The Mail THE LETTUCE STRIKE

To the Editors of the CRIMSON

As members of the ad hoc committee supporting the United Farmworkers national boycott of non-union lettuce, we have met in the past weeks with representatives of the University, asking Harvard to support the boycott by purchasing only union lettuce. We have gone through the "proper channels" and have found the Administration dead to our feelings. Members of the Harvard community have demonstrated their support for the boycott through petitions and boycotts of dining halls. We have received unsolicited support from student organizations, faculty groups and University employees. Support for the boycott is unquestionable, yet we have been passed from one arm of the bureaucracy to the other.

Before the latest negotiations L. Gard Wiggins, Administrative Vice-President, presented the ad hoc committee a statement of University policy on the issue and informed the group that we had yet another "proper channel" to go through-the Committee on Houses and Undergraduate Life. The Administration negotiators had obviously made up their minds before even hearing our case. No breach of trust could be more insulting to a group seeking an effective alternative to confrontation politics.

We will continue negotiations, though the Administration has demonstrated extreme bad faith throughout the course of the negotiations. It appears that by obscuring the decision making process, Harvard hopes to avoid having to make a decision.

Harvard's position is not "neutral" -by purchasing non-union lettuce Harvard actively supports the oppression of migrant workers. The Administration has apparent disregard for the moral issues-what must be done now is convince Harvard of the extent of support for the boycott within the community. The small positive step of supporting the boycott will have a great effect in creating an atmosphere of trust within this community.