Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 14, No. 3. April 5, 1951
The British Statement
The British Statement
This may be taken as the Western delegates' reply to the Eexecutive report, but it was opposed by many independent groups of progressives. It dealt with:
Problems of Colonial Students
Problems existed and no one was complacent about them, but the Executive Report did not mention gains which have been made, new universities in Malaya and Jamaica for example. It was considered that advances as well as defects should have been reported. Admittedly, drastic changes were necessary.
Other Practival Activities
Farm camps, travel schemes and the International Summer University attracted 2,800 students, but no East European students attended—except those from Jugoslavia. Correspondence concerning a Summer University under IUS auspices revealed IUS hostility to the scheme.
Deteriorating Relations with IUS
With all countries relations had improved except with those who are members of IUS. This is not the fault of the Union but the IUS has seen fit to make an attack upon the Executive of the Union.
Political Activity
An international students' organisation claiming to be representative must concern itself with student problems and not strain the loyalty of its members whose political views differ widely.
Partisan Nature of IUS
Publications
Some sincerely believe that a student organisation cannot avoid political activity but the sincerity of those in IUS is questionable when that activity is examined. There is evidence to support the suggestion that this activity is not impartial. "When the report speaks of Western Germany becoming a military base, we would expect it to express far more concern at the state of affairs in Eastern Germany, where the people's police are organised on military lines, officered by such men as Major-Gens. Wiz and Weech, who both held important positions in the Wehrmacht under the Nazis."
"If the IUS reported fairly the views of all its members there might be some excuse for trying to settle matters which statemen have failed to settle, but if it merely repeats the Soviet case while suppressing those of other countries we can and do justly claim that the IUS is partisan. The Peace Campaign.
"It is selective treatment which has brought the activities of the Partisans of Peace into disrepute . . . All of us want peace." They (the Partisans of Peace) are not against [ unclear: ar] in any part of the world if it is fought for communist aims. The National Union of Students has mandated its delegates to support the Stockholm Appeal only if it were amended to ban all weapons.
The IUS could play a leading part in the campaign for peace by the breaking down of barriers to understanding.
Membership
We are concerned at the increasingly unrepresentative character of IUS membership. Two organisations numbering 1050 students, for example speak in the name of 25,000 Dutch students.
Conclusion
The British Report concluded by endorsing the IUS aims: Peace, National Independence and Democratic Education. It was clear, however, that respect for the IUS had declined, only nine Unions out of 246 in Britain having paid their subscriptions and this should cause IUS some concern.
Could not students join together to work for peace rather than fight for it. (P 12-18).