Phillips Restates Communist View

"I am a member of the Communist Party because I hold the ideas I do; I do not hold the ideas I do because I am a member of the Communist Party," Herbert J. Phillips, former professor of Philosophy at the University of Washington, declared last night speaking at a John Reed Club meeting.

Phillips explained that his membership in the Communist Party does not impair his objective. Early in 1949 he was fired form the University of Washington for membership in the Communist Party per se. Phillips reviewed the details of his dismissal.

Chairman of the meeting on "Academic Freedom and the Cold War" was Ralph Spitzer, ex-associate professor of Chemistry at Oregon, who was dismissed for suggesting inquiry into the Lysenko theory of genetics. Spitzer attacked the Mundt-Ferguson-Nixon Bill since it,"perseribes thoughts for everyone.