When a magazine consistently presents issues in terms of unmitigated evil and snow-white purity, it can searcely be considered a responsible organ of opinion. Such a magazine is the April number of "The New Student." Its articles and editorials are hardly designed to convince: most of those who already agree with policies of the Youth for Democracy will find "The New Student" pleasant reading; those who oppose AYD and the HYD affiliate will find it noxious. And the hesitant center group will probably be unable to swallow the mass of dogma, blatant assertions, and--in instances--half-truths and twisted conclusions it contains, although the typography is excellent.

Lee Marsh, Intercollegiate Director of AYD, has written a long article (honestly entitled "Polemic) which claims that a tightly-organized group of Catholic students, directed by the Church hierarchy, has taken over the National Student Association. Unfortunately for Mr. Marsh's argument, he has slipped on many facts, and has carefully selected others. His statements that NSA's activities have been non-existent, and its policies completely in the grip of Catholic-controlled reactionaries are false. There is a vigorous Catholic bloc in NSA, and there have been unhappy examples of smear-scare techniques at their worst. But to damn NSA in such sweeping terms makes one wonder whether Mr. Marsh is not bitter over the failure of his own organization to do just what he charges the Catholic group with doing.

Clearly illustrating the angel-devil attitude of "The New Student" is a short, hard-hitting, and forced broadside by Reuben Hersh called "The Liberal's Dilemma." It states the thesis that both major political parties, whatever they profess, are working hand-in-hand to further the interests of militarists and monopolists at home and abroad. This position is dwelt on at greater length by the editors in an article "What Now, What Next." Their discussion, however, adds little to Mr. Hersh's story, except for the dogma that the Wallace Third Party is the only "genuine alternative to war, depression, and fascism." Al Gold gives an interesting picture of the powerful Isacson campaign in "Victory in the Bronx," although his implication that, with "proper" organization, Wallace will sweep the nation in November seems unjustified on the grounds of the New York test alone.

Also in "The New Student" is a slap-dash attempt to prove that American universities are in the toils of Big Business, based mostly on a quasi-review of a book which appeared two years ago. And the conclusion--that students and faculty should somehow gain control of University policies--is as breezily vague as the unqualified condemnation of America's Puerto Rican "imperialism" in the article that follows. This general tone of militant outrage, coupled with the total absence of any attempt at objectivity, makes "The New Student" more of a screeching political pamphlet than an undergraduate magazine honestly out to interest--and persuade--the student body.