Short-Lived Activism At Harvard

Political consciousness proved to be short-lived on the Harvard campus this week as the vast majority of undergraduates returned to the routines of class-going and termpaper writing. But on other campuses--most notably Columbia and B.U.--protests reached the near-crescendo levels of 1969-70.

Several reasons contributed to the collapse at Harvard of what only a week ago seemed to be an irresistible escalation in political activity.

First and probably foremost is the circus-like atmosphere which prevailed at Tuesday's mass meeting in Sanders Theater. The meeting--divided on the fundamental questions of whether to aim its protest against the University or against the Federal government--spent two and a half hours debating one proposal and then adjourned. And that proposal--to continue a boycott of classes--was first defeated, and then, as the attendance at the meeting steadily dropped, it passed.

Political momentum declined further the following day when PALC and Afro suddenly ended their week long occupation of Massachusetts Hall.

And the morning of the Mass Hall evacuation the results of the Massachusetts and Pennsylvania primaries made it clear that George McGovern's bid for the presidency was stronger than ever before. An alternative, quieter form of antiwar protest had come to the force.

McGovern's showing failed, however, to impress President Nixon who announced Wednesday night that the bombing of North Vietnam would continue and that the only enemy the U.S. need fear is the protesters at home.