Yale University - Banner / Pot Pourri Yearbook (New Haven, CT)

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Political Party preference 502, 3l'Z, Ibis 2.52 0 l 1.715 s or Republican Democrat boeiaiist Communiyt, Independant The following section is an attempt to survey the leading political ideas ex- pressed by Yale undergraduates in response to the questions put by the Banner Survey, and to evaluate briefly the forces which tend to produce these ideas. QBefore beginning this discus- sion, the reader might ind it interest- ing to thumb back to the section on backgroundj As the presidential election ap- proached, Banner editors interviewed one of the major candidates, Mr. Wal- lace, and obtained comments from two others on the views expressed by the Third Party Leader. lNIr. Wallace opened his remarks with the statement that American students are 5 to l0'Z, more liberal than their parentsw, and, according to the Banner survey, 602, of Yale students agreed with him. hir. Taft cast a peevish eye at the source of the quotation and said HI have no idea whether they are more or less 1'aa'ical than they were . . . and Mr. Stassen commented: I agree as a whole that students are more liberal minded, but I do not agree that they support lXfIr. Wallace's position, and I do not consider Mr. Wallace's position to be a true liberal Stand. The findings of the survey would tend to support the interpretation of the meaning of the word Hliberall' as expressed by the two Republican candidates, for, while 602, stated themselves to be liberals, when it came to a choice between the extremes of Taft or Wallace, 77? expressed their preference for the former. QA few of the comments on this choice can be found in a cut later in this section? Mr. Wallace criticized American students for lacking the interest in politics shown by their European con- temporaries, and stated that he did not believe them to be as Upolitically aware as young Englishmen or Frenchmen. Mr. Stassen answered with a curt Yes to the question Do you feel that American students are as

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THE BHDITER SURVEY ...POLITICHL THIHHIDG

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politically aware as their European counterparts, and Senator Taft com- mented that 'fl have found in meetings that the students are taking much more interest in political affairs, agreeing with lNfIr. Stassen. In addition to general comments on students and politics, Mr. Wallace was queried as to student Communist movements, and replied that he wasn't much worried about such activities. The two Republicans both replied in the negative to the question, NDO you feel that there is any danger of a strong student Communist movement such as has developed in Italy and France? and added that they also did not fear communist inhltration and eventual domination of veterans groupsf, Senator Taft added that he saw no danger of Communist infiltration among students or veterans which will influence any considerable proportion of either. Of course it is always pos- sible to organize a small group and make quite a lot of noise. This may serve as an introduction to the views expressed on specihc matters of political concern by the survey group. MMQ tw fall fb 6 A Y 3 X' K Y? f XKJFX fl 2 WX 5 SJ .X X Stassen . . . sides with the Senator against Wallace in letter to Banner chairman. Taft . . . he does not fear Communists, but thinks they can make a lor of noisef, Wallace . . . his brand of liberalism was re- pudiated by an overwhelming majority of Yalemen.