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Show 1 - ' .... If, f(i jt 0 'y t ear- i; S "s..'4i-f -. i r x n ,,' V , .nwW" t J 1 . v I O ' , 1 .a' is,. J i y " " --" Mnmnrirrir j J I "The Society Is anti-democratic . . . -ima eoals of Society . . . . . are to stifle collectivism." I ... dangerous foreign policy." Birch Debate Yields Pro-Con Thoughts Williams, Rousselot Clash In Verbal Battle Over The Conservative Society's Tactics Is the John Birch Society an antidemocratic, unethical, dangerous dan-gerous group of non-thinking extremists, dedicated to Robert Welchism; or is it an anti-communist, religious, effective group of roght-thinking patriots, dedicated to antixollectivism and indi- . vidual freedom? j THIS QUESTION was posed yesterday as Dr. J. D. Williams, political science professor, and John H. Rousselot, former congressman con-gressman from California and Western District governor of the John Birch Society, clashed in verbal combat before over a thousand thou-sand persons in the Union Ballroom. Mr. Rousselot began the "debate," saying that "merely being patriotic or anti-communist is not sufficient qualification for membership in the Society. J He emphasized the religious Ideals of the higher group. He said that its aim Is to give man a "higher purpose in life," an opportunity for dedication to Americanism "in word j and deed." He said that the prime goals of the Society are to stifle the "evil forces of collectivism," to encourage individual freedom and responsibility and to restore faith in America's moral and spiritual values. MR. ROUSSELOT said the Society operates by disseminating dissemin-ating books, pamphlets and periodicals peri-odicals that support a conservative conserva-tive viewpoint. Other actions of the Society mentioned by the former congressman con-gressman were efforts made to identify "proOommunist" speakers, speak-ers, to make "pro-American" speakers available and, generally, general-ly, to urge all of the Society members to become more active in politics. HE DECLARED, however, that the Society's efforts were not meant to strengthen either of the major political parties. He said that the Birch Society is made up of approximately 50-50 Republicans and Democrats. He said that because of the Society's growing, dedicated membership "Utah membership member-ship has doubled in the past year" it could someday uproot up-root the whole communist conspiracy. con-spiracy. Dr Williams, In his opening remarks, complimented the Birch Society because, he said, even by presenting erroneous Ideas, It encourages other Americans to think about why they believe the way they do. His praise, however, ended there. He said that the Society is anti-democratic, uses unethical unethi-cal tactics, encourages faulty logic and gives dangerous recommendations reco-mmendations for American foreign for-eign policy. DR. WILLIAMS pointed 10 Birch articles that call democracy demo-cracy a "deceptive fraud" and pointed out how undemocratic the Society's own organizatior is. He recommended that the name be changed to the "Welch Society," since Robert Welch runs the group with what Dr Williams called a "fuerher" au thority. He accused the Society of be ing "deeply distrustful of an in formed electorate." DR. WILLIAMS mentionec "dangerous" Birch solutions tc national problems. He declaret that issues such as civil right! i and poverty are "real problems . not caused by communism. An . if we kid ourselves," Dr. Willi ' ams said, "they will one day un ; do us, because of the false pro phets of the Birch Society." |