Two on Faculty Cancel Talks at Washington U.

Two faculty members have joined with five other Eastern scientists in refusing to appear at a scientific conference at the University of Washington because of the institution's recent ban on J. Robert Oppenheimer.

The two, Konrad E. Bloch, Higgins Professor of Biochemistry, and Bert L. Vallee, associate in Medicine, join Perry G. E. Miller, professor of American Literature, who likewise refused to lecture at the University of Washington two weeks ago.

The refusal by the scientists has forced cancellation of the conference, listed as a "Symposium on the Molecular Basis of Enzyme Action" and scheduled for April 7 and 8. It ordinarily would have drawn more than 200 scientists, Hans Neurath, head of Washington's department of Biology, reported last night.

The seven who were to have led the conference signed a joint round-robin letter protesting Oppenheimer's ban.

"Outside Community of Scholars"

The letter, addressed to Henry Schmitz, president of Washington, said that the institution in refusing to appoint Oppenheimer as a visiting lecturer had "clearly placed the University of Washington outside the community of scholars."

The letter stated: "There can be no question as to Dr. Oppenheimer's scientific competency; his academic attainments are evidenced by his recent reappointment as director of Princeton's Institute for Advanced Study. We can only assume that although Dr. Oppenheimer's tenure of the Walker Ames visiting lectureship would have had nothing to do with security matters, he was not invited because of the events surrounding the withdrawal of his security clearance by the Atomic Energy Commission. . . .

"It is our earnest hope that the University administration through cooperation with the faculty can make arrangements to prevent similar violations of academic freedom in the future and thus restore the University of Washington its rightful and respected position in the academic world."