THEORY OF EVOLUTION

Otago Daily Times, Issue 19527, 9 July 1925, Page 9

THEORY OF EVOLUTION

AMERICAN HERESY HUNT. PROFESSOR ON TRIAL. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. NEW YORK, July 7. (Received July 8, at 8 p.m.) A message from Dayton (Tennessee) states that the population of 2000 of. this rural town is expected to bo augmented fivefold temporarily during the trial, which begins on July 10, of Professor John h. Scopes, a young- teacher of biology, who will be charged that he taught the Darwinian theory of evolution in violation of the recent Tennessee Statute forbidding instruction on matters contrary to the letter of the Bible on the subject of tiie creation. Professor Scopes voluntarily submitted himself to arrest for tho purpose of testing tho validity of the Statute, which, ho alleges, violates the Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution, forbidding the abridgement of privileges and immunities or the deprivation of the liberty or property of a citizen of the United States by individual States. An imposing array of counsel, including Mr Clarence Darrow, of Chicago, who defended Leopold and Locb, and Air Bainbridgo (Secretary of State in President Wilson’s Cabinet} contend that it is impossible for Professor Scopes to exclude evolution in teaching biology and that tho prohibition of such a course imperils his livelihood. A number of eminent scientists are expected to testify to tho truth of the theory. The prosecution is headed by Mr William Jennings Bryan in Conjunction with prominent churchmen, who arc working for legislation against the theory in all the States.—A. and N.Z. Gable.

A full account of the happenings which led up to this trial appeared in oux issue of Monday last.