Rutgers Backs Firings; Cites Chafee, Sutherland

Trying to quell growing resentment against the firing of two professors who refused to answer accusations posed by the McCarran Committee, Rutgers University recently distributed copies of the Chafee-Sutherland dictum on the legal duty of citizens to testify before judicial or legislative bodies, the CRIMSON learned yesterday.

Arthur E. Sutherland, professor of Law, last night insisted that he and Chafee had not designed their argument to advocate such dismissals.

Zechariah Chafee, Jr., University Professor, has left for Europe and is thus unavailable for comment.

Copies of the Chafee-Sutherland statement have been widely circulated to the faculty and students of Rutgers. A majority of the faculty are on record as backing the dismissed professors.

President Makes Denial

President Lewis W. Jones of Rutgers denies that there has been any travesty of academic freedom. "The sole issue," he said, "was whether a university teacher had an obligation to answer questions of a legally constituted investigatory body concerning membership in the communist party."

Sutherland last night refused to comment specifically on the Rutgers firing case but indicated it was somewhat unfortunate that the statement was used to help justify dismissal.