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Student protests, May-December 1971

1971-08-06 Daily Iowan Article: ""Boyd 'Drafted'""

DI 
8/6/71

Boyd 'Drafted'
   Members of the peace movement in Iowa City conducted their own lottery Thursday afternoon and "drafted" 366 prominent Iowa City and Johnson County citizens to work for the peace movement.
   Ray Rohrbaugh of the Iowa Peace Action Committee (IPAC), said the first 130 names selected will very likely be called for duty for the calendar year beginning in December. They will be notified by postcard and telephone in the month preceding their period of service, he told the small crowd of about 30 people gathered for the drawing before the Iowa City Federal Building.
   Two peace organizations, the IPAC and Christians Affirming Life, held the lottery, which they clam is just as valid as the Selective Service System's lottery held earlier in the day.
   Those whose names were drawn are members of local law enforcement agencies, the local city and county governments, local churches and groups including the American Legion and the Chamber of Commerce.
   The people were not arbitrarily drawn, but objectively selected from the telephone books and other directories in the city and the county.
   "What we want is a cross section of people visible to the general public," Rohrbaugh said. He noted that the head of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom as well as a member of the American Legion had been included in the first 130 names. 
    Rohrbaugh said an alternative was open for those who do not want to do peace work. Those people can apply for status as conscientious objectors, if they oppose all peace, he said.
   "The alternative is offered them just as the Selective Service allows only those opposed to all wars the status of conscientious objectors," he said.
   Those who refuse induction into the peace movement will be indicted by a shadow draft board that the IPAC is forming as part of the program, Rohrbaugh said.
   Included in the first 130 names were President Willard L. Boyd; Philip G. Hubbard, Vice-Provost for Student Services and Dean of Academic Affairs; Duane C. Spriestersbach, Dean of the Graduate College; John Larson, Assistant to the President; Dewey B. Stuit, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts; M. L. Huit, Dean of Student Affairs; and John W. Eckstein, Dean of College of Medicine.
   Also included were four of the five Iowa City City council members, including, Lee Butherus, J. Patirck White, Robert "Doc" Connell and Mayor Loren Hickerson.
   Those who came forward to participate in the drawing of the names often prefaced their actions with a comment or two. The Rev. Roger Simpson of the United Campus Christian Ministry said that he got a measure of satisfaction from drawing the names because his two sons have recently been denied conscientious objector by the local draft board.
   Earlier in the day, the IPAC and Christians Affirming Life held a lightly attended rally on the Pentacrest. The groups had planted rows of white crosses like those found in military cemeteries on the lawn, east of the Old Capitol.

Last Summer Issue
Concurrent with the end of the summer session, the Daily Iowan's last summer edition appears today. Publication and circulation will resume August 31.

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DI 8/6/71 Boyd 'Drafted' Members of the peace movement in Iowa City conducted their own lottery Thursday afternoon and "drafted" 366 prominent Iowa City and Johnson County citizens to work for the peace movement. Ray Rohrbaugh of the Iowa Peace Action Committee (IPAC), said the first 130 names selected will very likely be called for duty for the calendar year beginning in December. They will be notified by postcard and telephone in the month preceding their period of service, he told the small crowd of about 30 people gathered for the drawing before the Iowa City Federal Building. Two peace organizations, the IPAC and Christians Affirming Life, held the lottery, which they clam is just as valid as the Selective Service System's lottery held earlier in the day. Those whose names were drawn are members of local law enforcement agencies, the local city and county governments, local churches and groups including the American Legion and the Chamber of Commerce. The people were not arbitrarily drawn, but objectively selected from the telephone books and other directories in the city and the county. "What we want is a cross section of people visible to the general public," Rohrbaugh said. He noted that the head of the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom as well as a member of the American Legion had been included in the first 130 names. Rohrbaugh said an alternative was open for those who do not want to do peace work. Those people can apply for status as conscientious objectors, if they oppose all peace, he said. "The alternative is offered them just as the Selective Service allows only those opposed to all wars the status of conscientious objectors," he said. Those who refuse induction into the peace movement will be indicted by a shadow draft board that the IPAC is forming as part of the program, Rohrbaugh said. Included in the first 130 names were President Willard L. Boyd; Philip G. Hubbard, Vice-Provost for Student Services and Dean of Academic Affairs; Duane C. Spriestersbach, Dean of the Graduate College; John Larson, Assistant to the President; Dewey B. Stuit, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts; M. L. Huit, Dean of Student Affairs; and John W. Eckstein, Dean of College of Medicine. Also included were four of the five Iowa City City council members, including, Lee Butherus, J. Patirck White, Robert "Doc" Connell and Mayor Loren Hickerson. Those who came forward to participate in the drawing of the names often prefaced their actions with a comment or two. The Rev. Roger Simpson of the United Campus Christian Ministry said that he got a measure of satisfaction from drawing the names because his two sons have recently been denied conscientious objector by the local draft board. Earlier in the day, the IPAC and Christians Affirming Life held a lightly attended rally on the Pentacrest. The groups had planted rows of white crosses like those found in military cemeteries on the lawn, east of the Old Capitol. Last Summer Issue Concurrent with the end of the summer session, the Daily Iowan's last summer edition appears today. Publication and circulation will resume August 31.