Views expressed in Hoch
By MIKE RADENCICH Kansan Staff Writer
The point of an open forum at KU is to plan effective alternatives to commit the University to work with citizens in the community, closing the University will not accomplish this, said Chancellor E. Laurence Chalmers at a student convocation in Hoch Auditorium Thursday afternoon.
Chalmers said that the University must keep itself open to all sides of the present student unrest situation as its commitment to the cause of the VietnamCambodia pullout.
Speaking at the convocation in which students and faculty alike expressed their views on whether or not to close the campus in protest of the Kent University killings and the war, Chalmers said that his personal conviction about the war in Southeast Asia was one of "ending our presence in Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos."
Chalmers also announced that the scheduled speech by Senator Edmund Muskie would be a major policy speech concerning actions both in Cambodia and at Kent State University.
Lawrence Velvel, the controversial law professor at KU, described the underlying basic problem that is leading to "the total loss and ruin of this country."
Velvel said that the new stepped-up war in Southeast Asia is causing a split in the United States between the governmental officials who are controlling the war and the students and concerned people who are demanding an immediate end to the fighting.
There are three ways, he said, that this problem will be solved; through the use of violence; through legal action such as letter writing or petition writing; or through peaceful means of demonstration.
Velvel said that those who do oppose the war in Southeast Asia but do not show it, will only cause the government to tighten its stand thus making it easier for the government to carry on with its Asian commitment.
Within the University, Velvel said that the faculty, which is outnumbered overwhelmingly by the students, should not have as big a vote in campus policy as it has now.
"Many faculty members do not really know or
do not care what the student thinks or feels about policy issues," he said.
Finally, Velvel said he felt that the students in colleges around the country are the "hope of the future of the American society."
Another speaker, David Katzman, acting assistant professor of history, said that stoning or burning an ROTC building was not the thing to do. This did not mean that we had to wait for the elections in November to react to what was going on, said Katzman.
Katzman supported KU's participation in a general strike of universities across the country. It will be an effective way, Katzman said, to put pressure on the President and Congress and to restructure the university.
Katzman concluded his speech by suggesting the nation come to halt until the ward ends. This statement brought a standing ovation from a large part of the audience.
Other students advanced to the podium to give their opinions on the war and the strike.
Another rally was planned for 4 p.m. in front of Allen Field House.
80th Year, No.131 The University of Kansas—Lawrence, Kansas Friday, May 8, 1970
Field House Rally gathers support
Kansan Staff Writer
By JOHN GOODRICK Kensen Staff Writer
A rally to gain support for a proposed University strike was held Thursday evening in front of Allen Field House.
Six persons expressed their varied opinions on what the students should do to get "action" for the strikers' demands. About 300 people attended the rally, and later about 150 people marched to the Chancellor's office to give him their strike demands.
At the rally Steve Emerson, Topeka, sophomore class president and one of the leaders of the strike, said the convocation today was worthless.
"We are demanding a decision-making convocation," Emerson said.
Several of the leaders demanded a decision-making convocation in which the Chancellor, faculty and students would decide whether to close down the University. This convocation, according to one of the speakers, would be at 9:30 a.m. Monday in the Field House.
After the rally, half the students remained and discussed the possibility of closing the University, while the other half marched to the Cancellor's office shouting occasional chants of "Strike! Strike!"
The students marched into Strong Hall and crowded onto the balcony outside the Chancellor's office. The doors to the office were locked.
The flag in front of Strong Hall was flying at half staff.
The Chancellor did not come out to speak to the crowd, and several of the leaders who had spoken at the rally tried to make themselves heard over the noisy crowd.
The leaders could be heard by only a few of those gathered because of the talking and occasional yelling and clapping.
Emerson again spoke to the crowd of people, who had finally grown quiet, and said that they could do no more good there and told students to leave.
The crowd gradually dispersed, many to retire to the steps of Strong Hall, where they sat in a large circle.
Photo by Ron Bishop
Marchers gather support
University of Kansas students, about 150 strong, marched to Daisy Hill Thursday evening, visiting living groups to solicit support for an all-University strike. In groups of from 15 to 50, the marchers entered residence halls to present their case and ask the support of the residents.
UDK News Roundup
By United Press International
Guard put on alert
TOPEKA—Although no trouble has been reported at any Kansas armory, the National Guard Bureau in Washington has ordered a 24-hour vigil at each armory, at least through the weekend.
Brig. Gen. Philip Smyth, assistant state adjustant general said the move was taken because of student unrest.
Fleet advances up Mekong
Many of the audience of about 2,000 persons became involved in what amounted almost to a debate among anti-war students, pro-Nixon people and Ford himself.
ROLLA, Mo.—The Rolla Daily News said Thursday that it has "documented evidence" that Claude Wilson, a candidate for Congress opposing incumbent Rep. Richard H. Ichord, D-Mo., is a leader in attempting to "sabotage the ROTC at UMC."
There was no immediate indication the fleet had crossed the border. The boat crews had orders to bring back from Cambodia any Vietnamese refugees who wanted to come.
ROTC sabotage charged
Ford hassled at WSU
SAIGON—An armada of 40 U.S. and 60 South Veitnamese boats set sail up the Mekong River toward the Cambodian capital at Phnom Penh today to break Viet Cong resistance along the international waterway and carry food and medicine to Vietnamese refugees there.
WICHITA—Rep. Gerald Ford, R-Mich., kept his cool Thursday night through a stormy session at Wichita State University in which his defense of U.S. fighting in Cambodia and of administration policies in general was interrupted, almost phrase-by-phrase, by one-line responses.
Edward W. Sowers, publisher, said Wilson, on leave as a University of Missouri-Columbia professor, started his campaign to halt credits for ROTC some weeks ago when he was a member of the Arts and Science Policy Committee.
Tricia debates war issue
WASHINGTON—President Nixon's family was drawn into the acrid debate about his war policies Thursday when daughter Tricia met for an hour with two Finch college war protesters.
Tricia. 23. is a 1968 Finch graduate.
According to the two students, Tricia stood "100 per cent behind the President's policy." They told her the White House was "not listening . . . not hearing" what students had to say.