NATIONAL
Shoreham Hotel
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y
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Washington. D.C. Nov. 13-14, 1969
The Citizen-Soldier & the Crisis in Military Law
National Hq.: G.I. Defense Organization
431 S. Dearborn, Suite 813
Chicago, 111. 60605
Tel. 312-922-0065
Washington Hq.: LINK
1029 Vermont N.W., Room 200
Washington, D.C. 20005
Tel. 202-638-4126
The Vietnam War has brought to national attention a long-smoldering crisis in U.S. military-
law and prisons.
Court martial after court martial of individual G.I.'s and large groups has revealed an
enormous lack of such substantive rights as free speech, freedom of the press, freedom of
religion, freedom of association and freedom to petition, as veil as such procedural rights as
counsel of one's choice, trial by one's peers, freedom from illegal search and seizure, and
protection against cruel and unusual punishment.
Prison riot after prison riot has sent House and Senate investigators scurrying to stockades
crammed with double and triple the legal maximum prisoner capacity, stockades rife with guard
brutality, malnutrition, and inadequate medical, psychiatric and even simple sanitary facilities.
Racism and extra-legal punishments and administrative punishment (without trial) add to the
growing tensions within the armed forces.
THE
CONFERENCE:
In a major review of the subject, the New York Times headlined the question "Must the
Citizen Give Up His Civil Liberties When He Joins the Arnry?" (NIT Magazine, 18 May 1969). To
develop answers to the many facets of the question of the rights of the citizen-soldier, the
first National Conference on G.I. Rights has been called for Washington, D.C, November 13-14,
1969.
Prominent lawyers, Members of Congress, civil libertarians, representatives of the military-
law system, other specialists and ordinary G.I.'s and ex-G.I.'s will gather in a series of
panels to seek answers in the form of projected legislation, administrative changes and civic
action.
The reports to be made at the panels by expert participants will be published and made
available at the conference. At the conclusion of the conference, a complete set of these
reports, along with summaries of the discussions and texts of resolutions adopted, will be
furnished to all registrants and to Members of Congress. This service is included in the S10.00
conference registration fee.
Plenary sessions will be held in the Diplomat Room and panels in the Diplomat, Committee
and Executive Rooms of the Shoreham Hotel, 2500 Calvert Street N.W. Groups wishing to join in
sponsoring the conference, individuals wishing to make panel reports, and those wishing to
register (for attendance or to receive the conference documents) should correspond with the
national office in Chicago prior to October 20th. Checks for registration fees or contributions
should be made payable to G.I. Defense Organization.
The conference schedule follows:
Thursday, November 13, 1969:
8:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
9:00 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.
9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
1:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Registration
Plenary session, Diplomat Room
Panel on Black and Minority G.I.'s
Panel on First Amendment Rights of Citizen-Soldiers
Panel ©n^Fhe Uniform Code of Military Justice and Due Process
Panel on The Uniform Code of Military Justice and Recommendations
Panel on Human Rights in Military Prisons
Friday, November 14, 1969:
9:00 a.m. to 12:00 noon Panel on G.I.-Civilian Joint Action for Rights
Panel on Legislation and Publicity for G.I. Rights
Panel on Amnesty for Dissenters
1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. Plenary session on Resolutions and Continuations. Closing.
Let us hear from you and your organization now as to how you are going to participate in
this vital conference. Send for extra copies of this outline to furnish to legal experts and
other interested persons and organizations in your area. Let G.I.'s know about the conference
and encourage them to attend if possible or send letters to the conference on legal and prison
experiences if attendance is not possible.