Perry Charges Refusal to Testify Insufficient Grounds for Expulsion

Ralph Barton Perry, Edgar Pierce Professor of Philosophy emeritus said yesterday that neither refusal to answer questions or criminal conviction are sufficient grounds for expelling a teacher from a university faculty.

In a lengthy letter to the New York Times, the 77 year old philosopher also condemned the present investigations of education and defended the "code of personal honor' that might keep witnesses from incriminating others.

"In view of their demagogic motivation, loose methods, vindictive tone and the general effect of terror," Perry said, universities should not welcome investigations, even though they are constitutional.

"There is evidence of the inquisitorial character of those investigations in the fact that they magnify the exceedingly small amount of 'subversiveness' which the bring to light and neglect the fact that they have found the country's educational institutions to be overwhelmingly loyal to American institutions," he added.

Through such automatic dismissal, Perry said, universities would virtually turn over to government their authority to hire and fire. "Even when individuals have been convicted of a crime, or have given offense to public sentiment, the institution must decide, in each case, whether this disqualifies him from serving the institution," he said.

In making such decisions, Perry pointed out, institutions should consider if the individual "has a closed mind or is promoting subversiveness or is neglecting his work through preoccupation with party activities."