University of Virginia Library

Good Faith

"What is on the line now is the good faith
of the striking students," William Harbaugh,
Professor of History and strong opponent of
the war in Indochina, observed at the rally
Monday evening. Most faculty members, at
least in the College, have been very
understanding of the difficulties that the
strikers face when they make the decision to
be absent from classes and exams and have
taken positive measures to aid the strikers in
their work against the war.

We believe that the striking students must
now take advantage of the academic
alternatives by acting in the good faith in
which they were granted. The strike at the
University is only a small step in starting the
machinery to grind the fighting to a halt.
What is now needed is a concerted effort to
convince representatives in government ad
citizens outside the university community of
the validity of the anti-war view.

The Virginia Strike Committee, even
though at times we have criticized them for
wavering leadership and disorganization, has
tried to act as responsibility and reasonably as
possible during the often strained times of the
past days. Repeatedly they and others
have prevented ugly confrontations by their
efforts to cool the crowd and to convince the
Administration of the necessity for restraint
and tolerance.

The marshals from the Strike Committee,
the law school, and especially from the
faculty literally have put their well-being and
safety on the line to prevent needless violence
and injury to others. They have been
subjected to police harassment and to verbal
abuse from some of the more impatient and
unreasonable elements of the strike. They
deserve much praise.

The way the students can show their good
faith is to go out into the community and to
work for peace through lobbying and talking.
Many misconceptions and misunderstandings
need to be cleared up with the people of this
state and the rest of the nation. Just an
explanation of the sequence of events during
the strike period would be a helpful
contribution.

The people who are now so bitterly
attacking our supposed radical leader,
President Shannon, are clearly misinformed as
to what really occurred here Friday night and
Saturday morning. Many of them have only
heard one side of the story since the beginning
of the strike and might not be so self-assured
in their criticisms if they received a rebuttal.

We urge all striking students to take
advantage of this opportunity to help to end
the war. If you are not quite sure how you
might be most helpful and productive, ask
someone from the Strike Committee or a
sympathizing faculty member. Do it today.