Chicano Groupand WHRB Still Apart on Program; Language Is Main Barrier

A strong attempt at compromise is being made in the fight to get a regularly scheduled Chicano-oriented program on WHRB.

Rogelio Reyes, instructor in Afro-American Studies 105a-the class which is requesting the air time-said yesterday, "We are going to discuss on Wednesday whether there is justification for stopping the legal processes we have initiated."

The group has complained to the Federal Communications Commission and the Civil Rights Commission of the Justice Department, and has asked the agencies to investigate WHRB's alleged racism. They have also informed President Pusey of their action. He has asked Dean Epps to handle the matter within the University.

Michael F. Kraley 71, president of WHRB, said that after consultation with the WHRB board of directors he would write a letter to the group. He noted that his response would probably say that "although other solutions are by no means ruled out, the best way to solve the problem would be to have student members of the class join as regular members of WHRB."

Since, as members of the station, they would be responsible for what went on the air, they could monitor the all-Spanish broadcasts themselves, according to Kraley.

The Chicanos claim that WHRB had broken faith with them in negotiations that had been going on since early November for a Chicano program. WHRB cancelled the program shortly before it was to go on the air, claiming that none of its members were capable of monitoring on the Spanish speaking broadcasts.

The Chicano group offered to provide a transcript and to have a translator present during each broadcast. The radio station, however, did not think these measures were sufficient.

Reyes claimed that the station has taken two inconsistent positions. In the January 11 CRIMSON, Kraley is quoted as saying "We decided not to run he program for one technical reason: we are required to monitor everything that goes out over the air. We have no one who speaks Spanish fluently enough to adequately monitor the program."

But in a second statement, transmitted through Dean Epps, the station said that "they had made a mistake, were willing to apologize and hoped that we were willing to accept their apology," according to Reyes.

The Chicanos have said that until they have a definite reply from WHRB, they will wait on further action, although they said they would not stop "any of the legal machinery that has already been set in motion."