Interest Mounts in Peace March; Over 200 May Go to Washington

More than 200 students jammed the Leverett Old Library last night to begin final preparations for the "Washington Project" peace march to be held next week.

Peter C. Goldmark '62, head of Tocsin, and Kenneth J. Porter '62, education coordinator of the Harvard effort, emphasized the "vital necessity" for careful study of disarmament and peace issues by the marchers. Arrangements have been made for the demonstrators to meet with members of Congress and the Administration in an effort to drive home the policy statement of the project.

"Our approach to disarmament usually involves more cerebration... than pretty words and ajogans," Porter noted.

Goldmark reported that some Faculty members now in the Administration have "indirectly expressed some irritation" over the march, and said that a letter had been sent to Pierre Salinger, Kennedy's press secretary, asking for the "tolerance, respect, and interest" a free government owes it citizens.

The eight-page policy statement contains opposition to both bomb shelters and continued nuclear testing. It also includes a "Program of Initiatives."

According to the statement, "we crucial (military) problems are not ones that will be solved through nuclear testing," and U. S. resumption of atmospheric testing would be "profoundly immoral." The marchers are opposing shelters because "in fact virtually nothing can be done to preserve Americar society except to insure that no war breaks out."

Leaders of the march now expect that at least 2000 students from colleges as far away as Minnesota and Georgia will take part in the two-day demonstration. Friday, Feb. 16, marchers will visit congressmen, and picket the White House and the Russian Embassy.

On Saturday plans call for a mass picket at the White House, visits to all of Washington's embassies, and a fine concluding rally.

Supporting demonstrations are scheduled in several cities across the country by both student and adult groups. A large women's march to the Massachusetts Statehouse is slated for Friday, Feb. 16.