Tutor in Dunster House Evaluates Dow Upheaval for 'New Republic'

The day of the Dow Chemical demonstration was "one of the best classroom days ever at Harvard,' 'Maurice D. Ford '58, assistant senior tutor in Dunster House, said in an article he wrote for the November 11 issue of The New Republic.

In "The Right to Recruit on College Campuses," Ford summarizes the events of October 25--the day of the demonstration--and the punishment that followed.

Ford describes the feelings of impotence and frustration experienced by students who have participated in the anti-war movement to illustrate the mental attitudes which led to the sit-in.

He quotes the following remarks of a junior as an example:

"The University just has to take a stand right now. We saw the heads smashed in Washington, and we have to do something here. We're beating our heads against a wall. We can't stand still anymore."

He said that Dow Chemical and Harvard appeared to many students as "co-partners with the Johnson Administration in genocide."

Ford stresses that, although most of the students were deeply disgusted with the war, the demonstrators were always a "good-humored, responsible crowd."

He explains how Neil L. Rudenstine, assistant professor of English, dramatically changed the mood of the protestors by asking if the crowd wished "to adopt the repressive techniques of yesteryear."

The demonstrators responded to this rational plea almost immediately, Ford said. They released the Dow representative before "police action and possible violence" occurred.

Peaceful Demonstration

He contrasts the peaceful protest at Harvard with the demonstration against Dow at the University of Wisconsin where "70 students were injured by riot-thrained police and 13 expelled."

The Faculty's reluctance to sever anyone from the University was due to "the notion that veritas can only follow the free expression of all ideas," Ford said.

"The triumph of discourse-in-demonstration was made possible, in part, by the good humor of the Dow representative and the commendable tolerance of some deans, who let the protest run its course without resorting to the police," he wrote.

He commended most of all the attitude of the students, who chose "restraint rather than constraint."