Leontief Charges Rogers, Mitchell, In Visa Struggle

Wassily W. Leontief, professor of Economics, is one of six American scholars suing Scc. of State William P. Rogers and Attorney General John N. Mitchell, to stop them from barring the visit of a Belgian economist to the United States.

The economist, Ernest R. Mandel, was refused a visa for a speaking tour of American colleges and universities.

Mandel is the editor of the weekly journal La Gaucho and the author of Marxist Economic Theory, published last year.

The six scholars filed suit in a Federal Court in Brooklyn yesterday to allow Mandel to speak to groups who "want to hear him engage in a free and open academic exchange."

Mandel had ostensibly been denied the visa as a result of a previous visit, during which he allegedly broke certain rules applying to foreign visitors.

Mandel said that he was not aware of the rules, which apparently were violated when an anti-war group solicited donations at one of his speaking appearances.

A source in Secretary Rogers' office, however, revealed to the press that Rogers originally approved the visa, but it was opposed by Mitchell. Mitchell reportedly chose the issue to demonstrate the strength of conservative views in the Nixon cabinet.

Interviewed yesterday, Leontief said, "As a citizen and a scholar I would like to protect my rights and those of other scholars. Mr. Mandel has no legal rights since he is not a citizen, but I feel that Ihave a right to communicate with others whose ideas. I may find important.

"Our present government." Leontief continued. "has tried to prevent his freedom of communication several times before, and it should not be allowed to pass this time without a protest."