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i, . “aati “TRAVEL OF UNITED S1 .'ES CITIZENS TO PARIS,- FRANCE, SPONSORED LY CLERGY AND LAYMEN CONCERNED ABOUT VIETNAM -AND AMERICAN FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTEE s _ SFUDENTS FOR A DEMOCRATIC SOCIETY _ rr 4 Bey Students for a Democratic Society; commonly known as SDS, came into existence at a founding convention held during June, 1962, at Port Huron, Michigan. From én initial posture. of "participatory democracy," Marxist- Leninist ideology of various shadings became predominant during 1968-1969 with debate centering on how best to create a revolutionary youth movement. SDS moved from involvement in the civil rights struggle to an anti-Vietnam war position to advocacy of a militant anti-imperialist line linking up the oppressed peoples of Asia, Africa and Latin America ‘with the blagk liberation movement in the United States. All major factions within SDS embrace Marxism-Leninism -. and identify’ internationally with China, Cuba and North Vietnam as countries leading the worldwide struggles against the United States. However, the Soviet Union was regarded as imperialist and with the Communist Party, United States of America, "revisionist" in nature. SDS operated under a national constitution which .ealled for an annual National Convention (NC) end quarterly National Council meetings wherein programs were initiated and debated. Three national officers were elected annually with a National Interim Committee to run the organization. Regional offices and college chapters elected Ccioegates to the national meetings but each functioned independently on. local matters. Its official pubiication "Fire" (formerly "New Left Notes") Inst appenred in December, 1969. . Internal factionalism of serious proportions devoloped during 1968 - 19% evolved as a result of 2 split at the June, 1969, NC: Weatherman, Worker Evucent Alliance (WSA), and Rovolutionary Youth Movement (RYM). The effect of the spiit on SD. throughout the country was civisive. Sone rlligned with one or the other of the three major factions. Others, unable to identify with any faction, disassociated with SDS completely and changed names. : . The SDS national office in recent years was located at 1608 West Madison Street, Chicago, Ilitnois. It was closed in February, 570. . The Weatherman and RYM gre-ns no longer consider themselves cssociatsd with SDS, onc tio WSA group rofera to itself as the true SDS, : and the following three factions chapters enna oe poem pee