Hanna Arendt has pointed out that there was no persecution of the Jews in occupied Denmark, "the Danes simply would not have it '" If only such a climate of opinion on the war in Vietnam existed in this country 5 Could not an effort be made to produce it by developing a corps of people who will deliberately demonstrate, go to prison, and ¢et the maximum publicity for the cause, All of us who are actively engaged in trying to remove the Americans from Vietnam ard to stop bombin;: ani persecution must be appalled nt the fact that we have achieved nothing; in fact, the situation is probebly worse now than it has ever been. Yet I constantly talk to people who are horrified at the prospect of prison and have no intention of going there, This is exactly the type of person the avthorities are anxious to produce ! I have in my home at the moment Albert Hodrizues who at the aze of 25) was sentenced by Salazar's regime to 25 years’ in:risonnent for writing 2 book = he had completed 4° years of this (plus torture) when Amnesty International arranged his release, lo person in Britain is faced with this prospect - the reasons for not going to prison are much more subtle. Hy son, Julian Holt, a third year stulent at Lancaster University, was errested at the end of November for refusing to nay a fine immosed in July on a stuicnt denonstration, forbidden by the authorities on iforecambe Promenade, aszinst American agcression in Vietnam. This was a deliberately thought out plan by the student body and the maximun publicity was obtained from it. Further publicity was obtained when Julian apnexzred on a@ summons for non-rayment of tis fine and he mide a long statement about Vietnam, refusing to leave the court when siven further time for consileration. He was removed by the police, This produced further press rerorts in at least six newspisers, includinze the Cuardian. ‘hen he was finally arrested the town, the university (two college nngazines ) and the «ress were circulated with his rensoris for soin: to prison. ‘very vaner quoted from his statement anc one parcr, the i orcenmbe "Visitor" gave the whole of this lon: statement in full on the front pase and, acart from the "eye-catezing" heading, no adverse comment was made anywhere. The following is part of it:- " My aim in choosine zrison rather than paying the fine is to draw attention to Britain's active and agsressive role in supporting the
5.5. war venture in Victnam. By helpins to train Saison Forces in Malaya, setting up a Police i-ission in Saigon, and guarding and maine taining U.S. bases in Theilan*, this country is in active military collusion with United States invaders and their self-a-vointed henchmen, To say that the war does not concern us is rubbish. Ali of us are becomin: unwillin accomplices in Averica's plans for subjucating the entire Vietnamese nation and it is up to each individual to dissociate himself from our Government's immoral an: cowardly policies. To say that Johnson doesn't care whether we grovel to him or not, is untrue. is gigantic eo demands that at least a vart of the so-called "free world" should aquiesce to his vicious plans for crushin. the liberation movenent in Vietnam. More and uore Governments are refusinz to suport hin, yet Britain remains as his major sucporter end most uncritical ally. It is up to all of us to change this appalling and humiliating situation." It may be contenied that actions such as this tend to alienate public opinion; in fuct, the precise ov-osite aspears to be the case. Such action a ‘pears to shock seople intc tuinking s-ecifically about a situation which hitherto they had passively accerted or shruszed asijie. Students, lecturers, prison inmates, friends and acqvaintances, along wit people quite unknown to him hsve stated or written to express their understandins und a-creciation of mee EC Marjorie Molt, 17th December, 1966.