University of Virginia Library

Spock Speaks Out
Against 'Rotten System'

By Donn Kessler
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Benjamin Spock, the pediatrician
turned anti-war activist, told over 150
University, students yesterday that
although he opposed revolution, "if you
believe in revolution, then you should be
working for it."

Dr. Spock, who spoke to the students
on the physician in society and on his on
involvement in the war protest, stated
that "the system is rotten and getting
more repressive. But we must try to make
the system work. If we try revolution
now, I believe that we will be reduced to
grease-spots."

The physician exemplified his
statement by saying that a small group of
dedicated individuals almost put Eugene
McCarthy in the White House and that the
peace movement had helped to force Lyndon
B. Johnson out of office.

In answering a question about the war in
Vietnam, Dr. Spock said that "Nixon thinks he
is getting away with Vietnamization and that is
the reason he went into Laos. We cannot let
him get away with this."

Although the activist doctor told the
students that the "risks were too high and the
gain too little" if they resisted the draft, he
continued by saying that the real point in
resisting the draft was how much good the
resistance would do.

The publicity of the resistance, he said, had
an impact on the course of the war. "The
mowing down of four students at Kent State

dramatized the issue of the war," he stated,
"and 500 colleges then closed down in
spontaneous reaction."

The killings, he said, "had an impact on the
President. He came to the Lincoln Memorial at
5 a.m. and spoke to students. He was really
trying in his own insensitive way to establish
communication."

Dr. Spock also explained that the armed
forces did exert pressures on Mr. Nixon, but
said that this was not necessarily wrong. "The
majority of the people in the Pentagon are
committed to the democratic process and they
are right in attempting to influence the
President."

He added, however, that Mr. Nixon had
"dreams of glory, a kind of Walter Mitty
complex. Before he invaded Cambodia, he
buttonholed his staff if they had seen the movie
Patton. If that movie had such an impression on
him, imaging the impression the Pentagon
makes on him."

The doctor also claimed that "Johnson had
betrayed millions of Americans and made an ass
out of me. He brought us to the edge of nuclear
disaster. And then he tried to throw me in jail
for felling the people the truth."

The pediatrician, who was convicted in 1968
of aiding others to avoid the draft and later
found innocent on appeal, stated that the
nation had to re-order its priorities. "We must
moving down of four students at Kent State
dramatized the issue of the war," he stated,
stop wasting our money in that rat-hole of
Vietnam. Our activities are like the bristling of
dogs. We must turn our efforts to getting good
education and medical help for all Americans."