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VolumaLI MERCER UNIVERSITY, MACON. GEORGIA, MAY 19, 1970 -Number ?0
ROTC Honor’* Day proceed* at Mercer ctudents expraet contempt.
Student demonstrators protest
against U. S. involvement in Indo-China
f'Ki*«lr Innlrci
Antiwar protester mani
fested themselves in two ac
tions on campus last Monday.
During the morning a small
group gathered on the ROTC
field at Awards Day for the
Mercer and Fort Valley State
battalions. Monday night a can
dlelight procession was held in
protest against U. S. involve
ment in Indo-China.
The demonstration during
Awards Day was attended by
about 35 students sitting
peacefully at one end of the
field and holding protest signs.
The signs carried such slogans
as: “Peace: Now”, “End the
War. Now” and “Leave Us a
World Tomorrow”. Occasional
obscenity was shouted from
the group.
The protest was organized
by a group of students in the
light of what Is happening in
the nation, according to Steve
Thomas, Summerville, Ga.,
spokesman for the group. The
students feel that peaceful pro
test is one method of expres
sion, although it is ineffective,
he added.
Thomas said the protest was
against, “the lack of direction
on the part of the country and
a direct' protest against the
Indo-China war .” ——r— r
Several of the protesters
moved to the side of the grand
stand as the troops passed in
review. Others remained on the
end of the field holding up
peace signs
At 9:00 Monday night
around 50 students assembled
on the quadrangle for a candle
light procession. Organizers of
the march were Reed Ranks,
Jinx Schwencke, Steve
Senate adopts
election code
The SGA Senate in iU re
ular meeting Monday, May
1, voted to adopt a formal
lection code which will go in-
o effect next fall with the
Tosh men elections. Vice Preai-
lent, Charles Bowen moved for
he adoption of the code which
raa written and presented by
lllen Wallace.
In the past, the election
ilea t*ete drawn up prior to
tch election reculting in dif-
rrent regulations each year,
hanges affected absentee bal
>ta, flnea, number of poaters.
ad qualification*
The new code specifies that
lection of SGA officers ahall
a on the Thursday one week
blowing the day of quahflca-
ona. The quallflcationa are to
e held the first Thursday after
the first Monday of classes
Spring Quarter
Candidates are limited to
five posters and one banner,
with a $1.00 fine for each post
er or banner above the allotted
number. Posters in violation of
this regulation are to be re
moved. The Election Marshal
has the power to remove such
poster* after two members of
the Elections Committee have
submitted in writing an ac.
count of the violation, giving
the fine and location of the
violation.
A new feature of the elec
tion code la the stipulation that
the Election Marshal is autho
rized to disburse up to 50% of
the forfeited bond fees to per
sons who aid in the removing
of illegal sign* The bond fee
remains at $5.00.
RQTC cadets
honored at
Awards Day
" *
Twenty-four members of the Mefccr University Army ROTC
Cadet Corps were honored at awards -ceremonies Monday for su
perior achievement.
by Chuck Jackson
Thomas, and Gary Johnson, all
students.
Johnson, spokesman for the
group, told the students that
the procession was a “Mercer
outward expression of feel
ings”. Johnson said the pur
pose was to get involved and
let Mercerians know what is
going on.
The procession moved from
the quadrangle around the Col
lege street side of CSC, through
the middle of campus, the
front of the library, and onto
the ROTC drill field. Chris
7a>m was head marshal for the
march.
The students marched single
file, chanting “Give Peace a
Chance”. As they passed dor
mitories and the library they
drew both insults and expres
sions of sympathy. Several
more students joined the pro
cession as it passed.
On the ROTC field the pro
testors formed a circle and ob
served a moment of silence for
the four students slain at Kent
State.
Reed Banks, a Mercer se
nior, addressed the group.
Ranks said the procession was
the means of a beginning. He
listed five reasons why the
students were “outraged”.
These were: the injustice and
murders committed by thou
sands of involuntarily involved
people in the U. S. Vietnam,
and Cambodia, a conscience
(national or otherwise) that is
content to condone these kill
ings for whatever reason; a
people and government whose
committment to order and pas
sivness precedes its committ
ment to the basic freedoms: a
President’s empty sincerity ip
saying that what he wants is
what the students want; and at
- the students powerlessness to
accomplish their objectives.
Bank’s statements were
made in the context of the
overriding goal to gel the U. S.
out of Indo-China.
(Continued on Page 5)
The activities included parti
cipants from the Second Bat
talion of Fort Valley State Col
lege. Mercer ROTC offii-ers
train these students also
R. Avon Bulce of Perry, an
attorney, told the cadets from
the two ‘ colleges that “The
pnee of peace is complete pre
parednes for any type of war
. . . Our pleas for peace are not
measured by the sincerity with
which they are spoken, but bv
the strength we bring to en
force them.”
photo by Johnny Turner He said that the idea “that
our objective is survival is out-
right defeatism ... If we lack
the courage to stand firm for
our beliefs, or if we lack beliefs
which' we are determined to
uphold whatever the cost, then
fclm • • we are defeated already."
Buice defined a peaceful
world community as one “in
Cluster Policy .2 which all members recognize
Gary Johnson 2 the rights of each member to
Letters to Editor . ...‘ 3 determine its own future with-
Old South 4 out external interference, fear.
Report from D. C 3 coercion or threat.”
Sports 6 The Superior Cadet Ribbons
and Medals awarded to the out
standing cadet in every class
Sanders addresses
Mercer law students
by jwright
converted into arenas of poli
tical warfare, then and only-
then can we be confident that
we will not witness a repetition
of the Kent State tragedy.”
Additionally, “the university,
as an institution, should remain
politically neutral that its re
sources shotild he used only to
promote the expansion and
transmission of knowledge.-”
Concerning Ken-l State.
Sanders felt “the events dem
onstrate in the harshest pos
sible way that our great institu
tions of higher learning are
among the first targets and per
haps the first victims.of mind
less violence."
Last Tuesday morning. May
12. former Georgia Governor
Carl Senders spoke before 125
students in Walter F. George
Law School. Sanders was tour
ing the middle Georgia area in
order to ascertain student in
terest and to-view Georgia’s in
stitutions of higher education.
Sanders toured the Mercer
campus briefly before continu
ing to Macon Junior College
and Middle Georgia at Mill-
edgeville.
Sanders was asked why he is
involved in politics. “As ,you
live your life you have to feel
you’re making a contribution
and feel that your life has been
worthwhile. I like the challenge
of trying to come to grips with
the problems I’ve seen from
childhood. I wouldn’t feel right
sitting on the sidelines. I feel
I’m in a position to bring into
focus Some of the problems
we’re battling and not getting
anywhere on."
Tn his speech at ‘ Mercer,
Sanders expressed his belief in
education is the “escalator to
an equal chance • for all of
America's yijiung people.” He is
In favor of higher education for
all students though not neces
sarlly at a liberal arts college
Violence and politicaliza-
ttoo are not seen as appropriate
on campus. “Our Institutions
of higher learning must not be
Dr. Spencer King, Jr , chairmen
of the Department of History,
has been elected president of
the Southern Baptist Historical
Society.
went to Cadet Colonel Union'
S. Holsenbeck of Milledgeville
(senior). Cadet, Captain Ore-,
gory E. Love' of Atlanta
(junior-'Fort Valley State Col
lege). Cadet Sergeant First
Class Charles H. Weston of Tal
botton (junior). Cadet Staff
Sergeant William A. Cragg of
Wiley (sophomore), Cadet Cor
poral John G. Adnot of Jupi
ter, Fla. (freshman),.and Cadet
Sergeant Jerome Johnson of
Sylvania (freshman FVSC).
Cadet Major John M. John
son 6f Hawaii was named win
ner of the Reserve Officers’ As
sociation Award which is pre
sented to the student in the
top, 10 pereerit of the ROTC
class who demonstrates quali
ties of leadership, character
and aptitude for military' serv
ice. T he trophy was presented
by the president of the associa
tion
Other awards and the reci
pients were: President’s
Trophy to-the student who has
made the most significant con
tribuiion toward increasing un
derstandmg. of the ROTC pro
gram Cadet Sergeant Major
Steve C. Carreker of Macon
Mercer President l)r Rufus-C.
Harris presented this award
Professor of Military
Science Achievement Award
presented to the senior having
strong .qualities of leadership,
scholarship character and or
ganizational' ability Cadet
Major Charles 1 Harris , of
I-ansing. Mich., presented by
the Professor of Military Sci
ence at Mercer. Colonel Joseph
II Jones
The Macon Warner Robins
Retired Officers’ Association
plaque and Third US Arms
Certificate of .Meritorious
Leadership \c hi eve men I
awarded to the outstanding
cade) eoinpalvs coiniutuidcr
Cadet . Caplam JantCs E. Nor
man of Augusta Colonel : Ret C
Angelo J Uoiitselis. president
of the' assovia-i on made the'
presentation.
Sons of the Ymenea.i. Re
volution Citizenship Medal
.Cadet Lieutenant Colonel
Curtis I Kchols-of CohitrVu . '
Daughters of {he Auh i n-ah
Revolution Award to-itu- > adet
in the upper 2a perier.t ef.his
class who has deinynsi ruled
outstanding qualities of citizen
ship Cadet Lieutenant
Colonel Kyle Cartyi of Atlanta
lire Regent of the - Mars Ho
ward Washington Chapter of
MaeOn. Mrs. J. ,W Stephens,
presented the - Society’s gold
medal to Carter
. Association of the United
States Army Medal presented
to the junior m the top 10 per
cent of his ROTC class who
contributed the most , to ad
vancing tbe ROTC on campus
and community - Cadet Cap
tain Gregory K. Love of
.Atlanta.
(Continued on Page 5)