MacLeish Answers Critic Of Loyalty Oath Position

Archibald MacLeish, Boylston Professor of Rhetoric and Oratory, has defended his opposition to loyalty oaths in the professions in a letter to one of his critics. The critic, Elliott Earl of Malden, attacked MacLeish's position in a letter to the professor and one to the Boston Herald last week which challenged MacLeish to a Memorial Hall debate on "Civil Rights vs. Security."

The Earl letter to MacLeish said "very few people understand why an oath is necessary...and it seems...that you are one of them...I am not again (sic) civil rights, but I do feel that when a too avid pursuit of it imperils our national security, someone should speak up."

Earl cited the pledge of allegiance to the flag, and wondered why people should be "emotionally aroused about what I thought was one of the grandest privileges I ever had..."

Invidious Oath

MacLeish replied that "I feel as you do about the oath (of allegiance)...I think it is when the oath is used in what appears to be an invidious way that my back hair begins to go up...If an oath of the kind you advocate is desirable in the case of certain professions, why not in the case of all citizens..."

Earl replied to MacLeish last night with a letter which stated that "Frankly I do advocate an oath for all citizens," and which suggested a national identity registration similar to that used in Britain during the last war.