The evening rally was the opening shot in a weekend National Student Conference Against Racism, organized by the National Student Coalition Against Racism.

Its theme was "No to Racism from Boston to South Africa." Students and others, more than 700, attended the rally at Boston University. Some came to see an Irish revolutionary up close. Others came to hear about South African repression firsthand. All came to learn of ways to fight racism on their campuses and in their communities.

Joe Madison, executive secretary of the Detroit NAACP, is a prominent supporter of the student coalition. He has spoken at other NSCAR gatherings and is on the group's national speakers bureau.

To whistles and rhythmic applause that punctuated the remarks of several speakers, Madison declared: "You cannot stand in the United States and fight for freedom here unless you fight for freedom in South Africa."

Twenty-nine-year-old Irish revolutionary Bernadette Devlin McAliskey brought the crowd to a standing ovation when she was introduced. McAliskey, a former British Parliament member, is touring the country to generate support for Marie and Noel Murray, who face the death penalty in Ireland for struggling for Irish freedom from British domination.  
 
December 3, 1951
Interpreting an order from the top command in accordance with their own desires, U.S. troops in Korea brought about a cease-fire virtually along the entire battlefront for as long as 48-hours in some sectors.

The enthusiasm with which the GI's put into effect the cease-fire and the prospect for possible fraternization between the opposing armies so alarmed the top command and leading U.S. diplomatic and political circles that new orders were issued to the troops emphasizing that there was no cease-fire and that the war should go on with U.S. troops "shooting to kill."

Soon after the firing stopped, front-line GI's in some sectors watched Chinese troops playing volley ball in no-man's land. The Chinese and North Korean attitude towards the cessation of hostilities was further shown by their lighting bonfires instead of maintaining the usual blackout at night.

Such developments in the first hours following the "misunderstanding" by the troops that an informal cease-fire existed, undoubtedly led the top brass to fear that discontent among the GI's would increase and that fraternization might soon develop.

Despite the new orders to resume fighting it is apparent that, given the overwhelming feeling of the troops for an end to hostilities, United States commanders would have to think twice before ordering the reluctant GI's into major offensive operations. The GI's are thinking things out for themselves and object to being used as just so much cannon fodder by the Big Brass.  
 
 
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