YPSL Enters GM Struggle WithPetition Asks Harvard Support Of Proxy Campaign

The Young People's Socialist League (YPSL) will circulate a petition in the Houses and at Radcliffe during the next three days asking the Corporation to vote Harvard's General Motors shares in favor of the resolutions proposed by the Ralph Nader-backed Campaign for Corporate Responsibility.

In addition, Martin L. Kilson, professor of Government and faculty advisor of YPSL, will introduce a motion at a faculty meeting April 14 calling on Harvard to support Campaign GM.

George F. Bennett '33, Treasurer of the College, said at a meeting with representatives from YPSL and other student groups last week that no student poll or faculty resolution would influence the Corporation's decision to vote with the GM management if the threatened proxy fight materializes.

"The University cannot be neutral," Mare Roberts assistant professor of Economics told a YPSL meeting last night. "You [Harvard] do own stock, and the management will vote the stock you own unless you use your proxy. The Corporation has to take a stand."

The major resolutions of Campaign GM would:

enlarge GM's Board of Directors from 24 to 27 seats, adding three representatives of the public;

change the GM charter to restrict the corporation to operations which are not "detrimental to the health safety or welfare of the citizens of the United States...";

set up a "shareholder's committee" to study GM's impact on the country including an assessment of its efforts to produce pollution-free engines and safe cars, and its effect on national transportation policy.