Flynn States Conservatives Are Liberals, But New Group Says They Are Moderates

"You call yourselves the Harvard Conservative League, but really you are the liberals," noted author and radio commentator John T. Flynn told an audience of over 300 people last night.

After overcoming the raucous hissing and applause of an amused but discourteous audience, Flynn explained his views that "the liberals of America are really the conservatives ... defending the encroachments of big business."

Although scheduled to speak on "The Roots of Socialist Bias in American Colleges," Flynn spent much of the evening defending his political opinions and accusing the federal government, particularly that of the Roosevelt-Truman era, of taking away the liberties of the American people.

He illustrated his viewpoint by defining liberalism as the "struggle against big government." He went on to attack big business, the banks and the New York Stock Exchange. He intimated that renewed wild speculation would foretell another crash.

In addition, Flynn

1. Asserted that "at the base of all the idealistic thinking from Plato to Marx is the Soviet of the intellectuals." But he scoffed at the idea of intellectuals taking over the government and warned that the politicians are the ones who always gain power.

2. Included former President James B. Conant '14 in a list of men suffering from the intellectuals' desire to take over the government. Flynn opposed Conant's appointment as High Commissioner of Germany at a Senate Committee hearing in 1953. Also on his list were Plato, Marx, J. Robert Oppenheimer '26, and Henry A. Wallace.

3. Called for increased humility in students' attitudes, saying "I know they teach you some funny things at Harvard, but don't be tempted by the foolish idea of revolution."