K-School Group Asks Reagan For TV Show on El Salvador

In response to last month's airing of the federally sponsored television program. "Let Poland Be Poland," a group of Kennedy School students has sent a letter to President Reagan requesting support for a similar program on El Salvador.

Michael P. Shea, a mid-career student at the K-School and spokesman for the Committee to let El Salvador be El Salvador, said yesterday that the Committee recently sent letters to Reagan and to entertainer Frank Sinatra, who starred in the show, commending them both for their recommendation that Russia stay out of Poland, but suggesting that the U.S. do the same in El Salvador.

Most of the Committee's 15 members are enrolled in the K-School's mid-career program. Many have had experience in government and have a special interest in Central American issues, Shea said.

El Salvador is "closer to home," Shea said, adding that the committee considers Reagan's policy of attacking Soviet intervention in Poland while supporting American involvement in El Salvador inconsistent. "We want to draw a parallel," he said, adding, "President Reagan is clearly confused about Central America--we want to educate him."

Shea said that he hopes to receive a check in the mail from Washington, adding, "then we can put on a little song and dance ourselves, with a couple of atrocities thrown in."

A spokesperson for the White House said that she did not know whether Reagan had received the letter, but added, "Letters usually require a six-week process."

But another member of the ad hoc committee, Amy J. Stursberg said, "We're not really waiting for any response," adding, "we wanted to raise the issue of the correlation between the two issues. We expected the letter would be trashed."

180 Million Watched

The International Communcation Agency (ICA) initially aired the Poland show overseas on Jan. 31 in over 40 countries, to an estimated 180 million viewers. The ICA had to get special Congressional approval for the Public Broadcasting System (PBS) to air it in the United States.

Although Shea said that $350,000 was spent in the production of the program, an ICA spokesman said almost all of that money was reimbursed to the government through private donations. These private donors included Mobil Oil, Dow-Corning Corp., and Quaker Outs.

The ICA spokesman said he had not heard of the K-School Committee's letter but added, "I'd say it is an interesting proposition." He refused to comment further adding. "I can only tell you about Poland.