Gov. Sargent Addresses Harvard Republican Club

Governor Francis W. Sargent said here last night that he was surprised to find a strike going on at Harvard when only a few hours before he had arranged for an injunction ordering the striking guards at Walpole State Prison back to work.

Sargent, a guest of the Harvard Republican Club, spoke to an audience of 150 people in Emerson about the achievements of a Republican governor in a Democratic state and about the reorganization of state government.

"It is possible for a Republican to get elected and to get legislation passed in a Democratic state," Sargent told the audience composed largely of Harvard Republican Club members.

Discussing his proposals for the reorganization of state government, currently being submitted to the legislature, Sargent said he wanted to reduce the number of state agencies responsible to the governor and to his cabinet from about 350 to about 200.

Sargent said his plan was not designed just to save money, reduce taxes and create jobs, but to give better service as well.

The governor has also proposed a reorganization of the state civil service program. Within the current structure, Sargent said, it is impossible to recruit young talent, to transfer employees and to promote personnel on the basis of merit.

In answer to questions about the strike at Walpole State Prison, Sargent said that he hoped the negotiations between striking guards and the Correction Department would be successful by this morning, despite the fact that the injunction he obtained went into effect last night.