,
A Hollow Victory For Ivy League
Professors-By interesting coin
cidence, it was on Flag Day that
U. S. Senate debated the Kennedy
bill to knock out the so-called dis
claimer affidavit as a requirement
to be met by students applying for
loans under the National Defense
Education Act The disclaimer af-
fidavit is to the effect that the stu
dent applying for a loan of United
States money for his education does
not believe in and is not a men,
Der of and does not support any
organization which has as its pur-
pose the overthrow of the Govern
ment of the United States by force
and violence. The proponents of
the Kennedy bill-those wanting
to knock out the affidavit require
ment-argued that college profess
sOrs objected to the affidavit on
the grounds that it unfairly singled
out students" and was IAN attack
on freedom of thought" and, fur
Their, that some of the Ivy League
universities refused to permit their
students to take part in the loan
program because of the affidavit
requirement. Those wanting to re-
tain the disclaimer affidavit said
that (a) the movement against the
affidavit requirement was insti-
gated by 'fellow-travellers" and
that the core of the movement is
made up of pinks, Communist SYM
pathiZers, and those Americans of
warped minds who hate every
thing American; Cb) Well-meaning
people, particularly college profess
sors wanting to be counted as
liberal, have been misguided in
to supporting the movement; (c)
the students themselves, about
whom everyone seems concerned,
are not disturbed by the affidavit
requirement.; I'D 1900 college and
universities have accepted the re-
quircmcnt and are participating in
the student loan program; Ce) the
few Ivy League universities which
refuse to participate while defend
ing freedom of thought, are actu-
ally denying to their students the
right to exercise that freedom of
thought and apply it in the case
of these Government loans; and (f)
students are not singled out by
the requirement; all Civil Defense
volunteer workers, all legislative
employees, and a great many other
groups are required to make such
an affidavit
Senator Prouty of Vermont Of
fered a substitute measure as a
compromise, and it was accepted
ny lIlC lNO OPPOSlHS SlQCS, lllC
Prouty substitute incorporates in
to the law, in place of the dis
claimeraffidavit requirement,
strong penalty clause making it a
criminal offense for a member of
any subversive organization or one
concealing past subversive ties to
apply for or accept Government
funds under authority of the Ma
tional Defense Education Act An
oath of allegiance still would be
required.
Nearly all the students who have
written me say that they are not
in sympathy with the movement
to abolish the disclaimer l believe
that the students consider it an
honor to expression any occasion
not only their love, devotion and
allegiance to the Flag and to the
Constitution, but to declare their
adherence of any cell or organi-
cation which proposes to over
throw the Government by force
and violence. In today's world, it be-
hooves all of us who believe in
the American system, which has
given us the greatest culture and
the highest standard of living the
world has ever known, to welcome
the opportunity to express our
faith in that system. 1t will be a
sad day if it is ever considered
improper for one not only to
pledge allegiance to the Stars and