W.E.A. AND COMMUNISM

Evening Star, Issue 23553, 17 April 1940, Page 3

W.E.A. AND COMMUNISM

ALLEGATION DENIED MR W. J. MORRELL EXPLAINS At the meeting of the Council of the University of Otago yesterday afternoon the chancellor (Mr W. J. Morrell) presented a report on the meeting organised by the Returned Soldiers’ Association, which he had attended by invitation, and at which was discussed certain information collected by that association concerning Communist activities. Mr Morrell’s report set out in full his refutation of the charge, or the suggestion, that subversive teaching was indulged in at the university. In regard to the Workers’ Educational Association, the Chancellor said that, as no representative of that body had been invited to attend the meeting, h®» as vice-president, had included in his remarks reference to the charges made against it, charges which were the outcome of ignorance. There was, he had told the meeting, clearly a good deal of misconception as to the nature and activities of the W.E.A. It was simply an organisation for adult education, founded in England some 30 years ago by the joint action of trade unionists, co-operators, and university authorities. Men of the highest eminence had been and were connected with it, and its work had received endorsement from successive Ministers of Education. Locally it had proceeded on similar lines. Its objects were purely educational, and it had no party ends of any kind. He could not, of course, speak from personal knowledge of every lecture given, but could from personal knowledge say that the association was most certainly not a subversive organisation, as had mistakenly been stated. The Hon. F. Jones (Minister of Defence), tjie Ven. Archdeacon Whitehead, and Mr J. T. Paul had been closely connected with its work, and still held office in the association. His (the speaker’s) predecessors. Sir T. K. Sidey and Dr Andrew Cameron, had also held such office, and the names of the late Mr J. G. Stephens and Dr G. E. Thompson, both presidents for long terms, might also have been mentioned. In tibe association’s classes students of varying views were to be found (Mr Morrell had added), and the aim was the partial diffusion of knowledge and search for truth. Free discussion was a feature of the classes, and it was possible that this • had given occasion for some misunderstanding. But having been in close , and frequent touch with successive directors and tutor-organisers he had confidence in their carrying out of the work on the lines stated. The vice-chancellor (Mr L. Deans Ritchie) moved that the chancellor’s report be received, and this was unanimously agreed to.