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THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 15, 2012
THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
OCTOBER 16.1969
Students gather to protest Vietnam War
KANSAN STAFF
editor@kansan.com
The national war moratorium, heralded for weeks as the largest peaceful demonstration ever to take place in the United States, brought more than 2,500 Kansas University students and faculty, Lawrence residents and guests to the Hill Wednesday for anti-war demonstrations and speeches.
Reams of literature concerning the Vietnam War were distributed from tables placed around the campus.
Moratorium observers were asked to sign two petitions — one to President Nixon, urging an immediate end to the Vietnam War, and the other denouncing two Kansas congressmen, Rep. Larry Winn, R-Leawood, and Rep. Keith Sebelius, R-Norton, who signed a letter to Nixon calling for an immediate escalation of the war.
More than 150 students gathered in front of Strong Hall to participate in a silent vigil.
The students stood quietly in lines behind white crosses which had been stuck in the ground in memory of those killed in the war.
One student displayed a sign which read, "Rockchalk, Jaydove, stop war, try love." Another held a sign stating, "Save lives, not face."
Across the street from the vignil, at the proposed site of Wescoe Hall, a microphone was left open for anyone who wanted to speak.
Among those who did speak was Robert Swan, 1968 Democratic peace candidate for Congress from Topeka.
In an address to about 350 people, Swan challenged American involvement in Vietnam and the "myths" that have sustained conflict.
"Two presidents and a silent Congress committed us to Vietnam," Swan said. "Never has a foreign policy been so haphazard and so confused; never have we so
deceived ourselves."
The crowd murmured when Swan charged President Nixon with saying: "To allow government policy to be made in the streets would destroy democratic processes."
Swan said he doubted that those present were trying to destroy the ideals of democracy as Nixon implied, and called the moratorium "the greatest outpouring of democracy in recent years."
Swan urged his audience to again establish the international role of the United States as a "country of peace, not a country of war", and asked for support in building a stronger moratorium in November.
"Two presidents and a silent Congress commited us to Vietnam."
ROBERT SWAN
1968 Democratic Congressional candidate
The Rev. Robert Shelton, acting assistant professor of the School of Religion, also spoke at Wescoe Hall. Shelton told the group gathered at the site that demonstrations can make a significant impact on national policy.
Students spending their first day seriously considering the conflict of Vietnam were experiencing a "rebirth," Shelton said. He added, "I want to wish those students a happy birthday and many more."
In an earlier lecture at Smith Hall, Shelton said that the difference between a just and unjust war was no longer relevant in rationalizing conflict in the world.
"Man cannot talk about a 'just war' in the nuclear age," he said.
Don Baldwin, Wesley Foundation director, spoke to the crowd gathered at the proposed site of Wescoe Hall, denouncing the war as illegal, immoral, and unjust.
"We have a chance to put an end
to war—this war, every war,
he said, "and nothing must deter us."
Another speaker at the open microphone, Bill Hansen, a Kansas City law student, praised the gathering for "turning on to themselves."
Some KU faculty members scheduled open classes and "teachin" to observe the moratorium.
In Lindley Hall, more than 250 people attended an open class on the political geography of Vietnam, presented by Robert E. Nunley, associate professor of geography.
The class lasted two hours twice as long as planned.
Four faculty members conducted a teach-in in Hoch Auditorium. Lawrence Velvel, associate professor of law; Harry G. Shaffer, professor of economics; the School Katz, dean of the School of Social Welfare; and John C. Wright, associate professor of human development, discussed the Vietnam War and the issues which the war presents to their respective disciplines.
Shaffer drew a standing ovation from the crowd of more than 2,500 when he said, "You (young men) shall have to die, and be maimed and become killers, because men in Washington don't have the guts to admit they have been wrong."
"Be abrasive, be demanding, be a thorn in society's flesh," he said. "Use infinite tact, and don't resort to easy arrogance."
Wright told the assembly that peace workers must not abandon the society and its institutions, even though they may seem to be impervious to change.
Two more faculty members participated in a debate before an audience of more than 1,000 in the Kansas Union Ballroom. Robert A. Burton, assistant professor of oriental languages and literatures, and Carl Lande, associate professor of political science, argued the effects of a Communist takeover in South Vietnam.
Chancellor E. Laurence
With flag held high, peaceful and solemn moratorium marchers paraded down Memorial Drive.
Chalmers did not accept an offer by 14 members of the KU faculty to make a gift to the University of a day's salary.
The offer was not accepted by the Chancellor for two reasons.
He stated that the members of the faculty and administration were on a contractual basis for the academic year, therefore, a leave of absence is the only way that the contract may be terminated for a period of time.
Since the moratorium was not designed to curtail the semester work, Chancellor Chalmers said that the faculty had earned their salaries whether or not they rescheduled their Wednesday classes.
At the University of Kansas Medical Center, the moratorium was observed with a television teach-in and a silent vigil.
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
Between noon and 3 p.m., the teach-in was broadcast from Wahl Hall-East Auditorium to Bailey Hall on the KU campus.
At 3 p.m., more than 50 social workers, students, faculty
members and sympathizers listened to a memorial service and held a half-hour silent vigil.
The largest and perhaps the most impressive of the anti-war demonstrations was the peace march down Jayhawk Boulevard. More than 3,000 participants, in a line 20 abreast and more than 100 yards long, marched along Memorial Drive, West Campus Road and down Jayhawk Boulevard.
The line of marchers started slowly, and rapidly gained numbers as they marched. As the head of the line reached the Chi Omega fountain, the end was not in sight.
One of the sign carriers yelled to a woman standing in front of Haworth Hall, "That's right, ma'am. Just a real small group of hippies want the war ended."
A splinter group of the peace march continued on an impromptu march through downtown Lawrence.
Edited by Madison Schultz
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
KANSAN FILE PHOTO
Students stand behind white crosses in front of Strong Hall for National Vietnam Moratorium Day.
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