Law-Grad Dems Call for Harvard To Refuse to Hand Lists to HUAC

The Executive Board of the Harvard Law-Graduate School Young Democratic Club has urged Harvard to refuse to turn over membership lists of student organizations to the House Un-American Activities Committee, if such lists are requested.

In a resolution, passed unanimously yesterday, the Dems call for the administration "to carry this fight to the courts if necessary."

They charge that "the HUAC request will have the effect of stifling dissent and serves no valid legislative purpose."

The Harvard administration, the resolution states, "has only said that it 'does not know,' what it would do if HUAC subpoenaed such membership lists at Harvard."

Although Harvard has not yet been asked for membership lists, the HUAC has subpoenaed them from anti-war groups from the University of Michigan and University of California at Berkeley. Both schools have complied with no objection from their administrations.

After these lists were handed over, the American Civil Liberties Union, in a letter to 900 colleges and universities, called for college administrators to refuse to give student membership lists to the HUAC.

The resolution was suggested by James M. Klebba, a third-year law student and treasurer of the Democratic Club. Klebba fears that the additional attention directed at Harvard after Secretary McNamara's visit might prompt an HUAC subpoena.