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a "ee — WEL OF UNITED STATES C( :ZENS ‘TO nap - oe RIS; FEANCE, SPONSORED Y CLENGY we: ; D LAYMEN CONCERNED ABOU. VIETNAM s) sot D AMERICAN FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTEE : se 7. : : . . ‘ - < ~ “ete - - . : WEATHERMAN - - =o — Initially called the “Action Faction," Weatherman came into being immediately before the June, 1969, Students - for a Democratic Society (SDS) National Convention (NC). At this NC Weatherman won all three.national officer positions and a majority*of the National Interim Committee as well. . ° Subsequently, they took over the SDS National Office (xO) in Chicago, and controlled its funds, paper and national records; Although internal struggle existed until late 1969, Weatherman for ali major purposes controlled SDS nationally from June, 1969, until its NO closed in February, 1970. At this time it to longer considered itself part of SDS. i a The term Weatherman emerged from an ideological paper prepared by its leaders entitled "You Don't Need a Weatherman to Know Which Way the Wind Blows “ ("New Left Notes" June 18, 1969). “This-statement cutlined the basic stance of Weatherman: Marxist-Leninist in content but with . strong advocacy that action not theory would bring about . revolution in the United States, This posture was complemented with an international identification to the Cuban revolution and Castro's statement that the duty of a revolutionary is, to make revolution. During October, 1969, Weatherman riots in Chicazyo resulted in more than 260 arrests for mob action and related charges. A nrogram of armed struggle was finalized during a December, i969, "War Council" wherein terrorist tactics and political assassination were contemplated. The basic strength of Weatherman was then revealed to be some 300 - 350 nationally and geographically apportioned to the Midwest, New York, and some Northwest. Ag its rhetoric of violence escalated, Weatherman leaders increasingly discussed the necessity of an underground operation wherein more than 90 percent of the organization would be subserged; "affinity groups" of three ~ five members would function independently. In February, 1970, Weatherman leaders announced a program of “strategic sabotage" with police and military installations as primary targets. . { ’ {In February, 1°70, WVeathermaa abandoned the , SDS NO, 1608 West Madison Sivcet, Chicago, Illinois, and throughout the country entezcd an underground status.