The Mail MASS PAX

To the Editors of the CRIMSON:

Allow me to correct the inaccuracies contained in your story "Anti-War Movement. Braces For Spring," as they pertain to Massachusetts Political Action for Peace (MASS. PAX).

1. MASS. PAX can hardly be described as a leader in the People's Coalition For Peace And Justice. MASS. PAX joined the PCPJ only on March 24 and then after a series of PAX Steering Committee meetings which agonized over the decision. The PCPJ has been meeting and planning for many months during which PAX sent observers intermittently.

2. PAX joined the PCPJ to support the April 24 demonstration in Washington and reserved its participation in later events pending clarification of the PCPJ position on non-violence.

3. PAX is not aware of any plans beyond the talking stage to "close down the JFK Federal Building in Boston through massive non-violent civil disobedience." You state "if police attack demonstrators, however, individuals will be free to defend themselves." PAX will not participate under such conditions.

4. The energies and resources of PAX have been largely focussed in supporting the activities of the Vietnam Veterans Against the War, the local branch of which is housed in the PAX offices at 65A Winthrop Street. Cambridge.

The position of the PAX Steering Committee adopted on March 21 and immediately communicated to the PCPJ follows:

(a) PAX will join the People's Coalition for Peace and Justice, reserving the right to disassociate themselves from any actions of members of the Coalition which we feel to be counter-productive-trashing, violence, etc.

(b) Acts of Civil Disobedience must be specified in advance (actions spelled out in advance leave less room for manipulation, are more effective, will involve more substantial numbers of people, and have greater promise of respecting human dignity on both sides).

(c) The Coalition must spell out the nature of nonviolence to both the public and to members of the Coalition. The theory of self-defense must be clarified, and PAX urges that the premise of defending oneself during a civil disobedience action will be abandoned in the Gandhian tradition, PAX suggests as a model, the demonstrations fun locally by N-DAG (Nonviolent Direct Action Group).

(d) PAX urges that the best speakers representing different issues concerning the Coalition be used at demonstrations, and that the speakers be directed to focus on the war in Indochina.

(e) PAX feels a range of spokesmen should represent the Coalition to the public, and that all official statements of the Coalition make clear that the Coalition is not a monolithic body, that there are complexities involved. PAX suggests that whenever possible, public statements be "cleared" with members of the Coalition.

(f) PAX favors the concept of marshalled demonstrations, and feels strongly that PCPJ must take some responsibility for marshalling demonstrations with which they are involved.