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Charges Against Lightfoot Dropped
CHICAGO — (UPI) — A Federal District Court today dismissed charges against Claude Lightfoot, the first top American Communist to be indicted simply because he was a member of the Communist Party.
The Federal Government itself asked Judge William J. Campbell to throw out the 6-year-old charges against Lightfoot, executive secretary of the Illinois Communist Party.
U. S. ATTORNEY Donald Manion said that, in light of recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions, the government was not sure it could prove that Lightfoot had knowledge of the Communist Party's intent to teach and advocate the violent overthrow of the government.
Campbell, the chief judge of the Federal District Court, ruled that in view of the government statement it would be a waste of the court's time to proceed with a trial.
The request and decision came as a complete surprise. Lightfoot had actually been convicted of the charges in 1955 and had been sentenced to five years in prison. But in 1957 the Supreme Court upheld his appeal and ordered a new trial.
THE NEW TRIAL was scheduled to begin today and Lightfoot, a 50-year-old Arkansas-born Negro, was in court with his attorney. He indicated before the court session began that he was prepared for a long court battle.
When Manion made his statement.
Lightfoot's jaw dropped and his eyes bulged.
AT THE TIME of Lightfoot's first conviction, it was believed that a precedent had been set in the prosecution of Communist leaders.
Before his indictment, S1 Commu nists had been convicted under the Smith Act of teaching, advocating or encouraging the violent overthrow of the government.
Lightfoot was brought to trial under a previously untested clause of the act which made it illegal to become a member of or affiliate with any such group.
LIGHTFOOT, a gray-haired, gray mustached man of dignified appearance, left the court without commenting on the surprise dismissal of the charges against him.
His record as a Communist stretches back to 1934. When he was 25, he journeyed to Moscow for Communist Party training.
Since Lightfoot's conviction, the government succeeded in obtaining conviction of another Communist leader, Junius Scales, on similar charges.
However, Manilon said today that the Scales conviction was based on evidence that he had advocated overthrow of the government.
Manion said he feared the government would not be able to prove that Lightfoot, despite his record as a veteran Communist, had "knowledge of the party's illegal advocacy and intent of bringing about the violent overthrow of the government."
The U.S. attorney said the government was not sure it was "able to show such evidence that he had actually suggested such an overthrow as a member of the Communist Party."
Lightfoot has been free ever since his 1955 conviction and has continued to direct the affairs of the
Fraternity Jewelry
Badges, Rings, Novelties,
Sweatshirts, Mugs, Paddles,
Cups, Trophies, Medals
Illinois Communist Party from a shabby office in Chicago's loo.
Balfour
411 W. 14th VI 3-1571
AL LAUTER
In 1958 he told an interviewer "I could go to jail for five years. But I guess that's one of the risks I have to take. I believe in taking risks — but only when you have to."
In addition to heading the Illinois Communist Party, Lightfoot is vice chairman of the national committee of the American Communist Party.
Smart Bear
HOLLYWOOD—(UPI)—No Hollywood animal ever was trained more for a picture role than was Neewa, a bear who plays an important role in Walt Disney's "Nikki, Wild Dog of the North."
Neewa was trained from birth for the role.
She was taught how to do a scene without losing an audience, how to act with her dog co-star, Nikki, and even how to ride a birch bark canoe along the rivers of the great Northwest wilderness with her human star, Jean Coutu.
Official Bulletin
Chemistry Department Organic Colloquium: 4 p.m., Room 223 Malott, Dr Erickson, with the National Institutes of Health, will lecture on "The Chemistry of Stevioside."
Catholic Daily Mass: 6:30 a.m., St John's Church, 13th & Kentucky.
TODAY
El Atenco anuncia su proxima reunión el miercoles día 15 a las 4 de la tarde, en 11 Fraser. El Professor Ricart nos hablará sobre "La Musica de España". Todos los estudiantes de español estan aprendiendo, divierten y practiquen el espanol hablando en un ambiente informal! Se servirán refrescos.
Episcopal Holy Communion and Lunch:
12 noon. Canterbury House.
TOMORROW
Episcopal Evening Prayer: 9:30 p.m.
Danforth Chapel.
**Red China—Outlaw.** 7:30 p.m. Fraser
Tucker, presented by YAF. Public inli-
vies.
American Society of Tool and Manf.
Elmer J. Vanderploeg, Engineer & Pres.
of Yoder Company, Cleveland, Ohio, will
have a meeting in Rockville, MD on
Boh Farming., All engineers invited
Westminster Center: Choir. 5:45 p.m.
rehearsal. 6:45 p.m. supper. 7:00 p.m.
United Presbyterian Men. Westminster
Center. 1204 Oread.
Wednesday, November 15. 1961 University Daily Kansan
Der Duetsche Verein trift sich, am Donnerstag, den 16. November, um fuenft Fraser Doktor Klaus Berger, sprich neibe Lucas Cranch, Maler der Reformation.
Conform and be dull. —J. Frank Dobie
Bridges Leads American Basketball League
CHICAGO — (UPI) — Former Kansas University basketball star Bill Bridges is the leading scorer and rebounder in the new professional American Basketball League.
Bridges, who won the Big Eight Conference individual rebounding
championship three times at Kansas, is the mainstay of the Kansas City Steers. He has averaged 26 points and 14.3 rebounds per game. Los Angeles is the top scoring club with 111.3 points per game, and Kansas City is second with 102.
Are you satisfied where you now live? Are you planning to get married? Come Out to See
PARK PLAZA SOUTH APARTMENTS 1912 West 25th St.
FURNISHED or UNFURNISHED
- central air conditioning
- carpeted
- off street parking
- ● garbage disposal
- laundry facilities 1/2 block
- play area for children
Phone VI 2-3416 office
VI 3-8253 home
"HOMECOMING WEEKEND"
WHAT DOES AN OLD GRAD LIKE BEST ABOUT HOMECOMING? Next to shaking hands, he likes reminiscing. About fraternity parties, girls, sorority parties, girls, off-campus parties, girls—and, of course, about how great cigarettes used to taste. Fortunately for you, Luckies still do taste great. (So great that college students smoke more of them than any other regular cigarette.) Which shows that the important things in college life stay the same. Parties. Girls. Luckies.
CHANGE TO LUCKIES and get some taste for a change!
$ \textcircled{C} $ A. T. Co.
Product of The American Tobacco Company - "Tobacco is our middle name"