By Stu Chapman
Contributing Editor
October 20, 1964
Student demonstrators will picket President Johnson at the University Fieldhouse Friday in an attempt ""to push him farther to the left.""
Calling themselves ""The Committee for a second Thought on Johnson,"" several members of the University's Young Peoples' Socialist League (YPSL) have announced plans for a 3 p.m. demonstration.
The protest will serve as a rallying point for liberals and democratic radicals who are not satisfied with several of the Johnson administration policies.
YPSL members are soliciting the support of liberally tinged campus political groups and Monday night won the qualified endorsement of the DuBois Club.
Hundreds of handbills will be distributed Thursday announcing the reasons for the demonstration.
The YPSL leaflet says, ""We feel that President Johnson is a most unsatisfactory standard bearer of liberalism, and that liberals and democratic radicals should not panic in the face of reactionary Goldwaterism and give their unqualified support to Johnson's inadequate and compromised version of ‘liberalism'.""
Other parts of the handbill criticize Johnson for his policies in Vietnam and his withdrawing of federal support for Mississippi civil rights workers. It also accuses him of ""an inadequate war on poverty.""
Paul Mueller, a YPSL spokesman said, ""Many of us feel that the campaign is not that clear cut. We want to make these issues clearer.
""YPSL has called the demonstration for three basic things. First we want the neutralization of South Vietnam, which means an end to the war there.
""Second, we want protection for civil rights workers and full implementation of the Civil Rights Bill. Third, we want the Johnson administration to develop a more ‘real war' on poverty, with a great deal more money spent in the war.""
Other campus political groups began joining the demonstration ranks Monday night and it appeared that the protest would enlist several more organizations before the President's speech.
Announcing that they would participate in the demonstration were the Young Socialist Alliance, Socialist Club and the Students for a Democratic Society.
The DuBois Club said it would issue a separate leaflet which it would circulate at the Fieldhouse.
The demonstration will begin at 2:30 p.m. at the Memorial Union and will march to the Fieldhouse. Once there it will continue until the President has left.
There was little comment from the Republican groups on campus. Mort Allin, chairman of the Collegians for Goldwater, said his group was going to be working extensively on the precinct level and planned no demonstration at the Fieldhouse.
Allen said he probably would attend the speech but said he saw little point in demonstrating.
Bob Pelner, chairman of the Young Republicans, added a tongue-in-cheek footnote to Allin's comments. Pelner said, ""I think the Jenkins' episode on top of the Bobby Baker affair speaks for itself. We won't need any signs there. Any demonstration will be ad hoc, if you'll pardon the expression.""
