Senators Uptight

Eighteen State Senators—16 Republicans and two Democrats—are demanding an investigation into “left-wing” student activities at all of Michigan’s State Supported universities.

While Sen. James Fleming (Rep.—Jackson), who is the principle sponsor of the resolution, has stated that SDS activities at the University of Michigan were what he was most concerned about, the investigation would also look into campus “morals.”

The Detroit Free Press reported that the investigation committee would attempt “to find out why students write dirty words in campus newspapers, take off their clothes in class and commit other acts that vex their elders.”

State Senator Robert Huber (Rep.—Troy) was a co-sponsor of Fleming’s resolution. Huber also took the opportunity to reiterate his charges about immorality at Oakland University.

In a six page letter sent to Oakland Chancellor Varner on Tuesday, Huber demanded that Varner “assure the citizens of this county and state that you do all you possibly can to see that similar incidents will not occur” (referring to Lee Elbinger’s disrobing on Dec. 10) (See FE, Dec. 26, 1968).

The committee that Huber, Fleming, and the 16 other State Senators want to establish would have the power to subpoena witnesses, administer oaths and examine books and records of those “involved in a matter properly before the committee.”