The main attraction of community organizing is the chance it gives Harvard dissenters to act in what they consider a constructive manner to halt the war. The current widespread alienation from the government--and the normal politics which seems to maintain it -- has stimulated many students who were previously apathetic over public affairs to become involved.

But, Vietnam Summer may not provide all the answers for the undergraduate who is anxious to do his bit to end the war. There is the strong probability that because of its reluctance to come to grips with electoral politics -- which will appear more and more important as the presidential election looms closer -- anti-war organizing may have only a marginal effect on voters' decisions. And there is still the strong chance that the Republican opponent of President Johnson will not offer much of an alternative.

Radicalizing

But even if Vietnam Summer fails in its practical objective of significantly increasing pressure on the government to end the war in some unmilitary manner, it will have had the effect of carrying on a process that has been evident throughout the past year. Just as the Harvard chapter of SDS was able to attract a surprisingly large number of members this year because of the dearth of any other serious anti-war groups in Cambridge, so too should Vietnam Summer serve the purpose of involving moderate and formerly reluctant students with more radical forms of anti-war political protest. It will happen even more if the project is unable to rally relatively uncommitted citizens against the war.

Part of the problem of an unfocused organizing activity is its difficulty in prescribing specific political action. Yet Vietnam Summer would meet with greater difficulty and the alienation of participants if it had a party line. In any event, the organizers may well be satisfied whether the project fails or not; either they will awaken a previously dormant popular minority against the war, or else they will radicalize the large numbers of moderate students who joined their broad-based coalition.

To a great extent, then, Vietnam Summer will be a testing ground for Harvard students who have been squeamish about getting together with strident New Leftists. The chances for widespread anti-Administration alienation are immeasurably increased for the simple reason that moderates this summer will have to face the shocking probability that the traditional political method of legal persuasion -- with respect to Vietnam -- has become outmoded.

This is not to say that if Vietnam Summer proves to be a rather ineffectual venture, droves of undergraduates will flock to enlist in the "We Won't Go" movement. But they will be faced with what is certain to be a political identity crisis that could serve to sour on the recent radicalization of Harvard.