REPEAL GROUP DEMANDS MATHER BE RETAINED

With the oath of Professor Mather and two other Harvard faculty men rejected yesterday by Payson smith, the executive board of the Harvard Student Committee for Repeal of the Teachers' Oath Bill came out last night with a statement demanding that the professors must not be dismissed.

On the board are: Bruce O. Bliven, Jr. '37, of the Liberal Club, Robert S. Brainerd '38, of the peace society, Robert J. Cumming '38, of the S.L.I.D., Henry V. Poor '36, of the Political Union, Thomas H. Quinn '36, of the Student Council, and D. Boone Schirmer '37, of the N. S. L.

Their petition reads:

"Professor Mather and the other teachers who signed the oath with reservations must not be dismissed from their positions. It is perhaps an over-estimation of the power of the reactionary Hearst press to fear that it" hysterical demand will be heeded by any responsible person. But a restatement of the opinion of many students and faculty members, shared by thoughtful observers through the country, seems necessary at this time.

"Academic freedom must be maintained. Particularly must there be complete freedom from the Influence of powerful minority groups interested to see restriction and retrenchment in education. The threat of dismissal, however slight it may be, which is held over Professor Mather and the others in concrete evidence of the illiberal and undemocratic effect the oath bill can exert.

"In attempting to force the political opinions of the most reactionary groups upon the teachers of Massachusetts under the cover of a false patriotism, the bill is remindful of the enslaving regimentation of German and Italian fascism. It is not truly American.

"The oath bill must not be permitted to cause the dismissal of Kirtley Mather or any other teacher whose loyalty to the best freedom of American Democracy led him to protest in taking the oath."