Protest of Bomb Shelter Greeted by Public Apathy

A picket line organized in front of the Massachusetts State House to protest the proposed construction of a state nuclear bomb shelter drew little response yesterday from an apathetic Boston.

Over 70 persons joined in the demonstration sponsored by the Greater Boston Committee for a Sane Nuclear Policy. Robert E. Well '61, head of Harvard's Tocsin organization, estimated that 15-20 of the picketers were from the University.

The picketing itself was orderly and quiet. Demonstrators marched in a large oval carrying signs that read: "Man is not a mole," "Keep man out of a hole," and "Civil Defense is not defense."

Framingham Shelter

The picket line was organized to call public attention to the construction of a bomb shelter at Framingham, a matter which SANE says slipped through the legislature without sufficient deliberation.

Comments of most passers-by revealed they had only the vaguest idea of what the shelter proposal calls for. For the most part, their reactions to the picketers were tolerant but unenthusiastic. One man, though, thought "They should all be put in jail."

Gabriel M. Kolko, teaching fellow in History and chairman of the SANE civil defense committee, said he was concerned about rallying more public support to the demonstrations. He cited the expense of the proposed Framingham shelter--$1.2 million--as one reason why the state might balk at going through with the plan.

A slightly discouraged Radcliffe demonstrator agreed, reporting that many people had told her "We are for you," but usually for financial rather than moral reasons.