San Diego State, Cornell Fire Prof

Harry C. Steinmetz, fired from San Diego State College on Feb. 5 for refusing to say whether or not he was a Communist, thought his troubles were over when immediately after his dismissal, Cornell offered him a summer teaching job.

Steinmetz took this to be "an academic vindication." "By engaging me," he said, "Cornell has demonstrated its unconcern for California's primitive laws."

But the former professor of Psychology's elation was short lived, for last month a Cornell spokesman withdrew the University's offer on the grounds that it would involve Cornell in "a personal situation of which we had no knowledge and in which we were not consulted."

Steinmetz first became involved in serious difficulty when he refused to state whether he was a Communist to a House Un-American Activities subcommittee. Late in January he was called up before the California State Board of Education and again refused, saying that the state law requiring him to answer was unconstitutional.

On January 28, the Board of Education by a 6-0 vote decided to recommend Steinmetz' dismissal from San Diego State College.