Political Bias—which Way?

The tale about how impossible it would be for us to benefit from IUS because of distance and cost, is repeated by Mr. O'Brien. If it were true, would it not be equally true of Co-Sec? But it is not. The Indonesian national union has sponsored the setting up, under the aegis of IUS. of a Pacific and Asian student sub-group. Surely we could participate in its activities. Through it we could build co-operation with the bulk of Asia denied us by contact only with Co-Sec. And no New Zealand student, unless he believes in the sort of nonsense talked by Sir Carl Berendsen at the Catholic Students Congress, thinks we can help peace by getting to understand only those people who agree with us.

As to "political bias," what sort of objectivity is likely to be represented by the "Ford Foundation" which paid the fares of delegates to the Co-Sec conference at Constantinople—Including that of Mr O'Brien?

Just how astray Co-Sec is in its dealing with colonial student problems was shown by the report of Indonesian delegate Busono on the Copenhagen Conference in 1953. Nearer home, the irresponsibility of New Zealand Co-Sec supporters was shown in the very brief report of the VUC delegate at the same conference. It included a long passage sneering at IUS, and an admission that he had made a speech at the Conference while drunk, attacking the SCM. The same gentleman, though elected by the students to attend an IUS conference, failed to attend it or notify his inability to attend.

Mr. O'Brien's peroration about "students of the democracies" can only be meant as a joke. Mr. O'Brien knows very well that what he understands by "democracies" are a few countries—not more than 15—on the North Atlantic and the South Pacific. And the vital interests of the students of these countries are bound up with peace, which necessitates shaking hands across the curtain that divides East and West. Co-Sec enubles us to meet only the students of the motley of fascisms and feudalisms claimed by the United States as "allies".

Only IUS opens wider doors.—C.B.

[As this verbal debate appears to concern only Mesars. O'Brlen and "C.B." (despite the motion pasted at Congress), the correspondence will close next issue with Mr. O'Brien's reply. It is the last time he will be so naive to take a Congress motion as meaning anything to those who voted for It.

Vive la University!—ED.]