Professors Ask Students' Support In Vietnam Referendum Campaign

Three Harvard professors urged a group of one hundred students last night to help persuade Cambridge residents to vote for the anti-Vietnam War referendum November 7th.

The meeting held in Hilles Library, came in the wake of an assurance issued by both the Massachusetts Supreme Court and the Middlesex Superior Court that the referendum would appear on the ballot.

[In the latest skirmish, the City of Cambridge tried Tuesday to get a "stay of execution pending appeal" on a court order to proceed immediately printing ballots bearing the peace plank. But a state supreme court justice turned down the request.]

Speaking before the group of anti-war sympathizers were Michael Walzer, associate professor of Government, Samuel Bowles, assistant professor of Economics, and Chester Hartman, assistant professor of City Planning. All three are members of the Cambridge Neighborhood Committee on Vietnam.

Soft Sell

The function of the students will be to go into homes of Cambridge voters and make available literature explaining the standpoint of the committee. It was emphasized that the CNCV does not advocate the hard sell, and that it is the job of the students only to present to the voters facts on which they can base their vote.

Walzer reported that earlier door-to-door canvassing has already gained much popular support for the referendum. The success of the canvassing has been reflected in the sharp increases in voter registration, an increase attributed to those wishing to vote in the referendum.

Election Commission reports indicate that 2,000 to 3,000 new voters have registered. "This increase in the electorate could conceivably affect the city elections," stated Walzer.

He added that the CNCV is now planning to make available to the voters material which would acquaint them with other current issues besides the Vietnam referendum. He added, however, that the CNCV would not publicly endorse candidates in the city contests.

The Cambridge referendum is one of two to be held in the nation this year. The other will take place in San Francisco next month.