The Mail RESEARCH MATERIAL

To the Editors of the CRIMSON:

Your story last Friday on the SDS demonstration at the Development Advisory Service said "SDS accused Gordon of having the confidential statements to see the reports." I did not, nor did anyone I have talked to, hear anyone in or out of SDS level such an accusation at me. However, regardless of whether it was said or who said it, you and your readers should know that the charge is simply, and without qualification, untrue. The facts are these:

1. The only occasion in the memory of our librarian, our library assistant and myself in which I have ever cleaned out or transferred any materials within our library occurred at least six months and perhaps as long-as nine months ago. The first SDS request to see our projects report was made to me on October 19.

2. The project reports which the SDS has asked to see were not in our library last week, six months ago or nine months ago. Whether they were ever there, I do not know.

By focussing on a two or three minute incident in a confrontation that lasted at least an hour and a half, your reporter managed to avoid explaining what the demonstration was all about. The SDS wants two things from the D. A. S., both of which we have felt it necessary to deny them. The first is our speedy demise and the second is certain internal communications which they feel they need for research. The research is intended to verify certain hypotheses having to do with the importance of our extinction. The SDS argues both points with great force. I have the impression, however, that they must still be sorting out the dilemma of whether our departure from the scene should await the outcome of their research or whether they should in this case countenance an exception to an otherwise scholarly approach.

The immediate reason for the demonstration, as announced by SDS, was our refusal to show them administrative communications between our group leaders and advisers in the field on the one hand and the Harvard administration on the other. In the memorandum handed to the CRIMSON and the SDS prior to the demonstration, we explained that "These communications provide the information, together with field visits, needed to decide on the effectiveness of each project's and each adviser's contribution to the University and the assisted country.... If the authors knew that their reports and letters would be available to a wide audience a sense of responsibility would require that they be less frank, comprehensive and communicative. The Harvard administration would, as a consequence, be severely hampered in appraising the effectiveness, worth and practices of each project. In addition, personal reputations would be unjustly damaged.... Internal communications are commonly regarded as privileged."

We have indicated repeatedly to the SDS, on the other hand, that substantive documents sent to us by our advisers overseas, many of which are prepared by them, are deposited in our library.... As we wrote in the memorandum, "these materials range from short memoranda containing recommendations but devoid of substantive supporting analysis all the way to lengthy research papers which are highly technical in nature and lack any recommendations." The memorandum also stated that "All members of the Harvard community are free to see these materials whether catalogued or uncatalogued."

[CRIMSON photographer Robert Bluhm and SDS member Robert Mathews reaffirm that my account of the confrontation is basically correct. Because of the widespread confusion and shouting, it is quite likely that Mr. Gordon and I should disagree with the exact timing of the accusations made at the confrontation. I reported the event as I saw it happen at the time.