Show The John Birch Society By CHARLOTTE ANTREI Editors Editor's note Miss Antrei made a comprehensive study of the John Birch Society inthe in inthe inthe the South Sanpete area and has written a two-part two article for publication in this paper The second installment will be published published published pub pub- next week A little over a year ago there was in Sanpete County and especially especially especially es es- es- es in Manti a small furor of activity and controversy caused by members of the John Birch Society an organization relatively new to the area Then the controversy and activity activity activity ac ac- ac- ac seemingly died away Actually Actually Actually Ac Ac- the activity of the society remains and so to an extent does the controversy though local local lo lo- cal members of the John Birch Society may be less vociferous than they were a year ago Mrs Jane Braithwaite who isnow isnow is isnow now chapter leader of the local John Birch Society chapter agreed to be interviewed twice during the month of March During During During Dur Dur- ing these interviews which were on March 18 and 20 she answered answered answered ans ans- questions about the activities activities activities ties of the society she now di di- Mrs Braithwaite also supplied the reporter with several pamphlets pamphlets pamphlets pam pam- containing information about the society on the national level In 1959 Robert Welch founded the organization which bears the name of Captain John Birch one of the first American victims victims victims vic vic- tims of the Communist take-over take in China Mr Welch is today the president of the John Birch Society which was founded for forthe forthe forthe the purpose of fighting the Communist menace The top advisory board of the society is the Council some of the members of which form an executive board that approves most bulletins sent to members Area coordinators and major coordinators supervise large geo goo graphical areas of the country Working under these people there are section leaders in the cities In Sanpete the chapter leader works directly with the area leader Mrs Br Braithwaite was reluctant reluctant reluctant ant to give the exact number of the members of the Manti chapter chapter chap chap- ter as it is not the policy of the John Birch Society to name either their numbers or their members This follows the pattern pattern pattern pat pat- tern of most private organizations organizations organizations in the country An educated educated educated ted guess would place local membership membership membership mem mem- at a little over a dozen people An average size chapter is from 12 to 20 There are 12 national projects on which the John Birch Society concentrates its attention The local chapter is active to a degree degree degree de de- gree in six of these The recruiting recruiting recruiting recruit recruit- ing of new members Support Your Local Police the distribution distribution distribution distri distri- of the society's monthly publication American Opinion working with the American Opinion Opinion Opinion Op Op- Speakers Bureau and conducting conducting conducting con con- ducting study groups and individual individual individual indi indi- vidual reading Activity in recruiting new members consists mainly of welcoming welcoming welcoming wel wel- coming non-members non to the monthly meeting at Mrs Braithwaite's Braithwaite's Braithwaite's Braith- Braith waites waite's residence and encouraging encouraging ing them to read society ved material which is conservative conservative conservative conserva conserva- tive in viewpoint According to Mrs Braithwaite Anyone is welcome to attend meetings The only qualification is for a person to be sincerely seeking information Qualifications Qualifications Qualifications for membership are judged by the chapter leader and her recommendation helps them to enter into the organization Birch members wish to be joined joined joined join join- ed by people of high moral standards and religious ideals Supporting your local police includes opposition to anything such as President Johnsons Johnson's recommendation recommendation recommendation rec rec- of giving Federal aid to local law enforcement because because because be be- cause we dislike the federal controls which invariably fol fol- fol- fol low The distribution of American Opinion includes one subscription tion donated to Manti High School Mantis Manti's John Birch Society chapter combined with the Richfield chapter to sponsor Lola Bell Holmes a speaker on the subject of civil rights on March 8 Miss Holmes was an American Opinion Speakers Bureau lecturer On June 9 the two chapters will present another such speaker at Richfield a flier who has returned from combat in fn Viet Nam The The two chapters also present presenta a weekly broadcast over in Richfield The conducting of study groups is an activity the local members plan to initiate in June On the subject of reading Mrs Braithwaite states Of course were we're doing that all the time The books the local chapter encourages encourages encourages en en- its members to read are conservative sometimes published by the John Birch Society Society Society So So- itself Members in Manti are not encouraged encouraged encouraged en en- to read books supporting supporting supporting support support- ing the affirmative side of questions questions questions ques ques- on which the organization takes a negative stand the philosophy philosophy philosophy phil phil- being that members can and will read such materials if they so desire and that the positive positive positive tive slant to questions like theby the United Nations is already presented presented pre pre- by the news media One recent activity that the John Birch Society has sponsored sponsor sponsor- ed involves Mantis Manti's members This is the writing of letters concerning concerning concerning con con- Viet Nam Each member was assigned to write and mail 20 letters per month where they would be influential We think we should win the war in Viet VietNam VietNam VietNam Nam and we dont don't think the policies policies policies pol pol- were we're following right now are towards that end Mrs Braithwaite said |