Student Service Offers Facts On Vienna Festival

Several Harvard and Radcliffe students have participated in the establishment of an Independent Service for Information on the Vienna Youth Festival.

The Service, with headquarters in Harvard Square, states that its purpose is to provide American students with "comprehensive and objective data regarding the Communist-sponsored Seventh World Youth Festival." Next summer's Festival will be the first ever held outside the Iron Curtain.

$5000 Grant

Leonard N. Bebchick, a graduate of Yale Law School, is acting as temporary director of the Service, which has already received a grant of $5000 from a prominent Boston resident. Bebchick said the organization intends to prepare and distribute documented reports on the operation of past festivals and the preparations for the coming Vienna meeting.

The founders of the Information Service believe that "many American young people do not fully realize the political and propagandistic nature of such festivals." The Service feels that the Festival should be boycotted by representative student organizations, whose names might be used by the Communists to add prestige to the gathering.

Participation Valuable

At the same time, it recognizes that "intelligent and patriotic Americans" will wish to attend in an "individual and nonrepresentative capacity." The Service thinks such participation can be valuable "if the individuals are fully informed as to the nature and purpose of such a meeting," and are well-acquainted with world affairs.

The Service has invited students who want to know "what may be expected in Vienna" to contact its office at 324 College House Offices in the Square.