B-School Ad Takes Stand Against War

More than 200 students, staff, and faculty members from the Harvard Business School have signed an open letter urging the President to "cease unconditionally" the bombing in North Vietnam, and to "make every additional effort" to end the war in Vietnam promptly.

Although public statements from other schools of the University are common, in the Business School such widespread political involvement is practically unheard of, according to a spokesman for the group.

An unoffical committee, headed by second-year business school students John E. Cahill Jr., John F. Coburn III, and Efrem J. Sigel, circulated the petition for about ten days. But, unfortunately there was "no time to see everyone," Coburn said. He added that he had originally expected only about 50 signatures.

One of the group's primary aims, stated Coburn, was to get people at the School talking about the war. Another aim was to show the business community that strong opposition to the war exists among people with moderate political views, as well as among radical students.

The letter, which appears in ads today in Harbus, the Business School student weekly, and in the Crimson, includes 223 signatures: 179 students, 28 faculty members, and 16 assistants and staff.

Vietnam Course

In addition to circulating the letter, the group is trying to get the Business School to use Vietnam as the subject of a required second-year course, Written Analysis of Cases. This course requires students to analyze selected contemporary problems and to suggest reasonable solutions. Vietnam was the subject of this course a few years ago, said Coburn.

The group also intends to organize a Spring semester symposium on the war if the level of interest warrants it, Coburn stated.