U.S. Needs Us

Sir-What a pity it was that Plymouth Rock didn't land on the Pilgrim Fathers instead of the other way round.

This remark is not humorous, it is part of the tragic truth that because of the inert nature of that rock, death for the Indians, enslavement for the Negroes, and spiritual disaster for the homeless New-Americans resulted. And they have become enslaved by a brutal and cynical oligarchic business-world. Will this unsagacious society mature to arise distinguishable from the concrete and steel they have created.

This extends beyond spiritual and mental deprivation. Lately our attention has been drawn to the ten million people suffering from malnutrition in the USA. There is an overproduction of food problem where the Treasury pays farmers nor to utilise a certain percentage of their properties because it is not economically profitable to distribute the excess food to the human slagheap created by the capitalistic system. To have starvation right there in the same country, where wealth and poverty exist side by side,' is a tragedy for everyone of those ten million people.

Because of these ironic conditions the 'Aid to America Society' has been formed within Victoria University with the objective of alleviating human suffering and deprivation within the Republic of the United States of America. This Society hopes to collect money which will be presented to the American Ambassador to New Zealand. No student could fail to sympathise with this previously overlooked underprivileged area. We are disinterested politically, simply keen that no Americans should die of malnutrition or other mistreatment.

If support is forthcoming we shall send a Communique to the United Nations and endeavour to enlist the support of other Universities in the world. We hope you will be enthusiastic about this practical opportunity to help America.