"Unfortunately, the IUS has done nothing at all, aside from using the Spanish people's sufferings as a 'line' for their 'political' propaganda.'

In Eastern European countries, student groups have organized work brigades and other activities to help the reconstruction programs of the various governments.

Work Brigades

Czechoslovakia has called upon its National Union of Students for voluntary work-brigades since April, 1948--two months after the Communists came into power. Czech universities reward work brigade members with "special concessions on examinations for participants," and students in coal-mining brigades receive special make-up courses.

Czech and Rumanian working brigades have traveled to assignments in Yugoslavia and Bulgaria, although it is doubtful whether groups are still being dispatched to Yugoslavia, in view of the strained relations between that country and other Eastern European nations.

The National Union of Students in Rumania reports that its members contributed 91,200 man-hours of voluntary labor in 1948.

The Rumanian group has also worked to enact the sweeping social changes planned by the new government.

"One of the first aims of the new organization (set up in May, 1947) was to obtain the admission of 30 percent of poor workmen's and peasants' sons into faculties," the NSA reports. "Today this goal has been achieved. All universities are state universities, and are 'entirely supported' by the state. Fees are in proportion to the income of the student' family. . . .

"The fascist conceptions which had led part of our youth astray have vanished. In the some way, education is at present no longer considered a privilege and a diversion for the sons and daughters of wealthy and influential people.

"Special attention has been turned to ideological and political enlightenment of students. . . . (The Rumanian Union), as regards professional education of the students, has organized 32 preparatory courses run by students for high school graduates. . . ."

Action Committee

Since the new government took over in Czechoslovakia, control of that country's Union of Students has passed to Action Committees in each of the universities. These Committees, whose members represent all four major political parties, were rejustituted in February, 1948, by Premier Gottwald.

Action Committees, the NSA reports, "now act as policy-making organs, drawing programs and making all political decisions. . . . All political problems are decided by the Action Committees "so the faculty (departmental) unions can carry out their programs."

One student group, the National Union of Students of Vietnam, is currently involved in a war against the French in the present conflict in French Indo-China. "The resistance and the work it requires takes all our time," the Vietnam student states.

The Vietnam Union is helping "students (or their families) who fail victims of French atrocities or violence, or who die in the battlefield . . . (and) by means of lectures, dramas, musical concerts. . . working to raise the people's consciousness regarding the notions of independence, democracy, etc."