Seidman Stresses John Reed Society's Neutral Political Views, Aims

In a statement describing the nature and aims of the John Reed Society, its president, Robert B. Seidman '41, yesterday emphasized that the organization is strictly non-political and that only a minority of its members are Communists.

"We only hold one or two meetings a year," Seidman pointed out, "our main objective being to promote the study of scientific socialism. Most of our work consists in sponsoring public lectures by outstanding liberals and Marxists."

He pointed out that the group was formed seven years ago by a number of University students interested in learning more about dialectical materialism and wishing to use it as an "academic tool". As has been done all during its history, the Society today, with its 35 members, is run primarily for purposes of study.

John Reed '10, in whose honor the Society was named, was one of the world's best known Communists. As a war correspondent in Russia, he joined with Lenin and Trotsky, fighting during the Bolshevist Revolution. When Reed was killed in action, the Russians buried him in the Kremlin.