Friday, February 24th 1967 UNION NEWS _______No. 323 PRICE 3d. HALF A MILE’ OF STUDENTS MARCH By THE NEWS STAFF ^"EARLY 2,000 students took part in one of the most “successful, orderly and responsible” demonstrations ever held by Leeds students when they protested against the proposed rise in over­ by a man who said, “I am on seas students’ fees. your side. I wish you every success with your venture. President Mervyn Saunders addressed the crowd of Uni­ At the Conservative Party versity and College students H.Q., Richard Hughes Rolands, before they left the Union fore­ the Party agent, accepted the court on their march into town petition and pledged support to on Wednesday morning. After the protest. stressing that the behaviour must be orderly and impeccable, As “well over half a mile” of he said, “We mean to fight to students made their way into the last to bring the issue to town, pedestrians stopped and what we know to be its proper looked, shopkeepers and cus­ conclusion.” tomers stared through shop windows, drivers jeered and Victor Allan, a lecturer in workmen watched with imple­ Economics, also addressed the ments in their hands, children marchers before they set off, pointed and police managed describing the measure as “one traffic and street crossings. of colour discrimination.” They marched in threes; Bystanders’ reactions were stewards wearing orange and mixed but often hostile: “Greedy black armbands spaced every beggars. They should go out ten yards. As they marched, and work. It’s what everyone one little boy watching said, else has to do,” was one “There are over a hundred.” reaction, while, “I hope this His sister said, “No, there must doesn’t have any effect; we be a million.” shouldn’t have coloured people at our universities,” was another. Adult estimates were 1,600 to 2,000, including a boy on Others were less hostile; “And crutches and Mabel, the plaster the best of luck to you,” cried mascot of the Leeds Technical one middle-aged business man”; College. while some kept to the more traditional attacks on students, PETITIONS saying, “In my opinion, there Students filled the Union forecourt as they congregated to listen to the speeches before the march should be a collection for boot On the march, petitions were polish, combs and soap.” Photo by PETE CROSSLEY handed in at all the Party H.Q.s. At the Labour Party H.Q., Dick Knowles, the Labour VIETNAM Party agent, was conspicuously THE absent, even though all the Others were more sympathetic: Parties had been informed about “You’re probably doing more Support for Boycott the event. The secretary harm than good by marching, promised to hand the petition but I think the Government’s to him on his return. action is wicked.” Some didn’t bother to read the posters: “They can bomb Vietnam to is Patchy FESTIVAL Full support was shown by the Liberals when the petition was Hell for all I care,” one was handed in. Saunders was greeted heard to say. J T was estimated that about 40% of students observed the boycott of lectures on Wednesday. Numbers of those attending lectures varied con­ OF ARTS siderably from Department to Department, without any clear pattern. STARTS HERE and behaviour of their position. There were no lectures in The note stressed that “On no DRAMA — JAZZ — FILMS — POETRY PLUS — T.V. Mining, Colour Chemistry, condition must access to build­ ART — EXHIBITIONS — FOLK BLUES — TEACH-IN Social Studies, Statistics, Botany, ings be prevented; self restraint ALIGNATION — OPERA — CONCERTS — BALLET and Zoology, while some must be exercised at all times, RAVE-UP Chemistry lectures had a 95% and that they should, on no attendance. account obstruct the pavement or enter into arguments with One sociology lecturer sent members of the public.” out a circular saying, “I do not Stewards were advised not to intend to lecture this morning, shout or argue, and obey the since I wish to make my protest police at all times. against the Government policy Of the other universities hold­ with respect to raising overseas ing a boycott, Birmingham students’ fees.” reported a support of 50% and LE Chris Blanckley, editor of Southampton one of 40%. The LEWD, estimated that about demonstrations at Hull were 75% of Engineers attended called off after it was discovered lectures, which seems to be that 1,000 people, who apparently PHONOGRAPHE about the same number as the did not attend the AGM on the Law faculty. The Parkinson matter, were found to be against WHERE THE ACTION IS Building lectures were, on the the boycott. But after a meeting whole, ‘very empty’, with 13 out in the afternoon, it was decided EVERY NIGHT OF THE W EEK of 60 attending a Maths lecture. to hold an impromptu march into the town. HOSTILITY SPLIT There was hostility towards the pickets who stood outside At Southampton, about five 16 MERRI0N CENTRE all the lecture buildings. Flour hundred people marched through bags were thrown at one out­ the town (of 3,500 in the Uni­ side the Parkinson, while hoses versity), and the boycott showed LEEDS were turned on another outside a definite split into those who the Engineering block. attended lectures and those who (TOP OF MOVING STAIRS) observed the boycott; some Stewards and pickets were Proud leader of the procession as the marchers leave lectures in the Engineering Student Membership 10/6 Personal Application Only the Union. given a printed sheet with Dept, were full, while those of instructions as to the purpose the Law faculty were empty. 2 UNION NEWS — Friday, 24th February, 1967 (( APATHETIC MOANERS DEAR MADAM, Following the fiasco at Tuesday’s meeting the Engineers but have previously found no in the Engineering Dept., addressed by real justification for it. UNION NEWS Mervyn Saunders and Jack Straw and It is now sadly evident, however, that there concerning a Boycott supporting overseas exists a large section in the Engineering students, we, the undersigned, feel compelled Society who are completely devoid of logical, WEEKLY NEWSPAPER OF LEEDS UNIVERSITY UNION to express our extreme disgust at the infantile rational argument and whose only contribu­ and the bloody-minded behaviour of a large tion to discussion appears to be the throwing Telephone 39071 (Ext. 39) section of the Engineering Society. of projectiles. Such an intolerant display does, in our It is, of course, only from these people we Friday, February 24th, 1967 No. 323 opinion, deprive these Engineers of even the wish to dissociate ourselves, but since they fundamental right to express an opinion and appear to be the prevalent faction, we feel we have been forced to dissociate ourselves compelled to resign our membership of the from this faction by surrendering our Society. Engineering Society membership cards. J. N. ROBERTS (Civil Eng.) We have long been aware of the opinion C. J. RUTTER (Civil Eng.) held by many members of the Union towards AND FOUR OTHERS. LACK OF DEAR MADAM, I wish to express regret at the mismanage­ effectiveness, they would surely have fore­ ment of the overseas students’ fees “affair” seen that only bad publicity could come of by N.U.S. and the Union. their action, both for the cause involved and The principle behind the clamour for for themselves, and that the long-term result action is entirely justified, as everyone will could only be antagonism of the University. admit, but the practice involved seems absurd. I feel that the Union should have The call should have been for a “Day of approached the matter by asking the Uni­ IDEALISM Action and protest”, which would have struck versity to cancel Wednesday, 22nd, lectures, home the principles involved to every student etc., as they would in the event of their and to the public at large. Instead, we see being a .University Lecture. In this way, EDNESDAY’S “day of protest” was at once a failure and a headlines, and are called upon to “Strike”, harmony of principle and practice would success; a success in that the number of people willing to “Boycott”, etc., until even the V-C has to have ensued, leaving the student free of his W send a directive to University staff advising obligations, and able to take part, with the them to carry on their normal day. University, in an effective demonstration. make the gestures of boycotting lectures and marching was as high Had the Union been more interested in S. J. LIPMAN, M.S.R.C/ as could be realistically expected; a failure in that this still meant that f t JJ three-quarters of the University failed to take any action against such HOOLIGANISM a blatant case of discrimination by the Government. DBAR MADAM, There is a tendency among students—and, indeed, among the Your article “Panic Measure” in the special these ill-informed insular Dentals resorted issue on February 21st was badly reported. to objection of the proposed march on the population at large—to reject any emotional commitment to an ideal No doubt, the desire for sensationalism held lame grounds stated in the article. sway over good sense. Space does not permit me to outline or belief. Probably the vast majority of students in this University do The primary arguments, even after Mervyn examples which bear witness to the lack of Saunders’ talk, were in favour of the Govern­ awareness- which was manifest among Dentals disapprove of th eGovemment’s decision to raise the fees of overseas ment’s decision to raise the fees, but such at this meeting. No doubt, Mervyn Saunders was the incoherence and irrelevance of these was surprised at the sheer ignorance dis­ students; they may even vaguely approve of protest—so long as it comments that they were easily demolished played.