Columbia SDA Group Protests Its Suspension

Two members of the recently suspended Columbia University unit of Students for Democratic Action yesterday lashed out at the "arbitrary," "high-handed," and "unconstitutional" action taken by the national organization.

The National SDA, the student affiliate of the Americans for Democratic Action, suspended its Columbia chapter Monday after it had refused to endorse the Presidential candidacy of Adlai E. Stevenson, thereby failing to abide by the decision of the national group.

Peter Novick, Columbia senior, and last year's president of the Columbia chapter, complained about the "lack of local autonomy" allowed by the national organization. "The whole general procedure on this and other actions has been arbitrary in not letting people express their own beliefs," he stated.

Novick was a leader in the fight against indorsement of Stevenson. He explained his position: "The Democratic Party's sell-out on the civil rights issue has made it impossible for the liberal to suport both integration and Stevenson."

"Unconstitutional"

Helen Kramer, this year's president, bitterly attacked the suspension action taken by the national organization as "unconstitutional." "We have not been officially notified, and have had no opportunity to testify in our own behalf," she said.

She added, contradicting Novick, that she felt most of the students opposed endorsing Stevenson merely because of a lack of interest.

The suspension action was strongly defended, however, by the national headquarters of the SDA in Washington. Charlotte Lubin, executive secretary, said that the Columbia action was in direct violation of the SDA Constitution, which forbids any chapter to take public stands contrary to the position of the National Convention.

Miss Lubin explained that the suspension was temporary, until the National Executive Committee reviews the case next month. Meanwhile, she said that the SDA has chartered another Columbia group, the Liberal Union.