Former Faculty Adviser Tells Why Student Newspaper Published Anti-semitic Material

The former faculty adviser to student publications at Wayne State University has blamed student apathy and Insufficient screening of student editorial staff members for the fact that the college newspaper has fallen into the hands of militant extremists who publish anti-Semitic and other racist articles and editorials. Frank Gill, until a year ago adviser to the Wayne State “Collegian,” now the “South End,” voiced his criticism at a meeting of the Fact Finders Club on the university campus. He resigned from the Wayne State journalism faculty last month.

Mr. Gill said the current editor of the “South End,” John Watson, “is basically honest, but is an honest fanatic, his interest being only in black power–and he sticks to his policy.” Mr. Watson aroused community ire earlier this year when he published an editorial containing anti-Jewish and anti-Israel polemics. Mr. Gill expressed regret that only one aspect of the situation–that of anti-Semitism–was revealed at the meeting of the Wayne State University board of governors on the “South End” controversy. He said the lack of student interest was the cause of the flare-ups.

Only a small fraction of the student body supported extremist views, and a sense of disgust caused a decline in the circulation of the “South End” from 18,000 to 12,000, he said. The newspaper is supported by state funds and by an involuntary tax on students. Mr. Gill said students eligibility requirements for positions on the paper were not properly checked. In a related development, the Metropolitan Detroit Branch of the American Civil Liberties Union commended WSU president William R. Keast for resisting community pressures to take action against Mr. Watson and other editors of “South End.”