17 FEBRUARY 1967, Page 13

The Threat to Independence

EA2 n.E DIME

From: Harry Broadbent, John Peel, MP, James Reedy, Mrs Charles Davy, Jamshed Vakeel, J. C. Maxwell, John R. Walton, Mrs Stephanie West, A. 0. Speirs.

Sia,—One would share Malcolm Bradbury's concern for the independence of our universities (February 10) had not those freedom-loving institutions a long history of oppressing cultural underdogs, for example —Jews, Roman Catholics, Protestants, technologists, women, married men.

Can it be that `academic freedom' means 'ivory tower'? Can it be that 'state interference' means `pro- tection and promotion of innovation'? Yes. Yes. IIARRY BROADBENT 11 Goodwin Drive, Maidstone, Kent