DARWIN'S THEORY

Press, Volume LXI, Issue 18429, 9 July 1925, Page 11

DARWIN'S THEORY

TO BE TESTED IN COURTS. NATIONAL ISSIE FOR V.S.A. (Br cable—r.niss as*ocutiox—coptsjost) (AUSTRALIAN- AND X.S CABLE 4S3OCUTICS j (Received July Sth. 5.-" p.m.} NEW YORK. July 7. A message from Dayton (Tennessee) states that the COOO population of this rural town is expected to be augmented fivefold temporarily during the tria?. beginning on July 10th. of John Scope-, a young teacher of biology, mho will be charged that he tanght the Darwinian theory of evolution in violation of the recent Tennessee Statute forbidding instruction on matters roatrary to tho letter of the Bible en the of creation. Scopes voluntarily submitted himself to arrest for the purpose of testing invalidity of the Statute, which, he alleges, violates the Fourteenth Amendment, of the Constitution forbidding the abridgement of pri\ iiegea and immunities or the deprivation of the liberty or of the property of a citkea of tie Vnited States by individual States. An imposing array of counsel, including Mr Clarence Darrow. of Chieagv, who defended Leopold and Loeb, and Mr BainLiidge, Secretary of State ia tho late President Wilson's Cabinet. has been briefed. Jt is contended for the defence that it is impossible for Scopes to exclude evolution in teaching biology, and tho prohibition of such imperils his livelihood. A number of eminent scientists; nro expected to testify to the truth of the theory.

The prosecution is headed by Mr William Jennings Bryan, in conjunction with prominent churchmen, who are working fur legislation against the theorv in :ill States.