Clark Intends to Continue Effort To Drop NDEA Loyalty Affidavit

The controversial loyalty affidavit of the National Defense Education Act will probably come up for consideration in Congress during its next session, the CRIMSON learned yesterday. Senator Joseph S. Clark '23, a co-sponsor of a previous bill to eliminate the affidavit, hopes to move his proposal out of the Labor and Public Welfare Committee where it was referred last July.

Clark plans a political compromise to help get the proposal onto the Senate floor for debate. He will suggest elimination of the affidavit--which requires each recipient of an NDEA loan to certify he does not "support any organization that believes in or teaches the overthrow of the United States government"--but will advocate retention of the pledge of allegiance.

The Senator applauded the University's suspension of NDEA funds, calling it "in line with what other fine colleges in the country have felt compelled to do." "The affidavit definitely should be repealed," the Senator stated, "And I think it can best be done by keeping the oath of allegiance."

Washington observers feel the previous move by Clark and Senator John F. Kennedy '40 to remove the affidavit failed because it tried to remove the relatively innocuous pledge at the same time. The strong opposition of a group of conservative Senators brought the proposal a 49-42 defeat.

"I am quite confident we can get the bill out of committee by offering this compromise," Senator Clark asserted. The compromise, under present circumstances, probably represents the most feasible way to eliminate the affidavit, which President Pusey has deemed "a direct personal affront" to the college faculties and students.

University Objects to Affidavit

The University suspended its use of the NDEA funds last week because the Kennedy-Clark bill, which would have removed the "offensive" affidavit, had been shelved. Members of the administration have not commented specifically on the pledge of allegiance, but it seems likely the University would accept funds with only the pledge proviso attached.