Bill May Permit Military to Offer Course on Communism to Civilians

A bill which would permit military officers to instruct interested Massachusetts citizens in the dangers of international Communism was debated yesterday before the Committee on Public Safety in the State Senate.

Proposed by Maj. Gen. Thomas J. Donnelly Jr., State Adjutant General, the bill would establish an "academy" to instruct members of the Massachusetts National Guard on "basic national goals." But a clause in the bill would allow "any citizen who desires to enter" to make use of the military instruction facilities.

According to Dr. Summer Rosen, who represented the American Veterans Committee at the Senate committee hearings, the bill is "obvious indoctrination; a naked power grab by the National Guard." He termed the bill an attempt to "repudiate the civilian tradition of teaching about Communism, by men who feel the civilian approach is soft."

Many liberal groups have been caught unaware by the appearance of the bill. The American Civil Liberties Union has no prepared position on the bill.

Proposals for anti-Communist instruction are usually pigeonholed in the Senate Education Committee. Donnelly's bill, however, found its way to the more militarily oriented Public Safety Committee, since the bill is technically concerned with the coordination of National Guard with Civil Defense.

David F. Cavers, Fessenden Professor of Law, also testified at Committee hearings. He said, "I do not think the prestige of our military establishment on its facilities should be made available for the indoctrination of the public on the attainment and preservation of basic national goals."

Donnelly's bill would offer a three day seminar on such fields as Russian history, Latin-American problems, the take over of satellite nations, and the strategy and techniques of Communism. According to Donnelly, the course would "treat Communism in an academic way, avoiding emotionalism and classroom controversy." He claims strong support from the bar associations, Lions' Clubs, Kiwanis, and Rotary.