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Mixed Opinion In Moratorium Poll
Mercer University students
overwhelmingly oppose the
Vietnam war but only half of
them sympathize with a
nationwide Oct. 15 mora
torium called to protest the
war.
In a poll held Monday, in
which 4W, of the student body
participated, 62 percent' said
they would not participate in
any form of peaceful demon
stration against the war.
1. Do you approve of the Vietnam waff
Yes
Only about one-third
thought that President, Nixon’s
plan for withdrawal of troops
from Vietnam was effective.
Six questions were voted on
by students in the College of
Liberal Arts, the faculty and
by students in the Walter F.
George School of Law. A total
of 61 i votes of a student body
totalling 1.HOI) were cast
Here are the results:
6. If you do not voice your sympathy, is it because of parental
pressure or other such influence?
Yes
L.A.
Faculty
Law
10—20'S
1- 1 %
Partly
30-8%
4-6%
No
378-90',
66 93'i
Liberal Arts
Faculty
La**
137-26%
4 1.v;
39 -45%
No_ 4
392-74%
22~85'I'
47—55%
2. Do you sympathize with the aim of the moratorium?
Law students at Mercer Uni
versity Wednesday, October H
took action to disassociate
themselves from a moratorium
of activities scheduled for Oct.
16 which is part of a nation
wide student protest of the
Vietnam War.
The Student Bar Associa
Uon of the Walter F. George
School of Law yesterday pass
ed a resolution — by a 96 to 13
vote to not support and to
"disavow any association with
the Vietnam Moratorium call,"
according lo president Ralph
Bowden.
More than a quorum of the
association participated in the
vote. There were a number of
abstentions.
The scheduled moratorium
falls on a Wednesday, when
classes at Mercer are suspended
each week to give students a
day for study, research and
unorganized activity.
The action by the student
bar association contrasts sharp
ly with a vote to support the
moratorium by Mercer’s .Stu
dent Government Association
That group earlier voted 12-9
to support the nationwide stu
dent proiCst-and'scessation 0 f
activities. The SCLV represents
undergraduates
In a poll held Monday at the
University, ip which less than,
half the student body partici
pated, 62 per cent of those vot
ing said they would not partici .
pate in any form of peaceful
demonstration against the war
Mighty three per cent of the
law school students paftici
paling in the poll said- they
would not participate in any
such demonstrations.
On the other hand 74. per
cent of the liberal arts student's
voting in the poll said they do '
not approve of the Vietnam
War. Fifty five percent of the
law students who voted indi
cated disapproval of the war.
Mercer President Rufus C
Harris has expressed no opin
ion on-the call for a mora
torium. calling it a matter "for
appropriate discussion" • by.
college students on a public
issue.
L.A.
Faculty
Law
Strongly Somewhat No Undecided
114-25% 94 -19% 238- 50% 26- 5%
19-65% 2. 7'! 4 14% 4 14%
24 -27% 20 22% 44 : 48% 3- 3%
3. If so, do you voice your sympathy?
Yes No
L.A. 206-62% 77-23%
Faculty 22-91% 2 9%
Law 35—48% 28 38%
Indifferent
50—15%
10- 14%
MERCER CLUSTER
Volume L I
4. Would you participate in peaceful demonstrations against
the war in Vietnam?
Yes • No_
L.A. 21th 38% , 336—62%
Faculty 16-64%. 9-36%
Law 15-17%’ 75-83%
5. Do you think. Nixon’s present plan for withdrawal of our
troops from Vietnam is effective and Sufficient?
Yes _No Undecided
L.A. 183-34% 210-39% 146-27%
Faculty 30-12% 18-72% 4-16%
Law 41-45% 24-26% 26- 29%
MERCER UNIVERSITY. MACON, GEORGIA, OCT. 14. 1969
Number 3
* if ** 4r A /
f’hoto By Bob Johnso
Mercer Theatre Company opened the 1969-70 season with the London satirical- review
Beyond the Fringe. Mercer students Randy Booth. Bill Lund, Thomas Michael, and Jerry
Yeargin starred in the play.
BSA Endorses Viet
War Moratorium
The Black Student Alliance
unanimously endorsed the Viet
Nam Moratorium' Call last
Tuesday night Otis Ball pre-.
Sented the purpose and format
of the Moratorium. He explain
ed the movement art "a means
to help black people in the
U.S." He said. , “Instead of
putting $30 million a day into
Viet Nam. the money could be
expended on Headstart, Up
ward Bound, the housing pro
gram, and welfare.’’ He further
correlated the black movement
and power in the U.S. with the
yellow people of the world —
the Third World Movement. He
pointed out that more than
four-fifths of the world popula
tion is colored, and that it is
disadvantageous for American
blacks to fight against a people
with whom they could ally in .
their struggle against the im
perialistic stranglehold of the
white race
Joe Hobbs, chairman of
BS.v activities, proposed a re
solution requesting a fatuity
study of the feasibility of a
black studies program oa
campus. He stated that a posi
tion paper is prepared to ex
press the feelings of the black
people on campus. <
The resolution presented by
Hobbs was approved unani
mously. Hobbs also discussed
the possibility of enlisting the
KGA In making demands on
the administration.
Will King staled that the
BSA should strive to meet its
goal - — to alleviate the in
justices of blacks. King said,
“Don't worry aboul the white
man . . let’s live and think
black!"
Academic chairman. Don
Hafrison. announced' that s
tutorial program has been
established through the Stu
dent Union. Harrison- also
staled that a Tiling service has
been set up for black students.
The files will include old tests
class materials,' and teacher
evaluations
A political committee was
.created and headed by Robert
Brown The. purpose of the
committee is lo inform the
BSA on current events in order
to formulate political e\
pressions.
President of the local or
ganization is Jimmie Samuel,
Augusta.
Tourney On Oct. 16-18
Debate Club
Begins Year
The Mercer Debate, Club is
now in the process of selecting
new members for the team.
Debate meeting* are held each
Monday at 3:15. in room -109-
in the . Fine Arts (Hardemanl
Building. Anyone interested in
debating is invited to attend
these meetings., Since the club
is sponsoring Novice Class
Debate, no previous experience
is required.
The debate topic this year is
Resolved: That the Federal
Government should grant
annually a specific percentage
of its income tax revenue to
the state governments.
October 16-18 marks the
beginning of the new debate
season for the Mercer Club as
they travel to the Plainsman
Invitational Debate Toum.i
me'nt at Auburn ’’niversity 13-
tjrOphies will be awarded during
the tournament This will be a
switch-side tournament, that is.
each team will debate both live
.affirmative-and negative sides.;
Mercer plans to seqd two,Two
mah teams to Auburn.
. Other tournaments in which
the Mercer Club plans to
debate this quarter are Emory.
;\V a k e - F o r e s t. and the
DSR-TKA' JReg'ional St Val
dosta Slate New officers of
the Club are Bill Cragg, Presi
dent. Larry Finklestein. Vice-
Pres, and Dan Thigpen, who is
President of the local chapter
of the honorary fraternity
DSR-TKA.
Plans Set
For "M"
Mercer students interested
in informing other students
about Viet Nam and related
issues have been hard at work
this week, getting up a program
that will take full advantage of
tomorrow, October 15, the day
set aside for allconcemed U.S.
citizens to work for peace.
Plans for several of the day's
activities have been finalized,
with others still in preliminary
stages
At 10:00 A M on October
15. the first meeting of the day-
will occur in the chapel I hrec
faculty members. Ray Brew
ster. Robert .Otto and Bill
Lane, will begin the hour with
their thoughts about the waf
From 1 P.M. until 1 P M. a
continuous lalk-sessioii will be
going on the lawn between the
administration building and the
music building. It is lii-ped that
students will take advantage of
these hours to become more
informed aboqt what is hap.
pening in Viet -Nam Both
faculty members and students
Will bespeaking Discussions of
Christianity. and-the war, in
formative talks, and talks e\ .
pressing personal viewpoint
have been scheduled’ Three
will also be ah.opportunity for
the pro and anti groups to
speak to -ach other-' in small
discussions.-if n--i in organized-
debate
At j' .B-.PM-. a .series id
short films - designed to bring
the-major issues into loons u-iil
be -presented jIV .IT t -Study'!.
Center. The-s -movie.-,-w-ii -i,-
be show n’tonighl troii.'B o'- |u
7':GO. Discussions wilt. l-- f dw
those ' . .-
As has- been staled bet ore,
October 15 is not a day -to
noisily create scenes, hut a day’
in which to intelligently and.
honestly work for peact By
seriously talking with indi
viduaU m a search for a hotter
understanding of the situation
Because this is the nrajpr goal
of the national program, indi
viduals committed to ending
the war will be explaining what
the moratorium is about during
the entire day. They will be
trying lo build strength for the
continuing monthly mora
toriiims by winning peoplc
over to the side of peace, - not
by alienating folks by using
shock tactics.