Faculty Briefs O'Connor Before TV Show

Thomas J. O'Connor, Democratic candidate for the U.S. Senate, rushed to Cambridge yesterday afternoon for a 90-minute briefing session with his Harvard advisors and six hours later, repeating information pumped into him by the professors, handled a question-and-answer television show without a slip.

The 35-year-old Springfield mayor scheduled the meeting in the Littauer office of Samuel H. Beer, professor of Government and an O'Connor supporter from the start, before participating on the hour-long Channel 2 program, "Ask the Candidate." As he left the Square to continue man-in-the-street politicking in Revere, O'Connor said, "I feel much more confident after talking with them (the professors)."

Meeting behind closed doors with O'Connor were Beer, Mark DeWolfe Howe '28, professor of Law, Abram J. Chayes, professor of Law, and two members of the Massachusetts chapter of Americans for Democratic Action.

Three hours of the candidate's tight schedule yesterday were devoted to a quick round trip to Springfield, during which he nervously studied notes taken in the cramming session at Littauer. After signing a handful of documents--a frustrating but necessary task for mayor whether campaigning or not--O'Connor rushed back to Boston for a two-minute appearance at a cocktall party in his honor and for the TV show.

On television from 9:30 to 10:30 p.m., the youthful mayor answered questions from two studio interviewers and from listeners who telephoned in their inquiries. Among the stands that O'Connor took, parroting facts and opinion picked up from his Harvard "brain trust," were:

* Funds for enaction of the Democratic platform could come from economic growth, better money policy, and tightening of tax loopholes. Some reforms could be financed by money saved through improvement; for instance, urban renewal (O'Connor's forte) costs money but will save on crime, fire, and disease protection.

* The U.S. must emphasize more its nuclear weapons development but never all to negotiate for disarmament or cessation of tests. The Russians want disarmament and will find it in their interest to abide by certain treaties.

* The U.S. must aid other nations militarily, economically, and technically on a "government to people basis," not on a "government to government basis."

O'Connor, when given the opening by a question, said, "I am a liberal progressive. I support aid to urban renewal and depressed areas, for tightening tax loopholes, for housing bills." Sen. Leverett Saltonstall '14, O'Connor's opponent, "voted against all these bills."

Said a campaign associate as O'Connor donned make-up for his TV appearance, "Wasn't that hour at Harvard worth it? Aren't those guys great?

* The U.S. must aid other nations militarily, economically, and technically on a "government to people basis," not on a "government to government basis."

O'Connor, when given the opening by a question, said, "I am a liberal progressive. I support aid to urban renewal and depressed areas, for tightening tax loopholes, for housing bills." Sen. Leverett Saltonstall '14, O'Connor's opponent, "voted against all these bills."

Said a campaign associate as O'Connor donned make-up for his TV appearance, "Wasn't that hour at Harvard worth it? Aren't those guys great?