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University of Iowa anti-war protests, 1965-1967

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DI 11/2/67 p.3 (of 9) 

Demonstration - The Way It Was

EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was written by a participant in the protest against Marine recruiters at the Union. He was arrested on a charge of disturbing the peace and was released on $25 bond. 

By DAVE MARGOSHES
Copy Editor 

From the moment the demonstration began at 9 a.m. in pouring rain in front of the Union's east lobby, things began to go wrong.
  When I arrived a few minutes after 9 the demonstrators - some 200 strong - were milling around under the canopy in in front of the entrance stairs, trying to decide what to do in light of an unexpected development.    
    The intention of the demonstration leaders was to have a sit-in in the placement office where Marine Corps recruiters were to be conducting interviews with University men. The purpose was to prevent the Marines from carrying out their recruitment business - as a general protest to the United State involvement in the Vietnamese war and a specific protest against what many of us feel is University complicity in that war and the country's involvement. 
    But University authorities has out ( smarted ?) us. The entire east wing of the Union was closed off - even the TV (??) and a cordon of Campus Security officers was lined up against the door to the east lobby, preventing our entry. 
    We decided after a short discussion, to settle for second best - if we couldn't obstruct the placement office itself we would block the doors to men arriving for interviews, just as the doors were blocked to us by the campus police. 

Marines Pull Fast One
We discovered also that the marines themselves had pulled a fast one on us, that they had arrived an hour earlier than expected and were already conducting interviews. Faced with these two temporary set backs, we lined up in rows on the steps and began what was to be five hours of cold, wet. uncomfortable protest.
    The first interviewees began to arrive about 9:15. Several of them - clean-cut, collegiate looking youths - attempted to break through our barrier and were unsuccessful. They argued with us that what we were doing was wrong - that their rights were being abridged by our actions. 

Peace Movement Disenchanted 
This was a line of argument that we were prepared for. Liberal reasoning has long held that the foundation upon which civil rights and antiwar demonstrators are based is the principle of free speech and that police interference in such protests constitutes an abridgement of protesters' rights.
  But the radical peace movement, in recent months, has become disenchanted with many of its old arguments. During the past few years we radicals - pacifists, Left Wingers and people simply concerned and sickened by American behavior both home and abroad - have tried electoral politics to change the situation, to no avail, and peaceful demonstrations, to no avail. In the more than four years since the resurgance of the peace movement in this country, the war in Vietnam, instead of ending, as it should have really before it began, and instead of tapering off, as the Johnson Administration promised in 1964, has increased in intensity, brutality and loss of life. And last week, President Johnson declared to the whole world, that he would not be dissuaded by dissent. 
   Clearly, many members of the radical peace movement feel the time has come to stop merely protesting and begin to resist. 
   That's what we were doing on the steps on the Union Wednesday and that's why we were able to listen to the arguments of those who wanted to go through our lines and still not let them through. 
  " We have a right to join the Marines if we want," they in effect said. 

No Right To Kill
And we replied: " You do not have a right to kill" 
  After the repelled interviewees realized that they couldn't break through out line, they began resorting to several ploys. A few discovered that our flanks were weak and managed to scramble up the side of the steps before we could stop them. Then we closed ranks more tightly. 
  With the arrival of John Evenden, a hefty former football player, the struggle to keep the way into the Union closed became more difficult. 
   Evenden, with a determined gleam in his eye that I think made us all a little nervous, took off his coat and began to climb over us. Several people were hurt - although none seriously - in the struggle which ensued, which Evenden won, by the way, managing to get all the way over us and into the Union. As he passed by me I was kicked in the eye by one of his flying feet - nothing serious and since I know he didn't mean to do it, I bear no hard feelings. 
  Evenden, by the way, later acted as a damper on the enthusiastic anger of the crowd which gathered, maintaining his position that what we were doing was wrong but pleading with the hostile crowd to avoid violence. 
  Evenden's overpowering performance that morning, however, set the tone for most of the events that followed. Many people - and I have no idea whether they really had appointments to see the marines or were just figuring to have a little fun - ran, or attempted to run, the gauntlet over our heads. Shoes were lost, heads were bumped and hair was pulled. Throughout it all, the demonstrators remained clam. 
   Around 10 o'clock a large crowd of hecklers had formed and many of them were attempting to swing over our heads by means of pipes holding up the 
Continued on Page 3 

State Senator A
By Student At 

Among those arrested in Wednesday's antiwar demonstration was State Sen. Tom Riley ( R-Cedar Rapids) , who was accused of disturbing the peace in a charge brought by Jerry Sies, A4, Vally Stream, N.Y> 
Riley, who said he was at the University to try to prevent a riot, was released on his own recognizance by Police Court Judge Marion R. Neely. 
   George E. Starbuck, associate professor of English and director of the Writers Workshop, was the only University professor arrested. His wife Judith was also arrested. 
   Fred Barnett, an Iowa City dental technician who turned in his draft card to a U.S. Marshal in Cedar Rapids Oct. 16. was also arrested. 
   Others arrested were: Oren A. Peterson, A1 Williamsburg; David Pollen, A3, Chicago, Ill; Rita L. Steele, A3, Cedar Rapids; Shelby Steele, Cedar Rapids; Stephen C. Scott, A1, Burlington; LeRoy F. Searle, G, Iowa City; David W. Salner, G, Baltimore, Md.; Phillip A. Schultz, G, San Francisco, Calif.; Jon Randall Miller, A4, Cedar Rapids; Dave Margoshes, G , Iowa City; Ilya T. Margoshes, A3, Iowa City; Laurie C. McComb, A3, Iowa City; Laurie C. McComb, A3, Naperville, Ill.; Denis H. Johnson, A1, Alexandria, Va.; Douglas E. Brintnall, A4 Iowa City; Charlene E. Brintnall, A4 Iowa City; and Deborah S. Bayer, A1, Washington, D.C.

Also Arrested
Also Michael E. Hall, A2, West Babylon, N.Y.; Paul J. Kleinberger, G, Silver Spring, Md.; Randall R Kleinhesselink, G , Hospens; Shirley J. Hinrichs, A2, Cedar Rapids; Virginia E. Hoff, A3, Bedford, N.Y.; Cynthia G. Dierks, A2, Monticello; harry J. Taylor, A4, Burlington; Mary M. Gammon, A3, New Brunswick, N.J.; and Katherine W. Friedman , A3, Toledo, Ohio.
   Also Everett C. Frost, G, N. Coventry, Conn.; Andrew R. Franklin, G, New York City; Ronnie Franklin, Iowa City; Patricia M. Fishman, G , 424 Clark St., Iowa City; Judith Anne Lawson, A3, Des Moines; Arthur R. Greenberg, G, Iowa City; Cynthia Ann Gray, A2, Leawood, Kan.; David Grant, G, St. Louis; Nathaniel Ely, A1, Cedar Rapids; Scott E. Nagel, A2, North Liberty; Jeffrey P. Neill, G, Iowa City; Gary Edward Goldstein, A4E, Highland Park, Ill., and Lee Weingrad, G , Jamaica, N.Y.
    Goldstein was also charged with failure to obey a police officer and was released on $45 bond. 
   Also Ronald Lee Hillis, A4, Marshall Town; Randee Y. Russell, A3, Jacksonville, Fla.; Dan E. Schabilion, A1, Van Meter; Kenneth W. Wessels, A2, Dyersville; Timothy N. Hyde, A1, Iowa City; Mary Lee, A4, Muscatine; Ira F. Steingroot, A2, Toledo, Ohio; Arnold Vogel, A1 Cedar Rapids; Kathleen N. Chimera, A1, Sandusky, Ohio; Cynthia A. Carper, A1, Spencer; Mary A. Sowers, A3, Buffalo Center; Paul McMullin, A1, Luther; and William Wernz, G, Winona, Minn.

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[handwritten] DI 11/2/67 p.3 (of 9) Demonstration - The Way It Was EDITOR'S NOTE: This article was written by a participant in the protest against Marine recruiters at the Union. He was arrested on a charge of disturbing the peace and was released on $25 bond. By DAVE MARGOSHES Copy Editor From the moment the demonstration began at 9 a.m. in pouring rain in front of the Union's east lobby, things began to go wrong. When I arrived a few minutes after 9 the demonstrators - some 200 strong - were milling around under the canopy in in front of the entrance stairs, trying to decide what to do in light of an unexpected development. The intention of the demonstration leaders was to have a sit-in in the placement office where Marine Corps recruiters were to be conducting interviews with University men. The purpose was to prevent the Marines from carrying out their recruitment business - as a general protest to the United State involvement in the Vietnamese war and a specific protest against what many of us feel is University complicity in that war and the country's involvement. But University authorities has out ( smarted ?) us. The entire east wing of the Union was closed off - even the TV (??) and a cordon of Campus Security officers was lined up against the door to the east lobby, preventing our entry. We decided after a short discussion, to settle for second best - if we couldn't obstruct the placement office itself we would block the doors to men arriving for interviews, just as the doors were blocked to us by the campus police. Marines Pull Fast One We discovered also that the marines themselves had pulled a fast one on us, that they had arrived an hour earlier than expected and were already conducting interviews. Faced with these two temporary set backs, we lined up in rows on the steps and began what was to be five hours of cold, wet. uncomfortable protest. The first interviewees began to arrive about 9:15. Several of them - clean-cut, collegiate looking youths - attempted to break through our barrier and were unsuccessful. They argued with us that what we were doing was wrong - that their rights were being abridged by our actions. Peace Movement Disenchanted This was a line of argument that we were prepared for. Liberal reasoning has long held that the foundation upon which civil rights and antiwar demonstrators are based is the principle of free speech and that police interference in such protests constitutes an abridgement of protesters' rights. But the radical peace movement, in recent months, has become disenchanted with many of its old arguments. During the past few years we radicals - pacifists, Left Wingers and people simply concerned and sickened by American behavior both home and abroad - have tried electoral politics to change the situation, to no avail, and peaceful demonstrations, to no avail. In the more than four years since the resurgance of the peace movement in this country, the war in Vietnam, instead of ending, as it should have really before it began, and instead of tapering off, as the Johnson Administration promised in 1964, has increased in intensity, brutality and loss of life. And last week, President Johnson declared to the whole world, that he would not be dissuaded by dissent. Clearly, many members of the radical peace movement feel the time has come to stop merely protesting and begin to resist. That's what we were doing on the steps on the Union Wednesday and that's why we were able to listen to the arguments of those who wanted to go through our lines and still not let them through. " We have a right to join the Marines if we want," they in effect said. No Right To Kill And we replied: " You do not have a right to kill" After the repelled interviewees realized that they couldn't break through out line, they began resorting to several ploys. A few discovered that our flanks were weak and managed to scramble up the side of the steps before we could stop them. Then we closed ranks more tightly. With the arrival of John Evenden, a hefty former football player, the struggle to keep the way into the Union closed became more difficult. Evenden, with a determined gleam in his eye that I think made us all a little nervous, took off his coat and began to climb over us. Several people were hurt - although none seriously - in the struggle which ensued, which Evenden won, by the way, managing to get all the way over us and into the Union. As he passed by me I was kicked in the eye by one of his flying feet - nothing serious and since I know he didn't mean to do it, I bear no hard feelings. Evenden, by the way, later acted as a damper on the enthusiastic anger of the crowd which gathered, maintaining his position that what we were doing was wrong but pleading with the hostile crowd to avoid violence. Evenden's overpowering performance that morning, however, set the tone for most of the events that followed. Many people - and I have no idea whether they really had appointments to see the marines or were just figuring to have a little fun - ran, or attempted to run, the gauntlet over our heads. Shoes were lost, heads were bumped and hair was pulled. Throughout it all, the demonstrators remained clam. Around 10 o'clock a large crowd of hecklers had formed and many of them were attempting to swing over our heads by means of pipes holding up the Continued on Page 3 State Senator A By Student At Among those arrested in Wednesday's antiwar demonstration was State Sen. Tom Riley ( R-Cedar Rapids) , who was accused of disturbing the peace in a charge brought by Jerry Sies, A4, Vally Stream, N.Y> Riley, who said he was at the University to try to prevent a riot, was released on his own recognizance by Police Court Judge Marion R. Neely. George E. Starbuck, associate professor of English and director of the Writers Workshop, was the only University professor arrested. His wife Judith was also arrested. Fred Barnett, an Iowa City dental technician who turned in his draft card to a U.S. Marshal in Cedar Rapids Oct. 16. was also arrested. Others arrested were: Oren A. Peterson, A1 Williamsburg; David Pollen, A3, Chicago, Ill; Rita L. Steele, A3, Cedar Rapids; Shelby Steele, Cedar Rapids; Stephen C. Scott, A1, Burlington; LeRoy F. Searle, G, Iowa City; David W. Salner, G, Baltimore, Md.; Phillip A. Schultz, G, San Francisco, Calif.; Jon Randall Miller, A4, Cedar Rapids; Dave Margoshes, G , Iowa City; Ilya T. Margoshes, A3, Iowa City; Laurie C. McComb, A3, Iowa City; Laurie C. McComb, A3, Naperville, Ill.; Denis H. Johnson, A1, Alexandria, Va.; Douglas E. Brintnall, A4 Iowa City; Charlene E. Brintnall, A4 Iowa City; and Deborah S. Bayer, A1, Washington, D.C. Also Arrested Also Michael E. Hall, A2, West Babylon, N.Y.; Paul J. Kleinberger, G, Silver Spring, Md.; Randall R Kleinhesselink, G , Hospens; Shirley J. Hinrichs, A2, Cedar Rapids; Virginia E. Hoff, A3, Bedford, N.Y.; Cynthia G. Dierks, A2, Monticello; harry J. Taylor, A4, Burlington; Mary M. Gammon, A3, New Brunswick, N.J.; and Katherine W. Friedman , A3, Toledo, Ohio. Also Everett C. Frost, G, N. Coventry, Conn.; Andrew R. Franklin, G, New York City; Ronnie Franklin, Iowa City; Patricia M. Fishman, G , 424 Clark St., Iowa City; Judith Anne Lawson, A3, Des Moines; Arthur R. Greenberg, G, Iowa City; Cynthia Ann Gray, A2, Leawood, Kan.; David Grant, G, St. Louis; Nathaniel Ely, A1, Cedar Rapids; Scott E. Nagel, A2, North Liberty; Jeffrey P. Neill, G, Iowa City; Gary Edward Goldstein, A4E, Highland Park, Ill., and Lee Weingrad, G , Jamaica, N.Y. Goldstein was also charged with failure to obey a police officer and was released on $45 bond. Also Ronald Lee Hillis, A4, Marshall Town; Randee Y. Russell, A3, Jacksonville, Fla.; Dan E. Schabilion, A1, Van Meter; Kenneth W. Wessels, A2, Dyersville; Timothy N. Hyde, A1, Iowa City; Mary Lee, A4, Muscatine; Ira F. Steingroot, A2, Toledo, Ohio; Arnold Vogel, A1 Cedar Rapids; Kathleen N. Chimera, A1, Sandusky, Ohio; Cynthia A. Carper, A1, Spencer; Mary A. Sowers, A3, Buffalo Center; Paul McMullin, A1, Luther; and William Wernz, G, Winona, Minn. Others tonequa, G, Neena Burlingto City; Ja David B Bruce Al ald J. Fr Winnett en. Also Ma Calif.; Ra T. Lecha Council B Sioux City Cleveland Iowa City City; Aug Raymond Also Eld D. Holmt, mer, A1, L1, Bloom A1, William A1, East son, G. Le A3, Fairfa Earlham: York, N.Y. Ill.; Ross Diane L. Calif.; Mi L. Brenne Eric Torg N.Y.; Me David W. R. Rice, Iowa City; catur, Ill. Also arr not listed or city te Smith, Ro Klausner, John P. Ca Rorengard, Epstein, an Late Wed was unable or address also arrest Appe On R The Stud nesday eve validity of Wednesday. Valley Str Studen Pa complaint ballotting a The unoff are: the S coalition pr nomy prope choice -- 42