◆ SpookStack

.. -8 c SPECIAL INFORMA'lt'ION REPORT VIETNAM MORATORIUM DAY (VMD) 15 October 1969 WASHINGTON, D. c., AREA ACTIVITIES zcs Although the VMD was initially almost entirely a youth and student oriented anti-war project, and is still strongly so, it has escalated into an "against business as usual" program bcing par- ticipated in by a broad-base of anti-war (and/or anti-Nixon) pro- testants including housewifes, academics, businessmen, workers, religious, etc., far beyond the hopes of the originators. Led by persons and organizations, whose names are familiar in the annals of dissent, a great number of people will be involved in the Washing- ton area VMD actions. Supported in largerpart by long time dissi- dents, many whose motivation:is suspect,.*it is debatable whether this VMD can have any favorable impact on an administration which m u s t be as desirous of peace in Vietnam as a r e the.pacifists, and, ironically, appears to be making noticeable progress towards a settlement with honor, despite the damaging effect on negotiations wrought by the domestic agitation for termination of U. S. involve- ment. That VMD will be a co'mfort to Hanoi s e e m s self-evidcnt. Although overt opposition to Vietnam Moratorium Committee is generating, there is-little time for it to swell into size sufficient to compete with the VMD actions which have had the benefit of enor- mous cxpcnditures of time, energy, and money as well as vast pub- licity coverage extended by the media. As it would be impossible, as a practical matter, for the administration, even if it had the desire and will to accede com- pletely to the loud demand8 of these demonstrators, to satisfy them in the time %on-negotiably" allotted, it will be interesting to see how many people will be willing to expend the time, energy and money necessary to repeat these performances on the projected escalating scale of two days in November, three days in December, etc. Although the cumulative total of participants in October's VMD will be large, it-is expected to be composed of most of the same people who have been prominent in past anti-war aktions - - i' :