Interest in Politics Increases; Campus Groups Set Programs

Last year's entering class made national news when 250 freshmen--almost 20 per cent of the class--signed a list at registration expressing interest in joining the Harvard Republican Club. Several articles in the New York Times cited that figure as evidence of a growing conservative trend at one-time bastions of liberalism like Harvard.

This year's campus-watchers face a more complex situation as groups on the center and left--as well as the right-- experienced rises in initial student interest.

Conservatism continued its upsurge as 380 freshmen signed the Republican's list at the September 16 registration--a more than 50-per-cent increase over last year's total and a higher order of magnitude from the 35 students comprising the Young Republican Club in the radical heyday of 1969.

Conventional politics at Harvard received an added boost with the approximately 320 freshmen who expressed interest in the Harvard-Radcliffe Democrats Club--a substantial increase over last year, when the organization was revived for the first time since its demise in 1969-70 over the issue of the Vietnam War.

The 600 total of freshmen and upperclassmen showing interest in the club is close to the record 700 members on the organization's rolls in 1968, when many Harvard students campaigned for Eugene McCarthy.

Left-wing groups, too, have found growing undergraduate interest. About 200 freshmen signed up to receive the newsletter of the New American Movement (NAM), and 150 upperclassmen also showed interest in learning more about the group. Last year a total of 200 students received the NAM newsletter.

The Democratic Socialist Organizing Committee (DSOC), which, like the Democrats' Club, was organized last year, recorded about 100 freshmen signatures at registration. Last year DSOC had a mailing list of 30-40 students.

Both groups also marked increased attendance at their opening meetings this fall. The 90 students attending the NAM introductory session is more than double the number who attended last September. And the 30 students at DSOC's initial meeting marked a similar rise over last year's regular attendance of 15.

The split between conventional and radical groups at Harvard not only affects the political views of the organizations--it extends to the degree of activism the groups practice.

The Democrat and Republican groups are precisely what their names attest to--clubs. Rather than engage in actual campaigns on behalf of particular issues or candidates, the groups provide activities according to the interests of members. The major program of the Democrats, for instance, is their legislative internship service which arranges for students to work with Massachusetts state legislators. Officers of the organization acknowledge that many students join the club to participate in the program, which last year found positions for 45 students.

Both clubs sponsor small dinner meetings with local politicians, and occasional national figures accept invitations to speak. The Democrats plan a trip to Washington this year to meet with congressional leaders, and the Republicans hope to hold parties to permit members to socialize. Neither group endorses candidates, although both groups occasionally make policy statements on particular issues.

NAM and DSOC plan work to generate student support for a number of local and national issues. Organizers of the two groups hope to work together to publicize the situation of the United Mine Workers, who are expected to strike in November and to encounter a large-scale publicity effort by the nation's energy industries. Both groups also plan to continue work in support of the boycott sponsored by the United Farm Workers.

NAM, in further support of the farm-workers, plans to begin today a petition campaign to force Harvard to terminate its contract with Gallo wine, one of the products included in the boycott.

NAM is also organizing a number of groups to research local issues and to provide discussion forums for students. A "committee on the class nature of education" will investigate Harvard admissions and financial aid, while members also participate in men's groups, women's caucuses, and possibly in course critiques.

DSOC plans to support organizing efforts by Harvard employees, particularly the clerical and technical workers. The group plans to remain in the "background" on this issue, according to one member, engaging in leafletting and petitioning.