Council Passes Backing Of Hungary Relief Drive

The Student Council yesterday endorsed a special Combined Charities drive scheduled for next week to aid Hungarian students, but only after a bitter dispute flared in an emergency Council session over what relief agency should receive Harvard's contributions.

The Council voted eight to seven that the money collected next Monday and Tuesday should be allocated to the immediate relief of Hungarian students through the World University Service. WUS is an international organization representing college students throughout the free world.

In the debate preceeding passage of the plan, Greg Stone '58, chairman of Combined Charities, refused to lead any drive in which the Council interfered by specifying how the money would be spent. "I won't do it if I'm going to be told where to spend my money," Stone declared. Constitutionally, however, the Council must approve all agencies to which Combined Charities funds can be allocated.

An alternative proposal backed by seven Council members would have allocated the money to "the United Nations and such other groups as the Council decides," including WUS.

The motion was made as an amendment by Theodore D. Moskowitz '58 who complained later "I don't like being blackmailed into anything."

Moskowitz's motion followed a speech by Peter W. Gross '58, leader of a small group of students seeking allocation of the money through the United Nation's International Refugee Committee. "Who ever heard of WUS?" he asked.

Barring the opportunity to send money directly to students still in Hungary, WUS will reportedly provide emergency relief in the form of food, clothing, and other essentials for the more than 1,200 refugee students who have crossed the border into Austria in the last two weeks.

Arguing before the Council meeting yesterday, Gross contended that these relatively few students are better able to care for themselves than the women and children who would be barred from the aid if WUS alone were to receive the Harvard contributions.