University of Virginia Library

'Destroying Vietnamese Society'

Law Students, Faculty Protest War

By Stefan Lopatkiewicz and
Bob Bryan

Thirteen professors and eighty-four
students of the University's
Law School have signed a statement
expressing their opposition
to current American policy in
Viet Nam.

The action is part of a national
voice of opposition by law professors
and students to the administration's
conduct of the
Vietnam war. More than 500 professors
and 4000 students have
signed the statement, which University
law student Mike Fox describes
as "an attempt to show
that lawyers can play a particularly
significant role in making
clear that opposition to the present
policy is not limited to extremists,
but comes from many
moderate citizens of all political
views."

Mr. Fox said, "We urge lawyers
who share bur concerns to
work for a policy change in every
legitimate way they can, including
the support of candidates
committed to such a change."
The law student is currently preparing
a petition to gain support
on the Grounds for Senator Eugene
McCarthy of Minnesota for
President.

Reduction Essential

"We believe that steps to reduce
land and air operations by
American forces, signifying our
intention to limit our aims in
Vietnam, are an essential precondition
for the release of those political
forces which will bring
genuine negotiations," reads the
heart of the statement.

The petition asserts that the
United States is not legally committed
to continue its current
policy in the war, which is "destroying
the Vietnamese society
we seek to protect." The statement
continues, however, "We
reject the suggestion that opposition
to the present policy necessarily
implies precipitate withdrawal
of American forces or
abandonment of our supporters
in Vietnam."

"Desperately needed domestic
programs" are being subordinated
to the demands that the war is
placing on the country's resources
and energies, continues the petition.

Professor Roy A. Schotland,
who is the local spokesman for
the declaration, said he felt this
kind of statement can have national
impact and urged "people
who are standing around wringing
their hands and asking what they
can do" to take similar action.

Mr. Schotland asked, "Why
don't other parts of the University,
the history or economics departments,
do something nationally?"

Another Petition

Mr. Fox noted that a petition
supporting the administration's
Vietnam policy and opposing any
de-escalation or cessation of
bombing has recently been circulated
in the Law School by
students Raymond Battochi and
Robert Del Bello. Although this
petition has been circulated for
a shorter period of time, approximately
80 students have already
signed it. Neither Mr. Battochi
nor Mr. Del Bello was available
for comment.

The other 12 professors, comprising
roughly one-third of the
University's Law School, who
signed the petition opposing current
Vietnamese policy, are
Thomas Bergin, Thomas Currier,
Bernard Dunau, Ernest Folk,
Graham Lilly, A. J. G. Priest,
Richard Speidel, Walter Wadlington,
Robert Weinberg, James
Wesner, Thomas White, and Calvin
Woodward.