Maech 20, 1914] 



SCIENCE 



425 



with the university administration on the ques- 

 tion of academic freedom, which I regard as 

 fundamental ; and I therefore tender my resig- 

 nation as professor of law, to become effective 

 at the end of the present academic year, that 

 is to say, in June, 1914. 



When I joined the faculty here a year ago 

 last September, it never occurred to me that 

 restraints would be imposed upon my freedom 

 of action in public affairs. Indeed, it was rep- 

 resented that public life presented an attrac- 

 tive avenue to the professor in North Dakota. 



Last year I made several speeches during the 

 presidential campaign and induced two of my 

 colleagues to do likewise. After the election, 

 much to my surprise and chagrin, you objected 

 to what we had done. In the interview that 

 you granted my associates and myself, you 

 first took the position that members of the 

 faculty must not take part in national and 

 state politics, although they might participate 

 in municipal politics. I suggested that my 

 resignation was ready, if you spoke advisedly. 

 Tou asked me not to resign. The interview 

 was terminated with the understanding that 

 you personally were opposed to professors hav- 

 ing anything to do with politics, except muni- 

 cipal, but left it to each man to determine his 

 own course. 



In October of the present year, at the re- 

 quest of the local leaders, I attended a state- 

 wide Progressive conference at Fargo. The 

 gathering was informal, not open to the 

 public, and for purpose of organization. A 

 few days after the meeting, I was advised by 

 the dean of the law school that you had told 

 him that Judge Young, one of the university 

 trustees, had objected to my participation in 

 the conference, taking the position that mem- 

 bers of the faculty must keep out of politics, 

 on penalty of dismissal. I was further in- 

 formed that his position represented the policy 

 of the administration and this has since been 

 confirmed. 



It scarcely is necessary for me to observe 

 that I regard such a policy unjust to the 

 faculty and the institution; and I am satisfied 

 that a professor could not legally be removed 

 for exercising the prerogative of citizenship. 



Under the circumstances, if I were to remain 

 here, I should be compelled either to engage in 

 an unseemly and distasteful wrangle with the 

 administration or to sacrifice the rights and be 

 recreant to the duties of citizenship. Neither 

 course coramends itself to me. 



In my humble judgment, it will be a sorry 

 day for American education, if the policy of 

 suppression adopted here ever becomes general. 

 One can not, it seems to me, reach his full 

 development, either as a teacher, a citizen or a 

 man, unless he retains normal relations with 

 life. Without this a university professor, no 

 matter how strong his intellect or profound his 

 learning, must become — like the image of 

 Nebuchadnezzar — possessed of a gold head, but 

 feet of clay. 



As a last word, may I say that my disposi- 

 tion toward you personally is cordial, and I do 

 not hold you responsible for the policy with 

 which I take issue so squarely. I respect your 

 scholarship and your talent as an adminis- 

 trator, and trust that our relations may 

 remain friendly. All of which is respectfully 

 submitted. Sincerely yours, 



Joseph L. Lewinsohn 



My dear Professor Lewinsohn: I have your 

 letter in which you indicate your intention of 

 resigning at the end of the year. I shall pre- 

 sent the resignation to the board of trustees at 

 their next meeting for their action. I respect 

 your point of view, though I do not agree with 

 it, and wish you to understand that there is 

 no personal feeling in the matter, so far as I 

 am concerned, and that our relations will re- 

 main cordial. 



I wish, however, to say that in my opinion 

 you are wrong. We have been insisting for 

 some time the judges of the court shall remain 

 out of politics and have put them upon non- 

 partisan tickets, and it is no longer good form 

 for a judge to take the stump in a political 

 election. To my mind, a professor in a state 

 university occupies much the same position, 

 with even more emphasis upon the necessity of 

 his remaining in a judicial position than in 

 the case of a judge of the state court. I do 

 not want my boy taught political economy, for 

 instance, with a Democratic or Republican 



