Cadden Rejects Communist Label; Tunney Blasts Youth Conference

Answering the charges hurled at him and at the National Conference for Democracy in Education, Joseph Cadden, executive secretary of the American Youth Congress, denied that he has any connection with the Communistic Party, and that the conference is in any way sponsored by "Reds." The attacks came from two sides: the National Foundation of American Youth, and F. Stephen McArthur, a student at the John Marshall College in Jersey City.

The conference, to be held here over the week-end, was initiated by the A. Y. C. Over 600 delegates from college organizations are expected to discuss abridgements of student and academic freedom.

Tunney Group Charges "Red" Tie-Up

The National Foundation, led by Gene Tunney, said yesterday that the meeting is a "new and subtle attempt of the Junior Fifth Column in America to re-establish its influence among students." Murray Plavner, general director of the National Foundation, claimed that the delegates will be hand-picked by the A. Y. C., and accused several youth leaders, including Jack McMichael chairman of the A. Y. C., and Cadden, of being dictated to by Moscow.

McArthur said that he would call for a definition of policy from the convention, and an affirmation of their beliefs in American ideals, "in anticipation that the majority of the delegates will be under the control of the Communist party."

Edward Ames '42, president of the H. L. U., when asked to comment last night, attacked Plavner. "Murray Plavner, Gene Tunney, and their National Foundation for Youth," he said, "spend their time attacking the Youth Congress. I, too, have often criticized the Youth Congress, and I have done it to their faces, not only to the press. Furthermore, I have always put forward an alternative program, which I believe is better than their's, while Plavner has done nothing but call names and criticize."

Cracking back at the accusations made against him personally Cadden said "They are untrue in their entirety. I never wrote for a Communist paper, as the National Foundation said, and I was never executive secretary of the A. S. U." When asked about the reference to his membership in the defunct "League for Peace and Democracy," he answered "I don't know what that is--I never heard of it." He also denied any "Red" tinge in the A. Y. C.

Both Cadden and G. Robert Stange '41, Harvard sponsor for the conference, said that the actions of the delegates would belie the attacks made on it, calling it un-American and subversive. Stange said that, in his opinion, the delegates will all be sincere in the desire to serve Democracy, and especially, Democracy in Education.

Stange also denied Moscow influences in the conference, and any direct connection with the A. Y. C. He claimed that none of the persons listed by Plavner as "Reds," are Communists.

Cadden Blasts Tunney Group

Cadden referred to the Tunney group by saying that "it has a beautiful office in Radio City, but is in no way representative of youth, and never has had any support from them. As for McArthur, I think the students will prove themselves Americans without any help from Mayor Hague."

Both he and Stange denied the accusation of hand-picked delegates, "since we are a non-membership organization. Any way, it would be impossible for us, or anyone else to stuff the conference, since any group that wants to can send delegates.