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TACTIC AGAINST VIETNAM WAR SPREADS ON AMERICAN CAMPUSES ©
By Evelyn Sell
President Johnson's escalation of the war in South Vietnam has produced an escalation in American protests against his actions. Large advertisements have appeared in the New York Times signed by thousands of religious leaders, scientists and university professors. Protest marches have been organized by peace groups and students. Letters sent to U.S. congressmen have been overwhelmingly opposed to the American intervention. Public opinion polls indicate widespread opposition. On March 16 a Detroit resident, 82-year-old Mrs, Alice Hertz, set herself on fire in order "to “protest the arms race all over the world."" Mrs. Hertz, a refugee from Hitler's Germany, ~ stated in a note that she chose this means to "call attention to the problems of South Vietnam". by "choosing the illuminating death of — a Buddhist." Mrs, Hertz died of her burns on March 27,
The protests from the academic community have been particu-larly significant. The U.S.State Department needs professors as — resource people in terms of research and in terms of presenting a> fagade of intellectual support for America's imperialist policies, It was a team from Michigan State University, please note, that first set up the administrative and police organizations for Diemts regime. The U.S.State Department, also, needs young, idealistic students to staff its phony Peace Corps in an attempt to win over uncommitted nations. The American militarists need students, too -as essential raw material for their war machine. The growing gulf between the Johnson administration and the academic community, therefore, indicates a possible crisis situation for the capitalist rulers of this country.
Michigan has been a pacesetter in this university movement to force changes in governmental foreign policies. The nation's first "teach-in" was held at the University of Michigan starting at eight pem. on March 24 and concluding twelve hours later at eight a.m. on March 25. The teach-in was. organized by the "Faculty Committee to End the War in Vietnam."' This committee has since been renamed the "Faculty and Student Committee to End the War in Vietnam" -- an indication of the wonderfully inspiring solidarity: which was evi- — denced during the teach-in, Over 3,000 students participated ina series of meetings, seminar discussions, outdoor rallies and corridor discussions, The original group of twenty faculty sponsors swelled to 216, Messages of support were received from Stanford, Yale, Syracuse and the universities of Colorado, Illinois, Wisconsin, and Chicago. (Columbia University held a similar teach-in the following night and Michigan State University held one April 8.)
Outstanding educators in the field of anthropology, philosophy, sociology, history and political science participated by:giving talks and leading student discussions. A State Supreme Court
justice spoke at the outdoor midnight rally. Robert S. Browne, currently teaching economics at Fairleigh Dickinson University, spoke * 2 about past and present U.S. policies from .the viewpoint of a man who spent six years working in the United States economi¢e aid program in -. Southeast Asia. All of the speakers were critical of American .policies and many called for.an immediaté withdrawal of-American troops and the creation of an independent South Vietnam which would be free be choose whatever government its: peopis. desired. .
The students received an ‘intensive political education during these twelve hours -= and learned more. truth during the allenight session than they learned in years of classroom lectures. Many times the comment was heard, "I never-knew before what our government was doing!" Questions about present policies inevitably brought up discussions about. past and future actions. Disillusionment with Americats: involvement in-Asia led inevitably to questions about Americats involvement.in: other parts.of the world, Americats revolutionary past was compared with its counterrevolutionary present. One professor warned, "McCarthyism and other ye borogations of civil liberties always: come during: ‘periods: of war.
I attended the: teach-in and walked into room after room after room, jam-packed with eager questioning students engaged in hours of serious political discussion, All viewpoints were. considered very carefully; there was:-no attempt: to automatically turn a deaf ear to socialist or radical ideas. The only persons to raise a hue and cry about "communism" and "traitors" were some thirty right-wingers who attempted to break up the teach-in with bomb threats and a counterdemonstration -= both of which failed miserably to halt the outpouring of sentiments against the administration's actions in Vietnam, A right-wing attempt to disrupt the outdoor midnight rally was quickly halted by a Spontaneously organized defense squad.
A highlight of the all-night protest was the statement of a= student, Kyle Edward Mock, delivered at the midnight rally and distributed among the participants. Mock stated:
"I cannot, in all good conscience, continue to wear the uni-~ form of the Army ROTC [Reserve Officers Training Corps] contingent at the University of Michigan. At one time, apparently, the uniform represented duty, honor, and country. This is obviously no longer the case,..There is no honor in’standing a six-year-old girl before a firing squad and threatening to shoot her if her mother failed to -provide certain information about the vc [Viet Cong].
"Our soldiers are not in the Vietnamese jungles for the United States of America. Originally they were there for a petty, totalitarian dictator, Diem. Now they are there for the militarists who run South Vietnam, : 1
"This is what duty, honor, and country have come to mean, And this is why, under present conditions, I cannot wear the uniform
of the Armed Forces of tho United States."
Mock concluded with a-call to his. fellow students to seriously consider what serving in the U.S.Armed Forces means today; he urged others to follow his course of action. This kind of.student sentiment is social dynamite for America's capitalist rulers.
The concluding meeting of the University of Michigan teach-in unanimously decided to continue protesting the war in Vietnam, Plans for establishing a continuing link with other universities were announced. Students were urged to join the April 17 March on Washington sponsored by the Students for a Democratic Society; over 100 students signed up for the march. ; ' This was only one part of the pressure which forced Johnson to make his April 7 speech hinting at negotiations and offering a billion-dollar bribe to placate world opinion. Some congressmen who were beginning to criticize administration policy in Asia quickly backed off. Democratic Senators McGovern and Church, who had been calling for negotiations, canceled speeches they were to deliver, But the university faculty members and students have not - canceled their protests or their pressure. Plans are underway to hold a national teach-in during May. About 10,000 students are expected in Washington April 17 to demonstrate against the war in Vietnam, Rallies continue to be held on campuses across the country. .
The movement of the professors and students has shown a great deal of vitality and strength. The University of Michigan teach-in pointed out some obvious lessons that had to be learned and were learned in the process of organizing and carrying through a success-~ ful protest. For example, the faculty at first attempted to by-pass the students and hold their own demonstration. A change in tactics brought the faculty and students together in a very impressive manner and increased the power of the protest movement. No provisions were made for right-wing disrupters so that on-the-spot defense was made necessary. This lack of preparation will become much more serious as the countermoves of the administration and reactionary bands increase in intensity. So far, the antiwar demonstrations: have been faced with only minor harassments; important tests of strength and perseverance are yet to come, These tests will harden and educate the ranks of the antiwar movement; despite their vague. notions at this point, participants in the antiwar movement will be forced to clarify and sharpen and extend their political understanding.
The academic community (like other sectors of society) may need a great deal of force to be set into motion -- but once it gets rolling..ewar hawks, look out!
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