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Seventy-Seven Years of Editorial Freedom


VOL. LXXVIII, No. 1

ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN, TUESDAY, AUGUST 29, 1967

STUDENT LIFE


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Student

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Movement

Fizzles

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Former SGC President Ed Robinson on the Diag in November

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. By HARVEY WASSERMAN
Editorial Director, 1966-67
THE SO-CALLED student power movement of November,
1966 began with a bang and ended with less than a
whisper.
To understand what seems to "bang" into existence, one
generally has to look for a long history of resentment. Michi-
gan's student revolt can be traced most effectively, perhaps,
to almost two years ago when efforts to create a University
bookstore were thwarted by the University Regents and ad-
ministration.
Over 13,000 students had signed a petition for the book-
store, but the administration decided to withhold support,
thinking it not wise to go into competition with local mer-
chants. Similar efforts to promote University sponsored low-
cost housing were met with the same cold shoulder.
So by the time fall, 1966 came around there were at least
a few people angry with administrators.
However, Joe Pool, vice-chairman of the House Un-Amer-
lean Activities Committee, touched the whole thing off. On
August 4, a subpeoena from HUAC arrived at the Office of
Student Affairs asking for the membership lists of Voice Po-
litical Party-Students for a Democratic Society, the Commit-
tee to Aid the Vietnamese, and the W.E.B. DuBois Club.
After seven days of bumbling, half-hearted shows at con-
sultation and a vaudeville exit by University President Harlan
Hatcher, the administrative vice-presidents sent in the
names of the 65 members. After their names had been turned
in, the 65 were notified.
VICE-PRESIDENT FOR Academic Affairs Allan F. Smith
and Vice-President for Student Affairs Richard L. Cutler
apologized for the delay in notifying those involved. The be-
lated action was insufficient. Students staged a sit-in protest
at Cutler's-office, followed by a bitter four-hour meeting be-
tween Cutler and those who knew about the action. The Daily
and many members of the faculty registered immediate pro-
tests.
But September itself was remarkably quiet. The faculty
began an investigation of the HUAC incident. Angry letters
poured out troubled wrath. Vice-President Cutler was duti-
fully vilified. It was not until fully a month later that the
Movement got its firing spark.
Not surprisingly, the spark came from a confrontation be-
tween a group composed .predominantly of Voice members
and the University administration. Through September there
had been rallies protesting the HUAC compliance, the war in
Viet Nam, and preparing the way for the Congressional peace
candiacy of Mrs. Elsie Boulding.
The Ann Arbor police were observed photographing par-
ticipants in the rallies while being photographed themselves.
Participants in the rally then asked the Uniyersity adminis-
tration to keep the police away from the rallies. The stu-
dents were told that they should talk to Vice-President Cut-

Student Leader Barry Bluestone Ar gues for Breaking Ties with!he OSA

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