SMC to Hold Army Base Protest; NAC Plans Obstructive Picket

The Student Mobilization Committee voted last night to leaflet Fort Devens's part of an "escalating reach-out campaign" against the war.

The open meeting of the SMC, held in the B. U. auditorium, also decided not to endorse the November Action Coalitions' protest next week at M. I. T.

The crowd of 200 students unanimously approved the decision to leaflet the army base next week. Although an army regulation (A. R. 600-20) allows civilians to hand out leaflets on a military installation once before receiving a warning, mobilization leaders said there may be official harassment.

"They've tried to squelch civil liberties in the military," said Mike Torney, spokesman for the G. I.-Civilian Alliance for Peace. He said that army regulations permit servicemen to receive leaflets and to demonstrate.

"It is the job of the anti-war movement to try to come to grips with this problem, and join with them in this anti-war sentiment," he added.

The SMC plan also calls for a massive Veteran's Day rally and teach-in on Nov. 11 at Fitchburg State College, near Ft. Devens, to include G. I. and veteran participation. Torney said this is an important peace tactic because "the soldiers have the dynamism to end the war." He said many servicemen would support this demonstration.

No Stand on SMC

After brief controversy about the November Action Committe's plans for an obstructive picket of the M. I. T. Instrumentation Lab on Nov. 5, the SMC decided neither to condemn or support the action.

Robert Breshnahan, a member of the SMC steering committee, tried to clarify this position later. "The vast majority of M. I. T. students support the anti-war movement, and are opposed to M. I. T.'s complicity with the war. The NAC's projected tactics alienate this base of support, rather than enlist it against M. I. T.'s war research," he said.