Douglas Backs Corporation Stand, Outlines Views on Indochina, China

Supreme Court Justice William O. Douglas spoke out yesterday in support of the University's stand against charges by Senator Joseph R. McCarthy of Communists on the faculty.

"The Corporations has upheld a position in the best tradition of academic freedom," Douglas told a Business School audience in Carey Cage yesterday afternoon.

Asked how much public opinion affects Supreme Court decisions, the Justice said, "The Courts cannot submit to public opinion any more than a university can become the executioner for an investigating committee."

Douglas also told questioners that "if the U.S. went into Indochina we would alienate all of Asia. The Asians know what the issues are there: colonialism vs. independence." He felt that if a democratic, popularly-supported leader replaced the French authority in Indochina, Minh's Communist forces would be driven back into the hills in a few weeks.

As for the natives' feeling toward the French, Douglas asserted, "If you want to see what a leaping, livid thing hatred can be, go to Indochina." The problem there differs from the Korean peace action because Korea was independent, he noted.

Douglas also stated that he was not in favor of the outright recognition of Red China, and he feels that the British acted too hastily. "We must reach a political settlement first," he said. This would basically concern Korea, Formosa, and Indochina.

Constitutional development through interpretation of the "due process" and interstate commerce clauses formed the main body of Douglas' extemporaneous talk.