HLU Sends Wire Congratulating Truman

Over 440 students and faculty members signed a telegram last night congratulating ex-President Harry S. Truman for his spech on the White case. The message, sponsored by the Harvard Liberal Union, was sent to Independence, Mo., by night letter which reached Truman this morning.

The cable read, "Congratulations on your fine speech. We're behind you in your fight against both communism and McCarthyism. Thank you for your inspiring defense of our free democratic heritage. Keep it up Signed: 441 students and faculty of Harvard College. Names follow by mail."

The H.L.U. executive board also voted to send a similar message as the official response from the 170 members of the organization. Phillipe Villers '55, H.L.U. political action chairman, said that he thought more students would have signed the telegram had the H.L.U. been able to spend more time circulating it. "This was a rush job," he said. "We lacked personnel."

The H.L.U. collected signatures in the House dining halls during supper. The executive board did not decide to circulate the petitions until 5 p.m. last night.

The H.L.U. last spring distributed a poll on Harvard reaction to McCarthy and his methods. "An overwhelming majority disapproved of McCarthyism," Villers said, "and I'm sure that the same majority would agree with Truman's point in his Monday night speech." Monday, Truman had defended his appointment of Harry Dexter White and had attacked McCarthyism as the "big lie and the unfounded accusation."

The H.L.U. has esbled Truman once before, in 1950, supporting his dismissal of MacArthur.