IMJON
I
Volume 61
I
Che Battalion
COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS THURSDAY, DECEMBER 9 1965
Number 245
SCONA XI
keynoters Give
Vo, Con Views
)n U.S. Policy
)m-
the
p.
It’s
nly
■ge
ne.
10.
>y-
Stop U. S.
Bombings
By TOMMY DeFRANK
Battalion News Editor
Dr. David Wurfel urged Wednesday an
tended lull in American bombing of
orth Viet Nam as a necessary step to-
ard a negotiated settlement in the Viet
lam war.
The keynote speaker for the eleventh
tudent Conference on National Affairs
intended a halt in the bombings might
mvince the North Vietnamese the United
Itates is willing to negotiate an end to
le fighting.
“A pause in the bombing may not in
ure negotiations,” he explained, “but there
no reason to believe expanded bombing
ill promote negotiations.
"We have eroded the possibility of ful-
lling our committment, and if we can
ilfill it through a negotiated settlement
len that is the right way,” he continued.
An associate professor of political sci-
ice at the University of Missouri, Wurfel
tided that bombing suspected Viet Cong
ositions in South Viet Nam is turning
le people against American involvement.
“Our strategy based on air superiority
the most effective weapon conceivable to
lienate the population of South Viet Nam
Sfainst us,” he said.
“The people are continuing to be alienat-
Iby atrocities so numerous we cannot face
ie facts,” he added.
Wurfel also urged that the United
tates agree to a policy of self-determina-
on for South Viet Nam — even if such
ction results in reunification of the coun-
7 under Communist leadership.
He contended that free elections would
e a necessary step toward upholding the
954 Geneva Agreements.
“The Geneva Conference does not in
ny way guarantee the independence of
outh Viet Nam, nor does it in any way
isure the exclusion of the Communists
rom South Viet Nam,” he reminded.
“It is clear that the independence of
outh Viet Nam has been preserved through
he deliberate violation of the Geneva
igreements.”
Wurfel claimed the spirit of the Geneva
Agreements has been distorted by the
Jnited States to the advantage of our
nemies throughout the world.
“The American people have been fooled
y this twisting, but much of the world
as not,” he charged. “Thus our inten-
ions in Viet Nam have been widely mis-
rusted.”
The speaker said our present “predica
ment” in South Viet Nam is the result
f a failure to heed the advice of the late
'resident John Kennedy.
Wurfel said Kennedy realized that “it’s
heir war; we can help and send men, but
hey have to win it or lose it.
“That reasoning is sound because no
uerrilla war has ever been put down ef-
ectively by foreign troops,” he claimed.
Wurfel also said the war in Viet Nam,
upposedly designed to protect Southeast
sia from Red China, has brought the
Chinese into the conflict and caused an
Wer-growing possibility” that they will
utervene.
He questioned the validity of the Amer
en involvement in Viet Nam and hinted
hat increased intervention will lose seri
es face in the eyes of other nations.
“Why should we risk our national reput-
tion where all facts tend to show that the
'Ommunists will win ?”
Wurfel pointed to the strong feelings
nationalism in Southeast Asia and said
hat Ho Chi Minh is able to rally support
or the Communists because he is a promin-
ht nationalist figure.
^ “The North Vietnamese see the Viet
-ong as being nationalist,” he noted, “and
^plains part of why the Communists are
hd have been by far the largest and
fcst-organized force in Viet Nam.”
, Wurfel also criticized the American in-
•stence that South Viet Nam is a bonafide
nation.
“South Viet Nam cannot be called a
‘ation by any recognized definition be-
ause it is only half a nation,” he said.
The opening address was attended by
15 delegates from 85 colleges and um-
ersities in 15 states, Alaska, Canada and
Mexico.
End Chinese
Dom ination
By DANI PRESSWOOD
Battalion Staff Writer
Dr. Frank N. Trager said Wednesday
night the policy of the United States in
Viet Nam is to “carry war there as far
as necessary to make Hanoi cease and
desist” and “to give 16 million people a
free and independent government.”
Trager, professor of international af
fairs at New York University, presented
SCONA XFs second keynote address on
“U. S. Policy in Southeast Asia (Agree
ments and Disagreements).” His speech
outlined the viewpoint of United States
policy proponents.
Trager listed the objectives of the
United States in Southeast Asia as: main
taining security, improving living condi
tions, maintaining internal stability and
preventing Communist takeover everywhere
except North Viet Nam.
“They (Communists) have made the
war and we must make them stop,” Trag
er declared. “I don’t want to see Viet
Nam suffer another 1,000 years of Chinese
domination.”
He referred to the period from 111 BC
to 939 AD when Viet Nam was controlled
by China.
Trager offered three available choices
for the United States in dealing with the
Vietnamese situation.
The first possibility is that of with
drawal. Trager said in that case “I am
sure Southeast Asia would succumb to the
Communist takeover, and that I oppose in
principle.”
He described the second possibility, that
of remaining advisers, as “killing nobody
except ourselves.” This is the policy the
United States previously employed.
Trager said the third possibility, which
is the one he favors and the one the United
States has chosen, is “to win, so as to allow
Viet Nam independence,” and, he added,
“I want what has to be done quickly in
order to get the thing over.”
Concerning the possibility of negotia
tions between the United States and China,
Trager noted a basic difference of opinion
as to the definition of “negotiate,” and
therein lies the problem.
“Our notion of negotiating is of some
compromise,” he said. “Their notion is
of not compromising except to get some
thing from you. We will not negotiate
anything which will take away from the
independence of South Viet Nam.”
Trager said for the past 11 years the
United States has violated the first rule
of warfare, that of relying on offense
rather than defense.
“We willingly, stupidly bided by de
fensive posture for 11 years,” he noted.
“In 1965 we began to carry the war to the
enemy, gingerly.”
Trager outlined the United States in
volvement in Southeast Asia beginning in
1813 with the landing of the first mis
sionary at Rangoon, Burma. At this time,
he noted, the United States had a rather
“distant outlook.”
When other nations began colonizing,
“most Southeast Asians wanted to be free,
to be independent,” he said As a result,
Viet Nam and Indonesia were forced to
fight to establish independent states and
were not successful until prior to World
War II.
After World War II, he said, the Com
munists began making plans for revolu
tions, wars by proxy and training cadres.
The Communists wanted “wars of national
liberation” directed against the people in
order to indoctrinate Communism.
At the Geneva Conference in 1954 “the
state of Viet Nam proposed there should
be a national election in both parts of
Viet Nam.” Russia, France and Hanoi
voted against the proposal, he said.
“We didn’t take them seriously enough,”
said Trager. “It’s taken us 11 years to
make up our mind in Viet Nam.”
Questioned as to what kind of world
he believed would exist if hostilities con
tinue between the United States and China,
Trager replied “terrible.” He added, “How
ever, I don’t believe in the inevitability of
war. We’re not asking China to give back
anything they have, only to leave South
east Asians alone.”
KEYNOTE SPEAKER MAKES POINT
Dr. David Wurfel, associate professor of political science
at the University of Missouri, emphasizes a point during
his address at SCONA XI opening session Wednesday.
Canadian Student
Traveled Farther
For Conference
By GERALD GARCIA
Managing Editor
The only noise that could be
heard in Room 320 of the Memo
rial Student Center late Tuesday
afternoon was the shower run
ning.
Suddenly, a deep, husky voice
drowned out the running water
and shouted, “I will be with you
in a minute.”
The voice belonged to Michael
B. Gurstein, student at the Uni
versity of Saskatchewan, in Sas
katoon, Canada, who more than
likely traveled the greatest dis
tance to attend the eleventh
Student Conference On National
Affairs, scheduled to run until
Saturday here.
Gurstein was accompanied to
the conference by Keith William
Lowe, also from the Canadian
university, who was roaming in
the MSC during a break in the
conference.
“Man, that is just what I
needed,” Gurstein explained as
he stepped out of the shower.
The pair arrived in College
Station early Tuesday afternoon
after a two-day trip from Saska
toon, site of the university. They
flew to the conference, but it
was no fault of the airlines that
it took two days to arrive.
“We wanted to do a little
sightseeing in Dallas — that is
why it took longer to get here,”
Gurstein said. However, the boys
did have to make three transfers
before arriving here.
Gurstein is presently taking
honor courses at the university
which has no semester plan.
Students in Canadian colleges
and universities attend from
September to April and take a
maximum of five courses.
Since it only takes 15 credits
to receive a B. S. degree, students
can finish college in three years,
he said.
“But I still think our method
—of no semester—is harder be
cause we only take one test for
each course—in April—and if
we bust it we have to take the
course over,” Gurstein said.
Gurstein has received his B.S.
degree and is taking honor
courses—similar to the United
States method of taking graduate
work—for credit toward a mast
er’s degree.
The 21-year old student thinks
SCONA is a good thing.
“It brings students from every
where to discuss world problems
and it helps students understand
the problems better,” he said.
Concerning relations between
Canada and the United States,
the Canadian student claims
Canada is too Americanized—the
economic system more than any
thing.
“Take the Federal Reserve
System decision the other day to
raise interest rate. Just because
the United States did it Cana
dian banks had to follow suit.
Gurstein said since Canadian
economy is so closely patterned
after the United States, Canada’s
economy is described as: “When
American economy sneezes, Can
ada’s economy catches pneumo
nia.”
The warm weather here is
something new to Gurstein—even
though he has been in Texas
once before.
The temperature in Saskatoon
was a “mild” 25 degrees above
zero, Mike said. He considers
that mild since he has witnessed
many 30 degrees below zero
readings at this time of the year
in his hometown.
The coldest temperature Gur
stein has been in was a minus
54 a few years ago.
Maybe the cold Canadian
weather gave Mike his deepi,
husky voice.
SCONA Event Schedule
THURSDAY
3- 3:45 p.m.
Review, Corps of Cadets (Parade
Ground across from MSC)
4- 5 p.m.
Continuation of Third-Round Table
Meeting (optional)
6-7 p.m.
Texas-Style Barbecue (DeWare
Fieldhouse)
8-10 p.m.
Plenary Session (Third Address, Panel
Discussion) MSC Ballroom
Reception following address (Assembly
and Birch Rooms)
Texas A&M University Singing Cadets
Christmas Concert (Main Lounge, MSC)
FRIDAY
7:30-8:30 a.m.
Coffee and Informal Discussion
(Serpentine Lounge)
8:30-11:45 a.m.
Fourth Round-Table Meeting
12:15-1:15 p.m.
Luncheon (Duncan Dining Hall)
2-4:30 p.m.
Fifth Round-Table Meeting
6-7:30 p.m.
Buffet Supper (MSC Ballroom)
8-10 p.m.
Plenary Session (Fourth Address)
MSC Ballroom
Reception following address (Assembly
and Birch Rooms)
Transportation
Mixup Delays
Tech Delegates
By LANI PRESSWOOD
It finally happened. The pre
cision timing and organization
which has become a SCONA
trademark momentarily broke
down.
The breakdown occurred dur
ing the wee hours of Wednesday
morning, 4:45 a.m. to be exact.
At almost precisely that hour, a
pair of unsuspecting delegates
from Texas Tech descended from
a train at the railway station —
in Caldwell.
Caldwell is as close to the
A&M campus as their stream
liner stopped. They knew that.
The SCONA officials knew that.
But each thought the other group
had arranged transportation
from the station.
Weary from the long haul from
West Texas, the pair of dele
gates were ready to step into a
car they had expected to be wait
ing to wing them to the A&M
campus. However, it didn’t take
long for them to see what the
situation really was.
No car.
layover. Visions of honest-to-
goodness beds likely danced in
their heads as the car sped to
ward College Station.
Upon arrival though, they
found out their rooms weren’t
available yet. They promptly
took care of this problem in im
perfect but resourceful style by
sleeping in the MSC lobby until
they received their room keys at
11:30 a.m.
Now that they’re finally here,
what do they think of SCONA XI
so far?
“The program material looks
good, the speakers look good, and
the material is relevant and very
interesting,” answered Hollings
worth. “I’m looking forward to
it, I think it’s going to be very
worthwhile.”
Hickey, an official in Tech’s
Model United Nations operation,
views his SCONA visit as an aid
in mapping a stronger MUN
there in the future. He foresees
the possibility of a broader MUN
at Tech, one in which, as in the
SCONA setup, delegates from
“We checked, but there were other schools will be invited,
no cabs or buses in Caldwell,” re- Hickey calls Texas Tech “a
lated Roger Hollingsworth, one big, growing school, with rising
of the stranded delegates. academic standards.” He sees
“Or rent-a-cars,” his partner lack of student interest in cam-
Chris Hickey tossed in. pus issues and a weak editorial
So, the two Red Raiders im- policy by the student newspaper,
mediately proceeded to make use The Toreador, as two areas in
of the telephone connections be- which Tech needs to improve,
tween Caldwell and College Sta- “Tech has a friendly atmos-
tion. After calls to several phere,” Hickey continued, “and I
places, they finally reached some- think we share that with A&M
one who knew what the score
was and what to do about it.
A little after 8 a.m. transpor
tation arrived in the form of a
driver named Francis — Hol-
because I’ve noticed it around
here, too. It gives you a warm
feeling when you’re spoken to on
another campus.”
SCONA runs through Satur-
lingsworth calls him St. Francis” day and the two Tech represent-
— and the three-hour wait in atives will then join 191 other
Caldwell came to an end. They visiting delegates in heading
had whiled away the time brush- back to their own schools,
ing up on this year’s SCONA In light of their less than
topic, Southeast Asia. smooth train-and-car trip to get
The pair left Lubbock at 7 here, how does the pair plan to
p.m. Tuesday night and spent return to Lubbock?
nearly ten hours on the train be- The reply comes quickly: “We
fore their unscheduled three-hour hope to fly back.”
DELEGATES PARTICIPATE IN ROUNDTABLE SESSION
SGONA XI delegates John E. Hughes of west Texas State College ponder ideas pre-
Mississippi State, David Stiles of Texas sented during opening Roundtable discus-
A&M and Miss Sally L. Jackson of South- sions Wednesday afternoon.