Universities Decline Invite To Prague

Chronicle (Levin), 1 April 1948, Page 5

Universities Decline Invite To Prague

LOXDOX, Man-li .°,1. As n result of tlie reeont political flcelojiuKMits in Uzeehoslovakia, tlie. Universities of Oxfortl aiul (,'anilnidjge dei-ideii not to aceept iiivitations to senfl re]»reseiit atives to tlie (iOOtli atini\eisury celehrations of Prague t'niversity wliieli coni inenee 011 April 4. AililresMiig iUi iiiteriiational students' conl ereiu-e at Oxford during Easter, Oi'. W. T. S.aHyiiruss, Yiee-Chaurelior of O-.ford. said: "This University gcts upproxi niatelv t w o-thirds oti it.s annual re enue fi'om tlie Uovormnent but it th.; (lo\ criinient attempted to tell us what lu teac.li pr ;,vko was tu teadq L • hope w e should fling their niouev baal, in tiieir faees. It is hecanse tlirs is-. so essentiail v part of our eom-eption of a ' l.'niversii v. tioit we-l'elt, in spite oi our close and iniiniate ties with Prague L'niversily, w e eould uot send opr reiueseniat'n es Ihere when tlie new OiS'U'h (io\ eriuuont had ejected the. reetor and niatiy of tlie professors for po.il ica! reas is. itwiss, (rernexn a d Duteli universities liave also re jsed iiivitations to atteml the Pni >'ue i-elehrations. A munber of otherr, iiududing Aineriean I'nive.rsities ar: reported to be reconsidering their a coptanees which were sent to Prague I efore the rerent political eou[>. .On the otlier liaud, the Helgian 'Universities intend sending delegations. Professor Boliuiuil Byd/.ovsky wlio lias replaeed Professor Karel Knglish as rector of Prague University, e.xliressing regret tliat a nuinber of for- ^ eigu universities had refused the invi-x tatious to the unniversarv celebrations and also tliat a nuiuber of distinguished foreigners had refused to aceept honorarv degrees, insisted tliat ihe i eceiil changes in professorial appoinl1 .ents at the University had becn made in response to a popular denianil by the inajority of students. He claiyied tliat Professor 1-higlish nad resignetFhis posl as rector and that he would be reappoiuted to aiiother jiosition on tlie University stalf if ho desired to return.