University of Virginia Library

Largest In Nation's History

Anti-War Forces Stage Peaceful D.C. Rally

By Rob Buford and Peter Shea
Cavalier Daily Staff Writers

WASHINGTON - With Army helicopters circling overhead all day, hundreds of
thousands of demonstrators massed on the Washington Monument grounds
beseeching President Nixon to "Give Peace a Chance."

The President, however, shielded by a cordon of police and a barricade of buses,
sat as he earlier had promised, unaffected, in the White House, reportedly watching
a football game.

The Monument rally climaxed two full days of anti-war protests sponsored by
the New Mobilization Committee to End the War in Vietnam (New Mobe). The
authorized rally and marches concluded without violence, although two incidents
were allegedly incited by members of the Students for a Democratic Society (SDS)
and the Youth International Party (Yippies).

Although Washington's dire expectations of major violence proved unfounded,
thousands of troops poured into the city late Friday night in heavy security
precautions ordered by the Administration.

Saturday's march was conducted under the
ever-watchful eyes of the District police and
troops who lined the march route and sat
perched atop the Government buildings in the
area.

The demonstrations started Thursday evening
as early arrivals initiated a 36-hour "March
Against Death."

Beginning at Arlington National Cemetery,
the demonstrators marched single file, each
carrying a placard bearing the name of an
American soldier killed in the war, on a route
that proceeded past the White House and down
Pennsylvania Avenue to the Capitol.

Many of the marchers carried burning
candles, shielded from the cold wind in Dixie
cups, which some attempted to place in front
of the Executive Mansion but were prevented
from doing so by White House and city
authorities.

During the dark hours, the front lawn of the
mansion was bathed in blinding light provided
by three stanchions of stadium lights aimed
towards the demonstrators on the street.

At the Capitol, the names of the war dead
were placed in wooden coffins which were
carried back to Arlington after the Saturday
rally.

Despite the presence of the security forces,
the events on Saturday took on a carnival-like
atmosphere. The demonstrators, dressed as if
they were attending a December football game,
carried banners, flags and even balloons,
providing a striking contrast with the olive
drabness and stern demeanor of the encircling
troops.

The New Mobe's forces gathered at the
Capitol end of the Mall for the start of the
march up Pennsylvania Avenue. Starting at 10
a.m., marshals supplied by the demonstration's
leaders began funneling marchers onto the
avenue. The size of the crowd in the Mall area
created so much confusion that most found
themselves wandering aimlessly amidst the
throng, fighting off the cold.

At times the scene took on the appearance
of a guerrilla love-in.

Although most of the crowd was composed
of college students, other groups had organized
for the march. A large contingent of Veterans
for Peace were prominent and a faction of
middle-aged Delawareans For Peace appeared to
refute President Nixon's claim that the silent
majority backed him.

Due to the time limit set by the authorities,
the vast majority of the demonstrators never
entered the Pennsylvania Avenue march,
hurrying ahead instead to the Monument for
the rally.

Although most of the speeches were, of
course, directed at the war, Spiro Agnew
provided a most appealing target for the barbs
of speakers and demonstrators alike.

Dick Gregory heightened the relaxed, calm
atmosphere with a monologue directed at the
controversial Vice President. Mr. Gregory
amused the crowd by reporting his fear of Mr.
Agnew's being "one heartbeat from the
Presidency."

Mr. Gregory quipped that the Vice-President
is the type who, if he were in control, would be
likely to make a crank call to the Russians on
the Hot Line.

Mr. Agnew's name and reputation also
provided material for the demonstrators who
occasionally marched to the chant "Peace,
peace, peace, peace; Send Spiro back to
Greece."

Posters also bore Mr. Agnew's name. One
lade of the Delaware group, easily in her fifties,
displayed a poster which defined the word
AGNEW as standing for "America's Greatest
Nitwit Endorses War," while others proclaimed
"Agnew Is An Edsel."

Some demonstrators even offered advice for
Mr. Agnew's future with signs reading "Agnew
for President - of Vietnam," "Agnew for
Apollo 13."

The Vice-President could not completely
shield Mr. Nixon from the critics' jibes. One
march chat heard throughout the morning was
"One, two, three, four; Tricky Dick, end the
war," while one marcher in especially freaky
garb bore a placard reading "Nix On War!"

Despite the efforts of the radical elements,
the entire rally was conducted peacefully.
American flags were distributed and were easily
more prominent than the NLF flags that were
carried by some militants.

The crowd, reported to be the largest
assemblage of protesters in the nation's history,
was not deterred by the biting cold. Although
size estimates vary from a conservative quarter
million to 750,000, the actual number of
persons attending will never be known.

Amazing is not only the size of the throng,
but also its seeming unity of purpose and the
incredible smoothness and precision with which
The New Mobe accomplished its objectives.
Obstacles such as the weather and the threats of
impending violence failed to thwart the
demonstrations, although prevailing conditions
must have played some role in tempering both
the size and the mood of the crowd.

Upon leaving Washington, the spectator is
struck by two aspects of the event (not
counting the tear gas). First is the high contrast
evident in the event.

The unified demonstrators crowded peacefully
at the Monument with not even enough
room for all to sit while in the background the
White House looked on, seemingly empty,
impregnable, totally removed. As the departing
marchers, numb with the cold, trudged away
from the Mall, the cold white Government
buildings, with their armored doors clamped
tight, seemed somehow even more forbidding.

The second aspect concerned the power, the
power of the Government matched against that
of the people who had made their march. The
energy of the afternoon, rippling as it had
throughout the mass assembled beneath the
Monument, seemed to dissipate in the face of
the unmoving forces erected against it.

A political event of such magnitude would
logically have some effect, but many of the
departing participants seemed skeptical that
this would be the case. How do you talk to a
guy who says he is not listening?

Undoubtedly, it was a good day to watch a
football game.

Photos by Michael Russell and Charlie Sands