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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 13, 1969)
Vol. LXXI UNIVERSITY OF OREGON, EUGENE, MONDAY, OCTOBER 13, 1969 No. 30 Moratorium forges surae of activity Compiled By JOYCE ROUTSON On the eve of Moratorium at the University, faculty members were told it was up to them to participate in the anti-Vietnam war protest. The decision came after at least two departments reportedly in formed their teaching assistants they could not cancel their class es to participate in the one-day observance. Dean of Faculties Charles Dun can issued this statement to de partment heads: “There has been no general cancellation of classes on Oct. 15. The holding of a particular class is a matter for the individual faculty member to decide for himself. Presumably, he would try to take into account the wish es and needs of his students and be guided by his own judgment.” The statement was endorsed by President Robert Clark, who earlier had announced University classes would be held as usual Wednesday. Tonight members of the city wide Moratorium steering com mittee will appear at 9 p.m. on PL-3, campus television station, according to campus co-ordinator Russ Husted. Scheduled Moratorium activi ties released by the Eugene Moratorium Committee at the University include a speech by former Sen. Wayne Morse at 8 p.m. in McArthur Court. Also scheduled are: 8 a.m.— Memorial services in Eugene cem eteries. 10 a.m.—Formal services at Militants march in Chicago falls short of expectations Compiled from Wire Service Reports A Saturday afternoon march by members of the militant faction of the Students for a Democratic Society, planned as a climax to last week’s build-up of demonstrations in Chicago, fell far short of expectations. What began as a protest march to Grant Park turned into a police clash in the heart of the Loop, complete with window smashing and clubbing— but it all lasted only 15 minutes. Police swiftly subdued small groups of the ap proximately 200 demonstrators while arresting 103 persons on charges of mob action. In a brief flare-up between police and demon strators before the march began, five persons were arrested including Mark Rudd, head of the SDS militant faction known as the Weathermen. Sporadic disturbances and demonstrations had taken place since Wednesday, the start of a four day “action” by the SDS. The demonstrations were staged on behalf of the Conspiracy, eight individuals on trial in Chi cago for conspiring to promote violence during the 1968 Democratic National Convention. The Weathermen, had said 5,000 to 15,000 per sons would gather in Chicago for “the most militant demonstrations in the history of the New Left.” But only 500 or fewer showed up. However, a statement released by The Con spiracy Friday applauded the efforts of the demon strators and called for a nation-wide protest to stop the trial. “The Conspiracy welcomes the efforts of all or ganizations to stop the trial and will continue to do so,” read the statement. It continued in part, “We regard it as crucial that the SDS Weatherman’s actions be placed in the perspective of last year. While we don’t agree with all tactics or strategy, we believe the primary responsibility for the violence to lie with the mili tary and economic empire of the U.S. government. “We warned at the end of the 1968 Convention these strong arm police methods would not intimi date young people but turn them into warriors. Chicago will, as will America, reap what it sows,” concluded the statement. In a telephone interview Sunday, defendant John Froines, University chemistry professor said “We believe there is great danger we will be convicted because there is no justice in these courts. There have to be nation-wide protests to stop the trial.” He added the Conspiracy would ask that the trial be stopped by a legal motion on Oct. 15 so the defendants could speak around the country on the Vietnam Moratorium. Friday in the courtroom, a policeman who said he acted as defendant Jerry Rubin’s bodyguard .during the convention testified he never saw Rubin throw anything at police and he never heard another defendant, Abbie Hoffman, incite a crowd to violence. POLICEMAN TAKES STAND—AGAIN The policeman, Robert Pierson, is the govern ment’s key witness in the trial. Pierson underwent his second full day of cross examination by defense attorneys concerning his undercover police role during convention week. Pierson said, on direct examination, he succeeded in gaining Rubin’s confidence to the extent that he became the Yippie leader’s body-guard. Leonard Weinglass, defense attorney, asked Pier son about a rally by demonstrators in Grant Park Tuesday night of convention week at which Rubin spoke to some 1,000 persons. “Would you describe it as an orderly gathering?” Weinglass asked. “Yes,” the witness answered. “Did the crowd’s mood change after Rubin spoke?” Weinglass asked. “Not that I noticed,” said Pierson. “They hadn’t been incited to violence?” Wein glass queried. “Not that I noticed,” answered Pierson. Pierson also said, under questioning by Wein glass that while he had at various times thrown objects at police and fought with police—all in the guise of a demonstrator—he had never seen Rubin do either. McArthur Court. 11 a.m.—Procession protesting war and commemorating U.S. servicemen killed in Vietnam to Eugene City Hall. 12-12:05—Silence throughout Eugene. 1 p.m.—Delegation leaves for Salem to present petitions to Gov. Tom McCall. 2 p.m.—Teach-ins throughout city on Vietnam war and plans to end war. 8 p.m.—Former Sen. Morse. In departmental action here, only one department, sociology, has decided to devote classes to discussion of the war or cancel them entirely. Departments meet Other departments, including psychology, anthropology and CSPA will be meeting today and Tuesday to decide on a proper course of action. Others have de cided that “business will con tinue as usual.” The mathematics department notified all teaching assistants Thursday that classes may only be cancelled by special permission of the department head. The Association of Anthropol ogy Graduate Students, will meet at 2:30 p.m. today to determine their policy concerning Morator ium. Public officials are joining stu dents in support for Wednesday’s observance. Eugene Mayor Les Anderson announced Eugene City Hall will be open Wednesday to allow Moratorium spokesmen to discuss the war with city lead ers. “I look on it as a day of re flection,” Anderson said, “a day of contemplation. But basically it has to be a day of dignity.” For the observance to become a day of violence, Anderson continued, "would be contrary to the intent of those who are sponsoring the observance.” Nationally President Nixon is urgently seeking new ways to dra matize U.S. disengagement from Vietnam while faced with the prospect of massive anti-war dem onstrations. While flatly rejecting efforts to impose a deadline on troop removals, and stating he would not "be affected whatsoever” by the Moratorium, Nixon has an nounced he is embarking on a new review of Vietnam policy today or Tuesday with Henry Ca bot Lodge. In Congress, both houses have been active in their support of the nationwide day of peace. Seventeen senators and 47 House members expressed sup port for the anti-war demon strations planned by the Viet nam Moratorium Committee. In a letter to the committee, they said that insofar as Wed - nesday’s appeal is “peaceful, law ful and non-violent, we view it as an important and constructive undertaking and we commend it.” Senators sign letter Two Republican senators, Charles Goodell of New York and Mark Hatfield of Oregon and nine GOP House members sign ed the letter. Democratic signers included 15 senators and 38 House members. Two resolutions seeking U.S. withdrawal from South Vietnam were introduced in the Senate Wednesday while Republican (Continued on page 5) Russ Husted, Moratorium chair man, speaks at Friday rally from EMU Free speech platform. Off-campus living: Land of the flea-bitten poor By BILL BUCY Of the Emerald Poor, flea-bitten, tired and picked on—a . student living off campus. ' He is poor because his rent is too high. P He is flea-bitten because the people that . , lived in his apartment before him had a great shaggy dog and the landlord forgot to clean the place. He is tired because he has to walk six ' miles back and forth to school every day. He is picked on because if he moves out he will have no other place to live. Exaggerated? Not really. Students are find ing it harder and harder to find decent hous ing at decent prices in Eugene. Due to increased enrollments, a trend toward off-campus living and an influx of married students, there exists a shortage of cheap housing in Eugene. According to a study done last summer by the Central Lane Planning Council (CLPC), competition between students for housing has resulted in: • Conversion of older homes into multi ple unit dwellings. • Encroachment of land uses, other than residential, around the University to take ad vantage of cheap labor, increased popula tion and to be near skilled personnel. • Construction of newer apartments on land once occupied by older houses and apart ments. Considering the general university area (where most students live or would like to live) the situation is critical. Many older houses have been replaced by newer, more expensive apartments. The CLPC study revealed almost half of all students living off campus in 1966 lived more than one mile from campus. The re port pointed out “The area’s students have moved into were also areas most in demand by the elderly and other low income fam ilies.” CLPC has predicted that in the next 10 to 15 years more than 4,000 students will be moving this far from campus. PROBLEMS WILL CONTINUE But even this won’t ease the problem around campus. The council said, “within 10 years double the number of units now occupied by single students will be needed; from 1,200 to 2,500.” They found this is partially due to a de crease in the number of older and less ex pensive units near campus. The University won’t be doing much in the near future to alleviate housing problems i ’ the area, according to Dick Romm, assis tant director of housing. The present situation on campus is tight, Romm said. Even if students wanted to get away from the hassle of apartments they would find it hard to find a spot in a dorm. As of last week there were only about 20 spaces left and these were all for men. Some women are being housed in tempor. ary quarters. With the freshman live-in rule still in effect, no change is seen in the near future. Even if the University could expand now, land costs would be prohibitive, Romm said, and an additional problem is that the Uni versity is exempt from property taxes. This would mean a reduction in revenue for the city. With no immediate help in sight it is strictly a seller’s market in housing. Land lords and owners can ask and get almost anything. Rents of $125 a month for a small one bedroom apartment are not uncommon. Often this includes a lease and a large cleaning de posit students say they never see again. As the CLPC studied the problem they found very little privacy in student dwell ings. The average is 2.4 people per unit near campus and 2.8 farther away. With students being forced to live farther away, parking becomes a problem. CLPC predicted in 10 years more than 8,000 people will be seeking parking around campus. Thus, students can’t find inexpensive hous ing around camous. When they move far ther away they still find rents high and can’t find places to park. The University can’t help. There is no impending crisis in housing. It exists now.
