Student Union Presses Censure Of Soviet Acts Despite Defeat

Because his resolution condemning Russia's "aggression" in Finland was defeated by the American Student Union at its annual convention in Madison, Wisconsin, last week, Alan Gottlieb '41, President of the Harvard Student Union, will work for a general referendum on the question, he said yesterday.

Gottlieb offered the resolution as an amendment to the statement of principles which he convention adopted, containing no mention of the Russian-Finnish conflict although it condemned Germany, the Allies, and Japan. He was acting on instructions from the local chapter, which passed a motion censuring Russia after a hot debate last month.

Noting that the Harvard delegation was one of the few that had specific instructions on policy from its local, he said: "I am not questioning the resentativeness of the convention, but the referendum would ask for an objective decision on Soviet Policy."

Backs General Program

A "national liberal caucus" was formed within the A. S. U. with Gottlieb at its head, "to coordinate the activities of liberals, and, specifically, to carry on the fight for the referendum."

The Harvard amendment, defeated 322-49, was as follows: "While the American Student Union has no sympathy for the Russian attack on Finland and specifically condemns it as a clear act of aggression, nevertheless it does not want to see out neutrality prejudiced by those acts we consider to be unneutral."

"Despite the complete rejection of my amendment to the peace resolution," Gottlieb said in an interview yesterday, "I feel that the positive program passed by the American Student Union is something we can wholeheartedly support.

"Recognizing the importance of the coming year to liberals, it was important to pass a program all could agree on. We still have perfectly independent action on those controversial issues not included in the national program."

Reasons for Defeat

He remarked that the two main reasons that the right or wrong of Rus sia's action was not included in the A. S. U.'s platform were 1) fear that a statement raising a moral issue over the Finnish war would be used by those seeking to involve the United States, and 2) taking a stand where there was so much disagreement would tend to split the Union.

In its resolution the A. S. U. came out for measures to protect American neutrality and to extend progressive legislation and protect civil liberties. On the civil liberties portion. Gottlieb said, there was almost no disagreement, but an attack on the Roosevelt administration for abandoning its broad social aims was proposed bitterly fought, and finally defeated.

About half of the 370 delegates came from New York City, which is proportional to its membership.

In regard to the referendum Gottlieb stated that he had already been offered $300 to help with the expense of the referendum. Ten per cent of the chapters or ten per cent of the membership of 7,000 must sign the petition asking for a referendum if it is to be carried out.

Gottlieb and Arthur S. Kiney '41 were the Harvard members elected to the National Executive Committee of the A. S. U. The committee has 50 members