Nation-wide Rallies to Fight Intolerance Planned on Lincoln’s Birthday

Plans were under way today for a series of public meetings in metropolitan and college communities throughout the country on Lincoln’s birthday, sponsored by a committee of 28 prominent scientists, to rally support for democracy, free science and culture, and against racial, religious and other discrimination. The plans were announced yesterday by Prof. Franz Boas, chairman of the Lincoln’s Birthday Committee for Democracy and Intellectual Freedom, at a luncheon of scientists and educators held at the Columbia University Faculty Club under the auspices of the New York section of the committee.

The “master meeting,” to be held on the afternoon of Feb. 12 in the Waldorf Astoria Hotel here, will feature an address by Secretary of Agriculture Henry A. Wallace on “Racial Theories and the Genetic Basis of Democracy,” which will be broadcast on a coast-to-coast network. Cities where other meetings will be held are Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Washington, Albany and others. Rallies will also be held on many college campuses.

Four questions will be discussed at the meetings and will also be submitted to 40 outstanding leaders of government, science, education and religion, from which a concrete course of action is expected to emerge. The questions are: “(1) How can the scientist insure freedom of research and social useful application of the fruits of his research? (2) How can scientists and educators best help to combat racial, religious and other forms of discrimination which violate the letter or spirit of the Declaration of Independence and the Bill of Rights? (3) How can the schools best meet the obligations which rest upon them as fortresses of democracy? (4) How can the Government most effectively assist the expansion of science and culture?”