THE WASHINGTON POST Saturday,Jftnc I, 1968
Joshua Lederberg
Campus Radicals’Booby Trap
Is to .Invite Brutal Reaction
S
“ETHIOPIA’ gain is our California or Morningside deafen us against the volces
loss,” I thought when I read Heights. of our own heirs. Blind fury,
that Dr. John Summerskill such as dominated COlum-
had abruptly thrown up his MANY OF US in slightly s
bia’ campus (my own alma
hands and escaped from the less responsible positions mater), is hardly to be ex-
campus of San Francisco still feel that the university cused, but if we react with-
State College. My friend had can be saved as a center of out understanding it, we are
been president there for the sanity in a mad world but it only asking for more trouble
past two years, and my main will take a large measure of tomorrow. This is exactly
wonder was how he had our own sanity, diplomacy the radicals’ booby trap, that
managed to take it for so and luck to do it. they can consolidate the
long. Dr. Summerskill was my alienation of the diffusely
A pinch of insanity and a main tutor in practical polit- angry by inviting the brutal
large dose of human concern ical science. He made no reaction of authority.
for the. real needs of stu- bones about his realization WHEN IT comes to
dents, and of our whole soci- (before I heard it anywhere
ety ‘ were’ at least two of the else) that the radical left charges of frustrating the
necessary ingredients. He had. the destruction of the educational process. the es-
perceived very well that his university aa its aim. Con- tablishment has its own sins
campus, even more than spiring with it Is’ a radical to answer to. President Kirk
most, was a microcosm of right, close to the center of added little to the luster of
the conflicts that rend our wwer in California. that has objective inquiry by his pre-
culture. About all he Gad similar aims all &long, mature commitment of Co-
t
couldn’ be sure of was clearly expressed on issues lumbia University to the
which threats of assassina- like academic freedom. Strickhr& ftlter. but this ad-
tion would materialize first Questions like student gov- mitted error never invited
-black or white, left or ernment and discipline were threats of suspension.
right. pseudo-issues, platforms for We deplore violence as a
He did much more than recruiting the uncommitted method of solving problems,
most men could have done center. but the bombers still peace-
to mediate in a crossfire of Dr; Sum’ merskill hoped to fully illuminate Vietnam
implacable hostility and now confuse the enemy with a with American wisdom.) Edu-
he is temporarily weir out of novel policy of nonviolent cators’ urgent pleas about
it in a country that must admlnistcation -anU by opeh the impact of Selective Serv-
seem far more civilized.than; assertion of his own pro- ice policy on graduate en-
found’ sympathies for moat rollment and university
of the real grievances that -teaching go unanswered and
underlie the massive center ignored.
of student anger. It is impos- Adding insult to.injury is
sible to judge his experi- tibe arrogant remark that
ment-the story is not yet f’ the board owns the univer-
over, and in any case he sity” when the members are
never had enough authority trustees for a social purpose
and support to carry it out. that they could not conceiv-
No self-respecting campus ably fulfill whhout the dedl-
can endure a year nowadays cation of students and fac-
without some significant in- ulty alike. Or should they
cident. There is too much start paying co*rate In-
for youth to be angry about come and reti est&@xea?
to let It go by without a ges- Reestabli&ing otfrk$om-
ture of defiance. There is a mon purpose must be&me
real meaning in @hat mes- our main goal; #logue, not
sage: that we are leaving the recrhnma&ions; kiB temptr
world to them in an intolera- tomorrow’ protea&. ., I i i
s
ble mess, and that even law Listen, will yolr? ;i , :
and order or qmventional Q 1968. The Wuhln&a Port c,,.
are
succe4~a not suelr. apcwl
value8 *y that 6they .excuse
Iblind ti ‘ deliberate’ f&ction.
The radicals’ efforts to.ex-
nloit thfs an(Ier -should sot