New England Students Organize Against UMT

Collegiate opposition to Universal Military Training began to crystalize this week as officials of eight local and national collegiate organizations scheduled a strategy meeting for Sunday at Phillips Brooks House to form a concerted front among New England students against UMT.

Almost immediately after the release of a circular letter announcing Sunday's meeting, Major General William J. "Wild Bill" Donovan endorsed UMT in a lengthy article published in Wednesday's issue of "Shannonigans," official bulletin of the University ROTC unit.

Neisser Comments

Commenting last night, on Donovan's article, Ulric R. Neisser '50, chairman of the Political Action Committee of the HLU and temporary secretary of the nine-man committee directing Sunday's meeting, said that the value of UMT program is "certainly minimal," in view of the importance of atomic war-fare, and characterized it as a "futile, expensive, and dangerous" measure. Neisser revealed that he will send a reply to Donovan, through "Shannonigans" within the next few days.

The circulated appeal for Sunday's organizational meeting, which was distributed to selected leaders in University extra-curricular affairs, emphasized that by uniting their efforts, various student groups can "de a very important job in rallying student opposition against UMT and exercising political pressure." It proposed the formation of a New England Youth Division as a chapter of the National Council Against Conscription in a move to compete with the National Youth Assembly, regarded by many local collegiate groups as instigated by the Communist Party.

Nine Signatures

The letter was signed by nine leaders of collegiate groups in their capacities as private individuals and not as members of their organizations.

Those who signed were: Richard M.

Hays '49, Chairman, New England Region, Students for Democratic Action; Ernest M. Howell '47, Co-chairman, National Intercollegiate Christian Council; Lawrence M. Jaffa 2D, Chairman, Northern New England Region, National Student Association; Andrew E. Rice 2G, Massachusetts Chairman, American Veterans Committee: Don S. Willner '47, National Chairman, Students for Democratic Action; Pat Kirkland, Vice-chairman, New England Catholic Student Peace Association; Neil Scaulon, Vice-President, National Federation of Catholic College Students; Mary McNulty, Co-chairman, New England Student Christian Movement; and Mary L. Seasholls, Chairman, United Student Christion Council