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'Radical' Students Face Pressures on Campus

Copyright 1949 by the Editors of THE HARVARD CRIMSON

Before he left, Quinn also remarked that "faculty meetings should be open to the press so that the newspapers may report accurately and fully what goes on here."

After the councilman had retired, the faculty took its vote. It was 55 to 42 to uphold the student council and end the A.Y.D. Klapper commented: "The A.Y.D. has been put off the campus and we intend to keep it off. The faculty has done the right thing in banning this organization."

The Long Island Star-Journal, which had repeatedly attacked the Youth for Democracy. Commented editorially that while "Quinn's sentiments against the A.Y.D. are those of the people of Queens, newspapermen outside the meeting felt that some of the 42 votes for the A.Y.D. were, in truth, votes against Quinn and his conduct, which the professors regarded as a threat to academic freedom."

Nevertheless, the faculty decision was applauded by the Star-Journal. "Communism and its propagandists have no place in such an institution," said the editorial, concluding that "President Paul Klapper has made if clear that he will continue to stand guard against possible invasion of the campus by the reds."

The 42 dissenting teachers on the Queens faculty were soon the object of much attention. On May 3, James A. Roe and Frank Kenna, respectively the local Democratic and Republican leaders, asked an investigation of the faculty.

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Congressman J. Parnell Thomas told the New York Board of Higher Education that if it didn't conduct an inquiry into Queens College, his un-American Activities Committee would. He had been asked by Congressman Henry J. Latham to investigate the college.

On May 6. Latham also asked the Board of Higher Education to take action. At the same time. City Councilman L. Gary Clemente announced that he would seek $100,000 to investigate "subversive activities" among city employees including teachers.

Resistance to this movement quickly took shape. President Klapper refused to reveal the names of the 42 teachers. Students and faculty members signed protests against the men who had demanded a Queens inquiry.

The episode had its effect on Queens. Harold Lenz dean of students, declared that there was "a state of hysteria" on the campus, and that some outsiders had begun to clamor for the banning of two more student groups, the Young Progressive Citizens of America and the Students for Democratic Action.

The storm blew over for the time being. In October, however, it sprang up again. Henry E. Schultz, a Queens member of the Board of Higher Education, proposed an amendment to the Board's by-laws that would bar "subversive" groups from all city college campuses.

Eighteen out of 20 college administrators and faculty representatives testified against it. Lenz, student dean at Queens, opposed the amendment strongly.

"As one who would have to administer it," he said, "I must state unequivocally that this amendment will be of no use to me. It offers an opportunity for unscrupulous use. I could almost use it to disenfranchise any group I wanted. The lack of definition as to what is subversive makes this amendment dangerous."

For his statement, Lenz was harshly attacked. A news story in the Long Island Star-Journal, bearing the headline, "DEAN DEFENDS CAMPUS REDS," led off with: "Harold Lenz of Flushing, dean of students at Queens College, came to the aid of campus Communists and their stooges at a day-long hearing before the Board of Education yesterday ..."

Roe versus Lenz

James Roe, the Democratic leader who had requested Lenz's resignation back in May, asked for it again. Roe said that Lenz should resign "immediately because his action (in opposing the Schultz amendment) has proved him to be utterly unfit to serve as dean at Queens College any longer."

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