Duehay, Walsh Clash in Commonwealth Day Debate

In a rare display of open political maneuvering, city councillors last night exchanged angry words over what one member described as the exploitation of racial issues surrounding the closing of a predominantly Black private school in the mostly white Brattle St. neighborhood.

Councillor Francis H. Duehay '55 charged that a group of council members--headed by Councillor William H. Walsh--had met in private and decided to use the controversy surrounding the Commonwealth Day School's departure from Cambridge for political ends in council elections this November.

"I think that he is trifling with the cause of racial justice in this city," Duehay said of Walsh. Duehay said a participant told him of the meeting, but he did not name which one.

At last week's meeting, school affiliates told the council that race was the predominant factor in neighborhood objections that led the school to sell its property and move out of the affluent Brattle St. area. At the instigation of Walsh and Councillor Saundra Graham, the council voted to establish a blue ribbon committee to investigate allegations of racial harassment.

But this week, Duehay said Walsh was using the Commonwealth Day issue for political ends--to cast aspersion on him and his supporters.

Brattle St. is a traditional stronghold of the liberal Cambridge Civic Association, which is backing Duehay in the upcoming election and which opposes Independent councillors such as Walsh.

All five Independents on the council denied having taken part in any meeting to discuss the politicization of the Commonwealth Day issue.

At issue are the signatures of more than 200 neighborhood residents--including those of Duehay and several Harvard professors--on a petition to the city's Board of Zoning Appeal. The petition sought to block the school's expansion.

Last night, Walsh sponsored an order making direct reference to one of the petitions most prominent signers, Tyler Professor of Constitutional Law Laurence H. Tribe '62. Tribe, one of the foremost experts on the Constitution, last week tried to distance himself from the petition, saying he did not know of the racial issues surrounding the petition when he signed it. He said he would cooperate with any investigation of the matter.

Walsh's order would have recorded Tribe's desire to remove his name from the petition, as well as others who decided they had made an "error in judgement."

"It's not a political issue," Walsh said in response to Duehay's criticisms. "It's an issue on whether right or wrong was done to the school.

Duehay has said he signed the petition because he opposes having an institutional building in a residential neighborhood. And he has stressed that for the same reasons, he opposes the sale of the property to the primarily white Lincoln Institite for Land Policy.

When Walsh's order initially came up for consideration, Duehay also asked that Walsh remove his name from the measure.

"I would suggest that it be offered by someone who has a greater record on racial justice than Councillor Walsh does," Duehay said, adding that Graham--the council's only Black member--was better qualified to back it.

Duehay's comments drew hisses from the audience, many of whom were members of the city's Small Property Owners Association. That organization generally supports Walsh and other Independents.

And Independent Councillor Thomas W. Danehy said Duehay should refrain from assessing Walsh or another councillor's record, saying he did not want the council to become an arena for members to pass judgement on each other.

"I have never seen that happen in the 22 years that I've been here," Danehy said.

Political Football

Walsh also drew criticism from Graham for referring to the departure of the school as a "black eye" upon the city.

"Please don't call it a black eye," she said.

Graham said she did not want her name to appear on the order because she was concerned that the racial questions underlying the Commonwealth Day matter had been buried in local politics.

"I don't want the African-American people to be used as a football in a political campaign," said Graham, who is retiring from the council this year.

Graham said the Commonwealth Day debate opened up a variety of questions about racism, classism and sexism in the city, adding that the council should provide a more practical forum than city elections to discuss these issues.

"This is an open sore now," she said. "This is a sore which has to be drained."

The council did not vote directly on Walsh's order because it questioned the legality of removing names from the petition. Instead, it referred the order to the Zoning Board of Appeal.

Loitering at 'T' Stops

In other business, the Council:

.passed an order asking City Manager Robert W. Healy to meet with the Harvard Square Youth Commiteee to discuss ways to alleviate "the constant loitering of youths at the entrances of the `T' stops" and "the constant harassment that is inflicted on the citizenry as they traverse Harvard Square." The measure was sponsored by Councillor Walter J. Sullivan

.asked Healy to provide a list of the criteria for creating new appointments and positions in city agencies in effect since Gov. Michael S. Dukakis announced a hiring freeze in August to compensate for the loss of more than $210 million in state aid to Massachusetts cities and towns. Walsh sponsored the order.

.ordered that Healy not eliminate the volunteer program at the Cambridge Hospital, where layoffs have been announced as a result of the budget cuts. The order was sponsored by Mayor Alfred E. Vellucci.