News Release (January 3, 1968)

PAGE 1

RELEASE NEw CoLLEGE SARASOTA, FLORIDA 33578 813/ 3 5 5-7131 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 1 -81 -1/3/68 Ref.: Furman C. Arthur SARASOTA--A strong supporter of the U.S. commitment in Vietnam, Charles Stephens, will speak on this subject Monday, January 8 at 8 p.m. in Hamilton Center. The talk is open to the public. Stephens, who was invited by President John Elmendorf to talk before the college community, recently won appointment to the national Citizens Committee for Peace with Freedom in Vietnam, a group which favors the U.S. position and whose membership includes former Presidents Truman and Eisenhower. The 30-year-old Stephens, now studying for a doctorate at the University of California at Los Angeles, drew attention there for his founding of the Thomas Jefferson Club, which he said was done because "{.Je believe the U.S. stand in Vietnam is justified and we seek to rally student-faculty support for it." Stephens earned degrees in history and international relations from the Universities of Hisconsin and California. He also studied at more

PAGE 2

NEH COLLEGE Page 2 Oxford University and now is doing graduate work in the field of political science. His seriousness over the Vietnam situation t-1as underscored '"hen last spring he took his new bride to spend part of their honeymoon visiting refugee camps and u.s. civilian aid projects in South Vietnam. Former Sen. Paul H. Doup,las singled out Stephens and invited him to join the national Citizens Committee policy 8tatement notes that its members "strongly support our commitment in Vietnam." Stephens said he had founded the Thomas Jefferson Club on the UCLA campus to begin inviting speakers to discuss totalitarianism and democracy. "He all share an aversion to totalitarianism t-7hich we believe represents a danger to our liberal, pluralistic society and to mankind. We are therefore opposed to and condemn all totalitarianism, be it of the Facist, Nazi or Cotlll!lunist variety." Stephens' talk at New College is expected to reflect these views. Following his 50-minute talk, there will be opportunity for questions from the audience. 30 -