States Legislate Against 'Subversives'

Mississippi has an anti-"subversive" law with even tougher wording than those of most other states.

The Mississippi act was largely copied from the Maryland law drawn up by Frank B. Ober, Law School graduate who tangled last year with President Conant and Corporation member Grenville Clark '03 over academic freedom at Harvard.

Subversive Group Defined

But the Mississippi legislature considerably broadened the definition of subversive.

Under the Mississippi act, a subversive organization is one "which engages in or advocates, abets, advises, or teaches, or a purpose of which is to engage in or advocate, abet, advise, or teach activitie intended to overthrow, destroy, or alter, or to assist in the overthrow, destruction, or alteration of the constitutional form of government of the United States, or of the State of Mississippi ... and to establish in place thereof any form of government the direction and control of which is to be vested in ... the domination or control of any foreign government, organization, or individual; but does not and shall not be construed to mean an organization the bona fide purpose of which is to promote peace by alliances or unions with other governments or world federations, unions, or governments to be effected through constitutional means."

No person who belongs to a "subversive" organization or who is himself "subversive" may held office or be hired by the state or any of its political sub-divisions. This includes the University of Mississippi and the state's 20 junior colleges, as well as grammar and high schools.

Under the act, employees of these educational institutions, as well as other state employees, must take oaths that they are not "subversive."

Moreover, the act requires that any agency of the state, including educational institutions, must make a loyalty check of its employees to make sure they are not subversive. The law also provides up to ten years in jail for individuals engaged in "subversive" activities.

A companion piece to this anti-subversive act is another law requiring the legislature's general investigating committee to begin an investigation of "subversive" and "un-American" activities within the state.