Council Attacks Naval Sponsorship of Movie On 'Communist' Riots

The Student Council at its meeting last night passed a three-point resolution censuring the Department of Naval Science for "neglecting its responsibilities" to the University and the student body by sponsoring the film "Operation Abolition," shown at 2 Divinity Ave. yesterday afternoon and "by advertising it is descriptive of the 'Communist-inspired' student riots in San Francisco last May."

In the first place, the Council held, the Department is "not entitled to make a judgment as to whether the riots were communist-instigated or not, since no legal verdict has ever been rendered on that question."

The Council also criticized the action of the Department in requiring attendance of NROTC members and in associating the University name "with a film that does not in any way reflect the views of the students or faculty insofar as it purports to be historic fact rather than political interpretation."

A roll call vote showed 13 in favor, six against, and one abstention.

Council to Study Drama

In other business the Council voted without dissent to create a committee under the jurisdiction of its Extra-Curricular Affairs Committee "to reinaugurate a study of Harvard drama with particular reference to the situation as changed by the Loeb Drama Center."

Roger M. Leed '61, chairman of the 20th Century Week Committee, reported that the Committee had been able to raise $1500 from four foundations during the past two weeks and was expecting more contributions. He also noted the possibility of having the transcript of the discussions published in a UNESCO report if the organization considered the week successful.

The Council also approved a request from the HYDC to allow Radcliffe members to hold office "on equal terms" with Harvard students and to change its name to the "Young Democratic Club of Harvard and Radcliffe Colleges."