EDGAR SHANNON JR.: The state police
in the area, because of the disturbances, in their judgment
said that arrests should be made if we were to preserve order.
[BOOING]
The crowd-- the crowd was certainly,
as I say, not so difficult as in the previous night.
And the state police, I want to emphasize again,
were in the area because of the disturbances
the previous night.
They had not been called in in that sense.
They were here in conjunction of being available to preserve
life and limb.
I also--
[BOOING AND GROANING]
Now.
The university officials gave warning.
The state police made arrests.
[BOOING AND GROANING]
All right.
The involved they pursued onto the grounds,
undertook a degree that I did not expect,
and that we shall seek to avoid in the future.
[APPLAUSE]
It was my understanding that spectators
would be warned that they should disperse,
and this obviously was not understood
by many persons not otherwise involved in the matter.
They had to suffer arrests, were later released.
One of failing consequences of arrests
in riot or a near-riot situation is infringement
on the rights of the entity.
Now, we must support ourselves at this university
so there never be need for riot police.
I like to emphasize again--
[BEMOANING]
I'd like to emphasize again that in the action of these days,
with a number of times when mobs were assembled,
there had been-- there has been not a-- there has not been
a single injury--
there has not been any damage or injury to any person,
and that is the purpose that I will seek to
and will do everything possible to maintain.
Now I want to make it clear that--
[APPLAUSE]
I want to make it clear that martial law has not
been declared.
[APPLAUSE]
I have no--
I have no feeling that we are in the kind of straits
where there is an absolutely situation of conflict
and absolute physical conflict that
has required that kind of thing at so many other universities.
Now immediately after this dispersal on Friday night,
in the circumstances it was necessary in the view
of the police to maintain a constant position
around the inside of the grounds.
Now, as soon as--
as soon as I had an opportunity to hear with and hear
from students, to talk with faculty,
I was convinced that the university was prepared
to continue its activities, to continue
to assemble as we done today in a manner
as we had been comporting ourselves normally
in the daytime throughout the day.
I immediately requested the state police
to withdraw from the central grounds
and from the residential and academic areas.
[APPLAUSE]
And we proceeded with the--
we proceeded with the long meeting here yesterday.
We proceeded with activities of events, of sports,
and of the ball last night.
And I am grateful--
I am grateful to the kind of spirit
and the kind of attitude that made this kind of thing
possible.
The problem I think clearly demonstrates the limitations
of the demand and confrontation procedure
that we have worked into during this week.
It has brought us to the brink of disaster.
Now as the nine demands that were presented to me
have been according to the expressions of the-- according
to the procedures of the new student council,
in the orderly and proper way when
presented earlier for a reprimand referendum that
will occur tomorrow.
An expression of student opinion is most important
on these issues of the referendum,
and I consider these are very far-reaching, complex issues
that I have already been considering talking
about to a number of students.
I want this opportunity for an individual response
of every student in the university,
to have his opportunity to say what he thinks,
and to tell us all what everyone thinks.
Now some of these matters in the referendum
and some of the matters in the so-called demands or matters
that are already under discussion will continue to be.
Some of them are members that are not in my hands.
Some of them are members--
or matters that I can deal with, but all of them are
matters that each one of us and all of us will have to do so.
Now, I don't want to take action again
as president that will prejudice or speak to change color
the opinions of each individual in this university
as he expresses himself freely on that referendum.
I want to say, however, unequivocally, absolutely
that there are issues here that I do
stand firmly for in the terms of full access to the university
and to its opportunity and to full participation of women,
black students, and to--
[APPLAUSE]
I have throughout this year given personal participation
and actual time, energy, and money
to these activities, the energies
I can assure you of the--
and the resources of the university
will continue to be put to this to bring it about.
Now there's no more issue that has been more intellectually
and emotionally disabling or overpowering
in its total effect on the lives of our students,
no moral issues or enterprise that has cruelly
reduced our capacity as a nation to improve the quality of life
than this war.
[APPLAUSE]
Our involvement has reached a new intensity
and has widened shockingly in the past two weeks.
All of our students--
all of you are deeply and agonizingly
concerned with this war and I know it and I understand it.
And in this immediate period of national politics,
for that very reason, I am recommending
to the faculties of the university
that they act now to accommodate students
by not reducing the requirement of their courses
and their degrees.
We do not change the integrity of those and the value
to you that you will require, but to do so by--
but to accommodate students by permitting delays
in the fulfillment of such requirements
in order for those of you who do so desire to concentrate
on constructive action in the redirection of the nation's war
policy.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
Second, we must remember that there is a future.
For those students who feel that the actions they have taken
in communicating their views to the government
have had the maximum effect for which they have hope
or that there are other ways in which they can continue
to do so, the university must continue
to teach and to discover and to remain open for those
that take advantage of.
[APPLAUSE]
We must continue to educate and train for the future
while we meet a present emergency.
We must remain open to do so, and to do
so without the necessity of outside protection
by our own efforts.
Now I understand, as I have said,
you're anguished over the military involvement
in Southeast Asia.
I want prompt action to the end of that war.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
I feel further more that it is urgent
that the national administration demonstrate renewed
determination to end the war and the unprecedented alienation
of American youth caused by that conflict.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
Now I have conveyed this alienation in the letters
that I wrote to the senators, and I said last Wednesday--
as I said last Wednesday, I feel strongly
that students' views must be heard
by those who are in a position to influence and shape
national policy if we are to change that policy.
To see that our students could be heard, as you know,
I arranged for the delegation to go tomorrow to see--
to Washington to see Senators Byrd and Spong.
I shall-- I shall also convey to the governor, who
will be meeting with the president tomorrow,
my expressions of your views.
James Roebuck, president of the student council
of the university, will lead the delegation
to see Senators Spong and Byrd tomorrow.
I have written a message I would like for Mr. Roebuck
to deliver to Senators Byrd and Spong.
The message reads as follows.
We, the undersigned students and faculty members
of the University of Virginia, are gravely
concerned by many evidences of anti-intellectualism
and growing militarism in the national government
of the United States.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
Education has been increasingly neglected.
Verbal attacks upon universities, students,
and the free press by persons in the highest
levels of government have become commonplace.
[APPLAUSE]
The unspeakable tragedy of Kent State
was received in terms that appeared
challenging and callous.
[APPLAUSE]
The promised disengagement in Southeast Asia
has been agonizingly slow.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
The recent announcement of the invasion of Cambodia,
a critical decision vitally affecting the lives and futures
of all young men, was used to reflect personal and political
credit upon the president.
[CHEERS AND APPLAUSE]
It has now become clear that the decision was reached
without the advice and consent of either the Secretary
of State or any committee of the Senate of the United States.
[APPLAUSE]
We therefore urge you to join with your fellow senators
in reasserting the authority of the Senate
over the foreign policy of the United States
and the use of the armed forces in its support.
[APPLAUSE]
I have already signed a copy of this message.
[APPLAUSE]
And I hope that every concerned University of Virginia
student will join with me and sign this message for Mr.
Roebuck to deliver it to our distinguished senators
in Washington tomorrow.
Copies of this petition are available in Pavilion 8.
I hope you'll help me during the next few hours and days.
Actually, it's got to be done before early tomorrow
to get every possible signature on that statement.
[APPLAUSE]
I also in conclusion urge you to continue
to help us all to work together to maintain the university.
[APPLAUSE]