Student Defense League Merges With Militant Aid Committee

In a totally unexpected move, the American Student Defense League last night merged with the Committee for Militant Aid to Britain after dissolving itself as an individual, independent organization. The combined societies will have for their new motto that "the United States extend to the enemies of totalitarianism, especially the British Commonwealth of Nations, all the aid which may be necessary to insure the defeat of the totalitarian states."

American Student Defense League, Harvard Chapter, remains the name of the group, but "militant aid for Britain" will now be emphasized as the focal point of the new policy. The new organization will continue to cooperate with the Student Defenders of Democracy.

Fisher Made President

Roger T. Fisher, Jr. '43 was elected president of the Chapter to hold office until the April elections for next year. The executive committees of the former groups were merged into a new, single executive group.

According to members of the Defense League, full cooperation with the Harvard Liberal Union will be sought. A few members, however, believe that friction will certainly arise over one of the main platforms in H.L.U. foreign policy, which says, "We oppose entry into the present war now in the belief that we can best serve the cause of a stable peace by vigorous economic aid to embattled democracies, and by strengthening our national defenses with the cooperation of all groups.''

Form Credo

The credo of the new organization is: "We do not minimize the serious and far-reaching implications of direct military action for the economy and institutions of the United States. But we believe that a totalitarian victory would constitute a more serious threat to the economic, political, and moral aspects of the American way of life than a war to prevent such a victory.

"Praying that the bill of costs may be as low as possible, we urge the United States to extend to the enemies of totalitarianism, especially the British Commonwealth of Nations, all the aid which may be necessary to insure the defeat of the totalitarian states."