Will Rights Drive Hurt Peace Groups?

Peace groups are becoming more and more concerned with domestic issues, especially civil rights, according to H. Stuart Hughes, professor of History, and David Riesman '31, Henry Ford II Professor of Social Sciences.

Commenting on Tocsin's recent decision to extend its scope beyond disarmament, the two men agreed that the excitement and accomplishment of the civil-rights movement last summer had drawn many supporters from the peace groups. They disagreed, however, on the effect this will have on the peace movement.

Riesman said he fears that the civil-rights organizations will continue to attract members to the detriment of the peace groups. He explained that especially since the signing of the limited nuclear test ban treaty there appears to have been a falling-off of interest in disarmament.

If Tocsin wished to extend its scope to domestic issues related to peace, Riesman said, there are many more closely connected issues--such as civil defense--than civil rights. He suggested that present popularity of the rights movement might explain the decision.

Rights More Exciting

The vitality of the civil-rights movement, its success during the summer, and the exciting emergency nature of civil-rights activities all attract workers from the more slowly-moving field of foreign affairs, Riesman explained.

He added that informal links have existed between the two movements for a long time and that many people are active in both civil-rights and peace organizations, but that recently people have been placing more emphasis on civil rights.

Hughes, however, said that the new interest in domestic affairs would be supplementary father than detrimental. He pointed out has PAX (a group which grew out of Hughes' campaign organization in 1962) has extended its interests to the problem of alleged do faces segregation in Boston schools.

'Continual Shifting'

Two or three years ago, Hughes said, there was a movement away from civil rights and toward disarmament groups. The present movement in the opposite direction, he explained, is just part of "a continual shifting back and forth." Hughes pointed out, however, that President Johnson's cutback in armament expenditures and the unexpectedly early beginning of industrial desecration from military production might give new impetus to the peace movement