The Washington times., 1935-12-28
STUDENTS HAIL
ABSENCE0F
i. ). FLAG

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Dec. %
U.SO-Radical students from all
over the country, here to form a
new united front" organization,
applauded last night when a
speaker noted the absence of the
American flag in the Y. w. C. A.
assembly hall, where the meetings
are being held.
With accord between the diff
ferent student groups near, Leo
Kryzchi, veteran Amalgamated
Clothing Workers official, ad-
dressing the 900 student delegates
from 125 colleges, spoke Of the
absence Of the Stars and Stripes,
and added:
LET HearSt'S agents, and they
are here, too, report that. And
let Hearst print that in his
papers"
Set-up Nearly Complete
Miss Grace Beattie, assistant
secretary of the Ohio State Y. w.
&c. A., presided at last nights.
meeting.
Meanwhile, the new organiza-
ton of radical students, to be
known as the American Student
Union, was in the final stages of
formation as Communist and So
cialist leaders exacted a pledge
from delegates to affirm the ac-
ton.
The communistic National Stu
dent League, in secret session,
adopted the proposed platform
of the new organization without
a dissenting vote.
Academic Freedom
Although the four-point pro-
gram Of the new union was kept
mysteriously secret by the lead
ers, it was learned it consisted
of the following proposals which
may be amended in final form:
/. We demand the right to edu-
cation and employment in the
United States.
2. We demand peace be main
tanned and that all preparations
for war be Immediately suspended.
3. We demand academic free
dom be defended and reactionary
tendencies in the educational in
Stitutions of the United States be
destroyed.
4. We demand equality Of all
regardless of race, color or creed
and particularly elimination OF
discrimination against the Negro.
Issue Sidestepped
The program of the new union
definitely sidestepped an issue
which for a time threatened to en-
danger the new organization. This
was centered on the war platform
The Student League for Indus
trial Democracy, soclalistlC
group, has insisted on opposition
to all wars in which the United
States may engage, while the Ma
tional Student League, a Com
munistic group, has been COM
nitted to a defend the Soviet
Union" policy.
The action of the Colum-
bus Y. W. C. A. in housing the
United Front" student conven.
ton is in accord with the 'pro-
gram for American youth" adopt
ed by the Young Communist
League of America in June, 1884
The Columbus meeting called to
form the American Student Union,
it is revealed, is an outgrowth OF
the policy of the Communist Inter =
national to win over the youth OF
the Y, M. C. A. and the Y. w. c. A.
to the revolutionary class Strug
gle"
For several years local Y. M. C.
A. and Y. w. c. A. institutions
throughout the country have been
used as centers for Communist
propaganda disguised as antlWaI
activity.
Y. w. C. A. Shelter
Today the Columbus Y. w. c. A
is providing shelter to the Amer
ican Student Union" A year age
the Student League for Industria.
Democracy smuggled its annua.
national cor vention onto the cam
pus of Northwestern University
the secretary of the University
Y. M. C. A. making arrangements
for the convention.
In May, 1885, the Central Y. M
C. A. in Los Angeles was the meet
ing room of the planning commit
tee of the regional conference oi
the American Youth Congress, in
which Communists figured prom
inently.
The University of Minnesota
has so far provided an outstand
ing example of preventing the Y,
M. c. A. on the campus from
becoming a center of revolution:
ary activity by causing a chang
in the personnel directing Y. M
C. A. activities. Previously the
University Of Nebraska had taken
similar action in securing the "res
ignation" of its Y. M. c. A. sec
retary.