FEARS MILIT ARISM

To the Editors of The CRIMSON:

This may appear as a late comment on past events but you must understand that here on base the news reaches us a week late if at all. Basic training is a hermitage period and we didn't get to see a newspaper until out third week. Now out the basic, the tech school training seems to be an extension of the hermitage period.

Putting aside the explanations, today I picked up a copy of Time and a copy of Mary McGrory's column concerning the Harvard situation. Being from the Boston area and a member of the military. I would appreciate commenting on the situation as everyone else seems to have done. McGrory is a bit too concerned about the Harvard "cool" and Time is too concerned about explaining how difficult it was for their reporter to enter University Hall. No one seems to care about the root of the problem--why it happened.

Whether SDS was attempting solely to disrupt the compus is a question which I doubt will be answered. And the moderates who are now raging are not concerned with the ROTC program but more with the rash actions of President Pusey. I would like to ask this--does anyone care about the ROTC problem? Or is everyone so awed about "unrest at Harvard," thereby completely forgetting why there was such unrest?

As a member of the military, perhaps I should remain neutral or at least say nothing of what I think. However, in my short eight weeks in the Air Force I've become very frightened. The domestic influence of the military has never been so evident before. Now I see it all from the inside. When SDS babbles of the "military-industrial complex" they are more close to the truth than even they themselves believe. The "complex" is all-encompassing, all-powerful, all-knowing, and every other adjectival clause one can dream of.

I feel that everyone should and must be made aware of this fact. This is why I support of anti-ROTC programs. The country is continually proceeding toward a "Spartan democracy." Whether one wishes to accept it or not, the military has its hands in every part of this American nation, economically, socially, and otherwise. And the fact that it was all done so subtly amazes me. As a youngster I used to picture the military as a big "Army, Navy and Air Force" which defended our nation against all foes. Now I see it eating 60 per cent of the taxpayers' dollars, controlling more industries than Howard Hughes, and protecting just about every nation with the exception of the Soviet Union and china. What are we becoming? A vast war machine. We are a military-industrial nation. I'm not a political theorist, nor do I pretend to be, but man, we've got to stop and think this over. This must stop before we start taking over our own government.

Perhaps eliminating ROTC from the campus does nothing to the overall military growth, but at least it focuses attention on that growth in hopes that something may be done before it becomes too cancercous for the nation.

There are those who question the methods of the SDS. Why are there none who question those of the military? If they had their way, students would be hung and all niggers would be sent back to Africa. If you think I'm bullshitting, I invite you to sit down in one of these classes. Man, they are dangerous. I truly believe that the military is growing too strong politically, economically and socially. It is exceeding all the bounds for which it was created. What can be done? Here, I'm at a loss. Perhaps I'm dreaming, but for the future I see martial law on campuses, in cities, and even military control of the government. We are walking a slim picket fence. Think about it for a while. I would appreciate comments. Ray Brassard 11631372   3628 Student Square   Lackland Air Force Base, Texas