THE WANDERING SCHOLARS

Evening Star, Issue 21748, 16 June 1934, Page 3

THE WANDERING SCHOLARS

EXILES IN BRITISH SANCTUARY

[By Lord Uutheiuoud, in ‘The Times.’] In the conviction that the universities form a kingdom of their own, whose intellectual autonomy must be preserved, my distinguished colleagues formed the Academic Assistance Council one year ago, and the Royal Society provided accommodation for the council’s offices. The occasion was the displacement of our fellow-scientists and scholars from their university positions in Germany; but the problem with which the council is faced is wider and deeper than that presented by the need for assisting these German teachers. Its ambition is to defend the principle of academic freedom, and to help those scholars and scientists of any nationality who on grounds of religion, race, or political opinion are prevented from continuing their work in their own country.

The series of political revolutions in ■Europe since the Great War has created a largo body of wandering scholars; many. For instance, among the Russian or Italian emigres have unfortunately through the absence of organised assistance by their university colleagues lost the means of continuing their scientific careers. But thero are many whose talent and experience could still be effectively used, and thir number has been tragically swollen during the past year by the expulsion from academic positions in Germany of persons possessing pacifist or internationalist convictions or lacking that strangest of qualifications for the life of scholarship, “ Aryan ’’ genealogies. To incorporate the services of these wandering scholars in the other universities of the civilised world is more difficult to-day than in the Middle Ages when the, “ communities of learners ” were less hampered by administrative formalities, restrictive endowments, and incipient nationalist tendencies. Medieval scholars could migrate to other districts and the “ nniversitas ” moved with them : the same catholicity of spirit has been fortified by the present cTisis in both our ancient and our modern universities.

RESEARCH GUESTS. The universities of Great Britain have responded generously to the council’s suggestion of inviting the displaced scholars to work as research guests; hospitality has thus been extended in this country to J7B of our university colleagues. Tip? multicellular London University has received sixty-seven; Cambridge University has not only given hospitality to thirty-one, but its individual colleges have contributed over £I,OOO to the council's funds; Oxford University has welcomed seventeen guests; Manchester University has invited sixteen, and by local efforts raised a special fund for their support. Almost all other universities and university colleges in Great Britain have opened their common rooms, libraries, and laboratories to temporary research guests, and several have raised local assistance funds. The British University teachers have contributed liberally to the Academic Assistance Council, and the sta... at the London School of Economics have taxed themselves voluntarily of a percentage of their salaries for three years. In spite of this encouraging support from the universities, the council’s work has been seriously hampered by lack of funds. The council has received slightly more than £13,000 during its first year, including a grant of £2,500 from the central British fund for German Jewry. Almost all that sum has now been expended in maintenance grants to displaced scholars within Great Britain or the British Empire, at the rate of £lB2 per annum for a single person and £250 for married persons. The council is therefore not able to give assistance to many distinguished university teachers who are now faced with destitution and the abandonment of their scientific careers, and, what is more serious, it will not be able to renew its research grants for a second year to the scholars in England, and will then have to aban-. don them in a world where even the opportunities of temporary refuge are contracting. Only if it uses funds not otherwise available, for the British universities can the council avoid injuring the economic interests of the university teachers of this country, or weakening that great body of sympathy in the colleges which is the inspiration of its activity and the condition of is success. Although prevented by lack of financial resources from doing as effective work as it could, the council has been able to assist the continuation of research work of great importance. In the annual report of the council, issued to-day, records of the work of the scholars and scientists in this country show they have made several notable discoveries even during the short period of their residence as guests. GROUP SCHEMES. The council has received gratifying reports of the excellent results of this collaboration between English and German colleagues both m scientific and literary subjects, and also in the arts, indeed, the opportunity of productively organising group schemes of research both in the natural sciences and in tin? social sciences (.for instance, in comparative law) with the services of distinguished German scholars is one that only lack of funds has hindered ‘the council from using. Temporary subsidies lor maintenance and research, however, form only the emergency policy of the council. Temporary fellowships are useful in saving the scholars from scientific sterility, in giving them the opportunity of strengthening their qualifications by further publication and the acquisition of new languages, and in giving them the active co-operation of their colleagues in discovering permanent positions; but they are justified only in so far as they assist to self-support-ing existence once more.

The council, in co-operation with other committees and organisations;, is conducting a world-wide survey to discover openings in which the services of our colleagues can be used again. The reorganisation of the University of Istanbul, which has provided posts for more than thirty, tlie formation of the “ University in Exile ” in New York, ami the projects for the reorganisation, expansion, or creation of university institutions in .Russia, Persia, and Brazil show that group settlement is possible; but the bigger part of the permanent solution depends on the individual placement of persons in appropriate situations without injuring the professional or economic interests of other university teachers, research workers, or graduates. The council is in active communication with correspondents, and investigators in various parts of the British Empire. Russia, China, Japan, South America, and other countries, and has received many invitations which will lead to the permanent absorption of several scholars and scientists. Jt believes that as the academic distinction and scientific qualifications of the wandering scholars become known, the problem will solve itself. The great need is to maintain our colleagues for the, next two years in research positions i

which will allow them to preserve their scientific equipment while this process of diffusion and absorption takes place. The council is grappling with an intricate problem. In, Germany 1.202 university teachers have been displaced; so far only 389 are known to have found even temporary places elsewhere, and of these 178 have found academic refuge in this country. The council is not merely a relief organisation striving to save the scientists displaced by political revolutions, for, in the middle of one of the greatest crises in the history of the universities it is determined to preserve a respect for the basic traditions of academic freedom, the security of learning. and the integrity of science. The council feels that it has made a' successful start in its work, and is deeply encouraged by the magnificent response from the British universities. It is convinced that it will receive from a wider public than the academic the sympathy and financial support without which its achievements will be frustrated, but with which the international authority of science will be demonstrated. the British nation will have proved its loyalty to its proud heritage of toleration, and academic freedom will have been strengthened against the perils which beset it in so many parts of the world.