Civil Rights Leaders Contest Use of Name

The leaders of two major civil rights groups now fighting in federal court brought their dispute to the Institute of Politics (IOP) during separate appearances at seminars yesterday.

The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), chaired by Margaret Bush Wilson, is suing William Coleman's NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund (LDF) over the right of the LDF to use the NAACP abbreviation in its title

The NAACP has argued that the two organizations sharing the same abbreviation is confusing and that merging the two groups would benefit both The LDF, however, has said that if functions better independently and would like to keep its original name

The sum filed in May ask the LDF either to return to the NAACP umbrella which it left in 1955 or drop NAACP from its official name.

It is important for the NAACP to speak with one voice "Wilson said yesterday in an interview before her seminar, adding that she had hope the dispute would be settled out of court.

In a brief interview yesterday Coleman agreed that the issue should not have been taken to court but said that there was a need for the LDF to separate from the NAACP without having the use of the abbreviation.

It is unfortunate that the two groups are forced to allocate their precious resources to something other than fighting for civil right especially when there are lighting each other. Coleman said

Elaine Jones legislature director of the LDF and leader of the study group that Coleman spoke to yesterday explained that the defense fund lawyer have functioned well autonomously

LDF officials fear that the burden of NAACP administration would limit the author terest in Gray's office.

"World has come to me that your campus police are holding some property that rightfully should be located in the MIT Museum," Gray said in his letter to Bok. "Please give if back," the MIT president added.

Gray could not be reached for comment on the letter yesterday, but his administrative assistant, Karen Tenney, confirmed that her boss was serious. "Oh yes, he wants it back," she said

Harvard Police Chief Saul Chafin refused to say anything about the whole affair.

Breakers Fan

Elsewhere in the Massachusetts Hall mailbox lies a letter from the grandson of Paul Cabot Sr., '21, a former treasurer of the University, which asks Bok to allow a member team of the new United States Football League (USFL) to play at Soldiers Field this spring.

John M. Wood of Bedford, N.H. said in a telephone interview that he "was just putting in my two-cents worth" in hopes of influencing Harvard to "maintain a credible image with the community."

Bok last month turned down a possible arrangement between the University and the Boston Breakers of the USFL, citing apprehension that professional football games on the Charles would disrupt Harvard's academic atmosphere and create problems in the surrounding Allston-Brighton community.

Janet Titus assisted in reporting this article