Folder: S.F. Colleges-University of San Francisco (See Also: S. F. Colleges-St. Ignatius for early)
Newscopy: "Beginning next fall the University of San Francisco will require every undergraduate to study Soviet communism for a year if he wants to graduate, the University announced today. University spokesmen believe it is the first compulsory course on communism in any American school. At USF the course - called 'Political Science 140, Soviet Communism in America' - will join philosophy, religion (for Catholic students), and American history and institutions on the list of compulsory subjects. The university makes no bones about the purpose of the course - its catalog will say: 'The purpose of this course is to acquaint upper division students of all disciplines with the operation, strategy, and tactics of Soviet power in the United States. The existence of a quasi-state of war between the United States and the Soviet Empire introduces the necessity of adding to courses on citizenship and American institutions, a basic course on the nature of the enemy and how to deal effectively with the enemy.' A university spokesman, who declined to be named because of rules of the Roman Catholic hierarchy, said that among such groups in the Bay Area to be used for 'field study' of Communist Party line at work are the Marine Cooks & Stewards Union, the California Labor School, the American-Russian Institute, the Palo Alto Peace Appeal, and the Committee for a Democratic Far Eastern Policy. Most of such 'field study' of Soviet power in America will be at public meetings held by various Communist and Communist-front groups, but 'if the opportunity arises' students will 'try to observe the Communists at closer hand.' Such opportunities might come, Professor Anthony T. Bouscaren, one of four men who will teach Political Science 140, pointed out, 'by virtue of student's membership in an organization.' It was pointed out, as an example, that among the 100-odd persons taking part in a recent Labor Management Institute at USF were a number of right-wing members of the International Longshoremens & Warehousemens Union. A reporter asked: 'Did these men just happen to belong to Bridges' union, or were they planted in the union?' 'Well, let us say - they just happened to belong,' said the university spokesman. In addition to Professor Bouscaren, the instructors in Soviet communism in America will be Robert C. MacKenzie, professor of political science; the Rev. Raymond T. Freely, Society of Jesuits, who is academic vice president of USF, and Professor Alphonse T. Fiore, chairman of the political science department. Father Feely will teach the philosophy of communism, Professor MacKenzie will teach communism's worldwide political organization, Professor Fiore will teach the impact of communism on American institutions, and Professor Bouscaren will teach the tactics of Soviet expansion. The text will be 'one of the recent excellent Government publications on American communism and front organizations.'"
