Anti-Red Legislation Would Jeopardize Liberty--Mather

Strong denunciation of the new House Un-American Activities Committee "Anti-Communist" Bill came yesterday from Kirtley F. Mather, professor of Geology, and chairman of the Massachusetts Civil Liberties Union.

Lashing out at the bill, introduced into Congress last week, Professor Mather's statement for the Union characterizes it as "an extraordinary departure from American law, which would endanger the liberties of loyal Americans."

The bill calls for registration of all Communist party officials in a move to exclude them from government jobs and deny them passports to travel abroad.

"Registration and restriction of rights are a form of repression based solely on political opinions and associations," the statement asserted. The proposed measure would force "the effective blacklisting of thousands of citizens who may have been innocently enlisted in what appears to be a good cause."

Mather also attacked the "high-handed procedure of the Committee in failing to hold public hearings on the bill in an effort to railroad it through Congress."