April Third Movement

Stuart McRae and I were involved in organizing the Stanford Medical Aid Committee for Viet Nam in order to provide medical relief, through the International Red Cross, to victims of U.S. aggression in Viet Nam. I still vividly recall a rally for our cause that we helped organize in White Plaza on November 2, 1965. Georgia Kelly was active in these events, along with many others who were part of Stanford’s anti-war community. A counter rally was organized by another group of students. The rally got national media attention and probably led to us being subpoenaed.

The House Un-American Committee (HUAC) subpoenaed about a dozen anti-war activists, both students and faculty, from leading U.S. universities around the nation. Two Stanford anti-war activists were included: Stuart McRae, a Stanford undergraduate; and myself, a Stanford graduate student in philosophy. We were invited to appear at HUAC’s meeting in Washington, D.C.

Among us were Jerry Rubin of the Vietnam Day Committee at UC Berkeley and Steven Smale, a world renown mathematician. Jerry captured national press attention by showing up in full uniform from the American revolution,  including a three cornered hat—a pointed reminder of America’s anti-colonial past. Rubin described the incident in his book Do It. Many of us felt that HUAC, previously experienced by the left as tragedy, had now become farce: HUAC itself was Un-American. HUAC’s action was part of a familiar “McCarthyite” attack on the anti-war movement, but this time it led to the anti-war movement making a laughing stock of HUAC and helping usher in HUAC’s demise.

The Committee hearings took place August 16 through August 18, 1966. The tone of the meeting was set almost immediately when HUAC had Arthur Kinoy, the Chief Counsel for the entire group, lifted up, choked, and literally thrown out of court. Kinoy was physically ejected from the hearing room after he had vigorously demanded procedural rights, including the right to cross examine witnesses. The entire story is told in Abby Ginzberg’s documentary film, Doing Justice: The Life and Trials of Arthur Kinoy, which is available through the Internet.

Frank Donner, author of The Un-Americans, represented Stuart and me. He later wrote a news story for The Nation about the proceedings. It is clear from his account that upon seeing their distinguished colleague, Arthur Kinoy, manhandled by guards in the hearing room, our attorneys felt compelled to tell us that they couldn’t in good conscience serve as our counsels. We accepted their decision and went on to face the Committee without legal counsel. As you can see from the following bit of transcript, the absence of legal counsel did not hurt us and probably inspired us to heightened resistance.

The excerpt version includes the testimony by Stuart McRae and Anatole Anton.

One-page flyer announcing a rally in solidarity with a strike at University of California.

One-page by Keith Lowe, titled "Precinct Politics in the University." It opens with "Electoral politics is the opiate of American Liberals."

A six-page document by Opposition West, "established by the regional anti-war conference held at S.F. State College on March 26, 1966 in conjunction with the International Days of Protest." Three sheets printed on both sides.

A six-part series of editorials in the Stanford Daily about the Board of Trustees.

Commitment, publication of the Experiment, 2 pages.

A one-page, unsigned flyer, dated Nov. 2, protesting Agnes Nohrnberg's denial of university facilities for a meeting.

Opposition West, 2 pages.

A page of stories, some dated in April, excerpted from the San Francisco Chronicle and the Palo Alto Times.

Volume One, Number One. Editors and publishers: Marilyn Dilworth, Karen Loomis, Carrie Iverson, Elizabeth Helfrick, Richard Sack, Dianne Sattinger, Eric Prokosch. Faculty sponsors Robert Finn, Jay Neugeboren, Charles Stein.

Volume One, Number Two: Editors and publishers: Marilyn Dilworth, Dick Baxtresser, Karen Loomis, Caroline Iverson, Elizabeth Helfrick, Eric Prokosch, and Richard Sack. Faculty sponsors Robert Finn, Jay Neugeboren, Charles Stein.

Undated statement about student activism by Stanford President J.E. Wallace Sterling.

Commitment, publication of the Experiment, 2 pages.

One-page flyer announcing Feb. 8, 1967 rally on White Plaza to oppose UC & State College tuition and to support increased student representation at Stanford.

A two sided flyer by the Ad Hoc Committee to Greet Humphrey. It presents Humphrey's record regarding the war and urges people to walk out of his talk on Feb. 20, 1967.

Letter dated 2/22/1967, not signed.

A two-page letter, dated March 3, 1967, to all students, faculty and staff; and a one-page letter, dated March 14, 1967, to four leaders expressing "deep concern for the preservation of free and civilized debate on the Stanford Campus." The writing was prompted by a demonstration against Hubert Humphrey when he spoke on campus.

Supplement to another publication put out by the Experiment.

A list of questions posed by SDS and other Student and Faculty members of the Stanford community. It is suggested that they be asked following his speech.

Special issue of The Resistance, 12-page newspaper published by The Experiment. Available as a PDF and as a TIFF.

Resistance, formerly Commitment, publication of the Experiment, 2 pages.

An open statement to the American nation, published in The Stanford Daily, with signatures collected by the Stanford Anti-Draft Union.

A one-page flyer, linking six Stanford administrators and Trustees to the Vietnam War, which accompanied four “We Accuse” posters published by The Experiment in early 1967.

The “We Accuse” posters were the subject of debate at the Grove House, Stanford first co-educational residence.

Draft Letter to Vietnam Summer office in Massachusetts seeking $20,000 to support Political Education, Anti-Draft Organizing, and an Alternative Newspaper.

Announcement of meeting to plan Mid-Peninsula Vietnam Summer.

A four-page press release titled, "45 Stanford Faculty and Staff Make Civil Disobedience Pledge," by Jay Neugeboren & Barton Bernstein. Also, the “Stanford Pledge and List of Signers.

Second draft of a flier explaining and seeking support for Mid-Peninsula Vietnam Summer.