University of Virginia Library

SSOC Demonstrators Protest Dow Recruiting

Anti-War Speakers
Blast Use Of Napalm

By Tom Adams

Yesterday afternoon in front
of Minor Hall, the Southern Student
Organizing Committee protested
interviews by representatives
of the Dow Chemical Company
with speeches, folk songs,
and posters.

A group of about fifty SSOC
members and sympathizers
carried signs, some of which
read: "Dow Chemical Company,
Merchants of Death," "Napalm,
Crime Against Humanity," and
"Burn Baby Burn."

Two speeches were given, one
by Alan Ogden and the other by
David Noland, both of SSOC.
Between the speeches there were
folksongs such as "I Ain't Marchin''
Anymore" and "What Did
You Learn in School Today?"

Between the folksinging the
sounds of bugles from Bonneycastle
Dell could be heard where
the ROTC units were drilling.
From time to time various Navy
and Army units would march by
to or from drill.

Dow Declines

The Dow representatives, invited
to speak before the assemblage,
declined to do so. In

the placement office in Minor
Hall they conducted interviews
with some of the 23 students who
signed up for interviews yesterday
and today.

When questioned by reporters
they were polite, but curt. The
two representatives, Thomas
Jones and Bronson Harris, had
been the subject of demonstrations
at other colleges and were
used to the sort of treatment
they received yesterday.

The demonstration lasted from
1:30 to 3:30, as scheduled. Near
the end of the demonstration the
chant, "We want Dow to speak,"
arose.

Ogden Speaks

Alan Ogden of the SSOC gave
the first speech of the afternoon.
Phrases of his speech such as
"Seventy per cent of the people
harmed by napalm are under
16 years old," brought cheers
from a large crowd of spectators
gathered to watch the demonstration.

He concluded his speech with
"We protest this Dow recruiting
because it is a manifestation
of the dominant forces of this
society, the forces that pursue
their ends at our expense, at the
expense of democracy, at the expense
of people in many underdeveloped
countries, who are being
forced by the United States
to live under fire bombing and
under unprogressive governments,
so that our disproportionate share
of the world's resources can be
maintained.

"We protest this Dow recruiter's
presence in the name
of life, our life, our University's
life, because he is a representative
of death.

"We protest this Dow recruiter's
presence in the name
of hope, because he is a representative
of the war and the decisions
which have frustrated the
hopes of the world for peace."

David Noland, when asked

why he was picketing, answered:
"I'm against the war in Vietnam
and against the tools they use
for the war." Nancy Hodes when
asked, replied: "I guess it's the
same reason everyone else is
here, I'm against the war."

Rodney Norden answered by
saying: "Dow is helping the war
effort and I don't favor the war.
So I don't want to do anything
to help."

Mr. Noland delivered an impromptu
speech late in the afternoon
asking the Dow representatives
to address the group: "If
Dow had a decent respect for
our opinion, they would come
out and speak to us."

Earlier in the protest one SSOC
member was overheard speaking
to another, "It's too bad that I
have to go to chemistry now. I
hope no one overheard that."

Photo By Mannix

Alan Ogden

Demonstration Speaker