APPLAUSE FROM ITHACA

If we were to award a prize each year for achievements in the field of academic freedom, Harvard University would certainly be the recipient of the 1954 award. The Cambridge institution just sneaked under the wire when, last month, it took no action against Prof. Wendell Furry, indicted for contempt of Congress.

If would be difficult to draw any definite conclusions from Pres. Nathan Pusey's statement at Harvard, but, if anything, he indicated respect for Professor Furry's personal rights. President Pusey certainly showed no signs of disapproval for Furry's action; he appears content to withhold further comment or action until the professor is tried by a recognized court.

We regret that we cannot bestow this 1954 award upon Cornell University. It surely had the opportunity to blaze a path for Harvard and others to follow. Instead, Harvard took the initiative as it has done so often in recent years.

This University's opportunity arose when D. Marcus Singer was similarly indicted for contempt. But, rather than break new ground in the realm of academic freedom, the University followed a pattern set in all but the extremely narrow-minded universities of the nation and relieved Dr. Singer of his teaching duties.

The picture would not look so bleak here were there not the striking similarities between the case of Professor Furry and the case of Dr. Singer. If anything, the formers testimony is more unpopular since he admitted previous membership in the Communist Party. . .

Both men testified freely about their own activities; both refused to name now-innocent associates in former groups. Dr. Singer may have made two errors in his testimony: He took refuge in the Fifth Amendment after, earlier, admitting that he had considered himself a communist although not holding a party card.

We congratulate President Pusey and Harvard for their courageous stand. Our only regret is that the prize cannot be presented in Ithaca to Cornell University and President Deane W. Malott. --The Cornell Dally Sun, Jan. 4