Opponents of Busing in Boston Plan Demonstration at Capital

Boston citizens against busing to achieve racial balance will gather at City Hall next Wednesday and then march to the State House to protest the state's racial imbalance law.

The Boston School Committee voted on Wednesday to endorse the march.

Opponents of the law will testify before State House hearings on April 3. Supporters will testify the following day.

Paul R. Tierney, a member of the School Committee, said yesterday, "We voted to support efforts to repeal the Racial Imbalance Act."

Tierney said that the School Committee sent notices of the march to parents of school children. "The purpose is to encourage parents to support the bill to repeal the Racial Imbalance Act," he said.

Original Filer

Massachusetts State Representative Royal L. Bolling (D-Roxbury) said yesterday he protests the School Committee's action. Bolling originally filed the racial imbalance legislation in 1964.

"Last year, the court ruled that the School Committee had to provide equal access to differing views," he said.

"We don't have time to get the same access. They are really violating the spirit of last year's injunction," he added.

No Large Crowd

Bolling said that people who support the Racial Imbalance Act were not planning any mass gathering at the hearings. "We expect to fill the auditorium, but we do not expect to have a large crowd."

The Save Boston Day Committee is sponsoring the march. Thomas O'Connell, spokesman for the committee, said yesterday, "We are hoping for as many as 30,000 participants."

"On April 3 you will see the silent majority express itself" Albert L. "Dapper" O'Neil, Boston city councillor, said yesterday. "Construction workers, truck drivers, iron workers and mothers--we are going to be heard."

Governor Francis W. Sargent is now considering whether to support a referendum bill on busing.

"The question of the referendum is now whether the referendum is binding or non-binding," State Representative Raymond L. Flynn (D-South Boston) said yesterday.

Binding Or Not

Flynn said that Sargent said the bill was non-binding. "But the original drafters of the referendum bill think it is clearly binding," he added.