Freedom and Progress.

The recent publication of Mr. de la Mare's excellent pamphlet enables us to view the problem of Academic freedom in an atmosphere uncharged with the explosives of violent controversy, and to see more clearly the hypocrisy that claims to support it while enacting repressive legislation.

And in reviewing this question we must first admit that there can be no natural or innate right to freedom of speech, just as there can be no natural or absolute right to private property or to anything else. The whole matter is one of expediency. The time is undoubtedly coming when these "rights" that block every turn in the present social organisation will recede into the background. In the social arena to-day are opposed two forces, one of which affirms the absolute rights of property, and the other—almost as dogmatic and tolerant though no less inhuman—champions the absolute marks each as a transitory phenomenon that will pass with rights of labour. The prominence of the conception of rights the passing of our economic era.

There is no innate right to Academic freedom, but the cause can be easily defended on grounds of expediency. And the position is very similar to that created by the recent British extension of armaments. For the first few months during which Britian's armaments are extended more rapidly there may be greater relative security, but the further we look into the future the greater the insecurity caused by this move. we see the insidious race started that will not only wipe out the advantage of a relatively greater force but will also increase insecurity through the added temptation to use this carefully extended weapon. So, too, with Dictatorship. If we consider but the day or the month in which we are living. then it is probable that government by a dictator will be more efficient, but if we look to future development then the iron bands of dictatorial repression are seen as a brutal curb.

So our support of Academic freedom will depend on the extent by which we can raise our ideal from the humdrum stability of the moment to the future progress of Society and the development of more just forms of organisation. It depends, too, on whether we can raise our patriotism from a narrow adherence to national interests, to the wider sympathy of world co-operation. The more we believe in the advance of a dynami: Society, the firmer and more vigorous will be our support of Academic freedom.

Change must come, and the more general the understanding of the new philosophy, the less the possibility of violence and the more beneficial the change will be. This is the justification of Academic freedom.