Humphrey Dedicates Center At Tufts, Makes No Statements on Vietnam War

Vice-President Hubert H. Humphrey yesterday disappointed anyone who thought he was going to talk about them.

The subject of his talk was "why the government must the truth to the people," and despite advance press leaks, presence of pro-U.S. Asian policy petitioners and the usual spectrum of pickets, that's what he talked about.

Humphrey noted that increasing and voluble concern international affairs has made it more important than to protect the right of dissent. "Let us never in our frenzy, our passion, our emotion, deny the right to be different, to disagree," he said.

He added, however, "When I see a few who are able to attract all that attention by protesting, I wonder what the result would be if the great majority were to act on their advocacy."

Shifting back to the communications revolution, Humphrey said that the transistor radio "may have had more psychological impact on the world than any other single invention in the past century."

The Vice-President said that the United States should make more use of electronic communication media including television to present its views to underdeveloped nations. He maintained that "village views are backed up with village votes. Through their village radios they can pick and choose what they want to believe."

The transistor radio," he continued, "has suddenly become an immensely significant political instrument. The enemies of freedom understand this. Sometimes I wish we understood it as well."

He pointed out that other nations have already learned a lesson of television. "The Chinese say one picture is worth a thousand words. I submit we put our electronic age to work. Are we going to wait for them to have the picture?", he asked.

Humphrey was delivering the first Edward L. Bernays Foundation Lecture at Tufts University's Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy. He had just dedicated the Edward R. Murrow Center for Public Diplomacy and lavishly eulogized Murrow throughout the speech.

Paul R. DeRensis '66 and Brian J. H. Lederer '67, leaders of the Harvard-Radcliffe November 9th Committee, presented Humphrey with a pro-administration Vietnam petition when he arrived at Logan International Airport. According to Lederer, Humphrey assured them that "the President will see this within 24 hours."

About 25 pickets from the Greater Boston Coordinating Committee to End the War in Vietnam carried signs outside Cousens Gymnasium while Humphrey spoke. The Vice-President mentioned that three men who carried placards proclaiming "EAT AT JOE'S" "added a capitalistic touch to the proceedings.