Yeshiva Students Enter Political Arena; ‘Students For Jackson’ Club Established (Vol. 37, Issue 7)

There are certain individuals at YU who do more than complain. One of the best examples of this type of student is Allan Chernikoff. A junior, majoring in history, Allan has been interested in politics for some time now. He was against Nixon, was pro-Israel and Soviet Jewry, and was looking for the opportunity to take some constructive action. From this search emerged the

Students for Jackson Club at Yeshiva.

The club, with Allan at its head, is expanding slowly. All are unsalaried volunteers representing a fairly well-distributed cross-section of the student body. They take directives from Mr. Lazarus, the head coordinator of Students for Jackson in New York. From his office, the club gets buttons and stickers, which it sells to support its small budget. Although it is, at present, unchartered, the club members are seriously considering requesting formal recognition to acquire mimeograph privileges and the like.

During intersession, the club sent about a dozen volunteers to work for Jackson in Florida. Where he will run in the Democratic primary on March 15. Allan predicts that Jackson will make “a good showing” in that crucial primary.

After the Florida primary, the club plans to prepare for the primary in New York. It will concentrate on our neighborhood, the Washington Heights area. 

“Our main concern is with YU itself. Spread his name to the kids, get the youth mobilized...” The club had one speaker at YU, a member of Jackson's staff. The turnout was disappointing, however, and the club is therefore “hesitant” to bring in another speaker in the near future. 

Pro-Israel Stance

In Yeshiva, Jackson's pull is obviously centered around his pro-Israel stance. In other areas, claims the Jackson club, he has emerged equally clear. As early as 1969, Jackson warned Nixon, in contradiction to the advice of a high ranking aide to the President, “Don't worry about the war. You ought to worry about the economy—that will be your undoing.” Jackson himself favors a slightly left-of-center economic program, and suggested wage-price controls two years before Nixon. 

He favors Nixon's Vietnamization program, as opposed to a total and immediate unilateral withdrawal. This view has, in Allan's words, “branded him to the right. I'm convinced he’s in the middle.”

He is in favor of law and order, and doesn’t like the super-lefts who make racism and police brutality synonymous with law and order.”

Jackson has an excellent record in civil rights legislation. The N.Y. Times quoted Roy Wilkins of the NAACP referring to Jackson's record in this area as “very good.” George Meany, head of the AFL-CIO has “voiced his support for Jackson exclusively.” Jackson himself was once a member of a labor union.

Conservation

Conservation is one of Jackson’s strongest points, although there are those who detract from it because of’ Jackson's stand in favor of the SST. He decided that economic considerations there overruled the minimal ecological ones. The Sierra Club, a noted California, conservation group, awarded him a plaque, an honor bestowed upon no other Congressman.