Conant Plans to Address Cambridge Teachers' Union

President Conant will address the Cambridge Union of University Teachers Thursday afternoon on "State Aid for Education and Research," it was announced yesterday.

For the first time a University president will be giving a teachers union the open recognition of a formal address. President Conant's speech, which foreshadows an era of improved University-Union relations, will be off the record.

Besides hearing his speech, the 225 Union members, in their last meeting of the academic year, will elect officers. Ernest J. Simmons '25, assistant professor of English and president of the Union, will probably sum up the organization's accomplishments since he took office last year.

Started in 1935

An affiliate of the American Federation of Teachers, an A. F. of L. member whose motto is "democracy in education, education for democracy," the local Union has grown rapidly since it was organized by 35 Harvard, M. I. T., and Tufts teachers in 1935.

It is now the largest teachers local in Massachusetts, and is exceeded in size only by the New York local.

Under the presidency of J. Raymond Walsh, whose dismissal two years ago drew protests from liberals all over the country, the Union's first year and a half of existence had been principally devoted to national and state support of organized labor.

Fought Teachers' Oath

For the first time taking an open stand on an academic question, the Union two and a half years ago waged a battle side by side with the University against the Teachers' Oath Law.

But it was the Walsh-Sweezy case that marked the turning point in the Union's increasing concentration on Harvard affairs, as it led the fight for the retention of the two young Economics instructors. Besides issuing a pamphlet denouncing the Administration's attitude toward the Social Sciences, the Union circulated a memorandum requesting a thorough investigation of the Walsh-Sweezy case.

Signed by 131 junior teaching officers, the memorandum was addressed to the nine professors who were later appointed by the President to examine not only the dismissal case, but also the broader questions of tenure, teaching, and research.

Attacked Conant Report

Under the presidency of David W. Prall, professor of Philosophy, the Union in 1937-38 attacked President Conant's report recommending limitation of college enrollment as "the ploughing under of human brains." The fight against the Oath Bill and on behalf of Walsh and Sweezy was continued.

In the past year the Union has more than doubled its membership, starting with a scant 100 last fall. This year for the first time it has printed a monthly bulletin.