Reischauer Lectures a Foreign Tour Group Organized by the Followers of Rev. Sun Moon

Edwin O. Reischauer, University Professor, gave a lecture to more than 300 students Saturday in a conference sponsored by the International Leadership Seminar (ILS), an organization apparently run by the followers of Rev. Sun Myung Moon.

Moon is the spiritual leader of a network of religious-political organizations with offices throughout the United States.

The Moon organization, which held rallies in 1974 to oppose the impeachment of President Nixon, claims to have more than 3 million followers. Its primary doctrine is that Moon is a prophet of Christ and that the second coming is imminent.

Reischauer Knew

Reischauer said yesterday he knew that the ILS was associated with Moon. "I'll speak before any group," he said. "If they don't mind what I tell them."

The International Leadership Seminar is a group of 120 Japanese students on a 21-day tour of the United States to study "American life and moral values put forth by the founding fathers of this country," according to the group's brochure.

Moon Connection

The chief organizer for the ILS. Tom Miner, is also one of the leaders of the Unification Church, Moon's primary religious group in the United States.

The followers of Rev. Moon have several times before used Harvard scholars to draw people to their workshops. In addition to Reischauer, Samuel H. Beer, Eaton Professor of the Science of Government and Samuel P. Huntington, Thompson Professor of Government, have spoken before groups of Moon followers.

Moon is "very much more conservative that I am," Reischauer said. "His political and religious views are quite extreme."

"The students at the conference," Reischauer added, "are more openminded than their sponsor, Reverend Moon."

Barney Sacks, from the University Marshall's office, which welcomes foreign visitors, said yesterday she did not know the International Leadership Conference was a political or religious group.

When letters are received from a foreign organization they are forwarded to a faculty member. If the faculty member is willing to meet with the group then the University will provide them with the facilities, Sacks said.

No Policy

Daniel Steiner '54, general counsel to the University, said yesterday there is no policy on granting use of Harvard facilities. "Generally if a group has a faculty sponsor then the University will try to find them space."