Faculty Members Sign SDS Letter Favoring Debate

Secretary of Defense Robert S. McNamara has been telegraphed an invitation to debate Robert Scheer, managing editor of Ramparts magazine and critic of the Vietnam war, when the two are in Cambridge next Sunday and Monday.

The invitation, written and sponsored by Students for a Democratic Society, was signed by 50 faculty members (whose names appeared on the telegram) and more than 1000 students. It claims the debate would "provide a sound basis for critical assessment of U.S. foreign policy."

One of those who signed the petition, Stanley Hoffman, professor of government and faculty associate of the Kennedy Institute, said that he signed "out of enthusiasm over the prospect of such a debate." The students have every right to make the request, Hoffman continued "but if I were the Secretary of Defense with a full schedule I would decline."

Phrase Deleted

Hoffman had refused to sign the petition at first because the original draft had included a clause accusing the Kennedy Institute of fostering only "dominant Administration opinion." The phrase was later delated and Hoffman signed.

"The Kennedy Institute has done a good job in planning this visit." Hoffman continued, "and their first speaker happens to be a very controversial one."

Other faculty members who signed the invitation include Professors Allport. Cavell, Firth, Putnam, Owen, Moise, Kagan, and Marichal.

Michael S. Ansara '67, presently temporary chairman of SDS, said last night that he had been "unofficially informed by the Kennedy Institute that McNamara would not debate anyone publicly."

Barney Frank, '62, director of undergraduate affairs for the Kennedy Institute, said last night that he will make an official reply tomorrow on behalf of McNamara to SDS's invitation.

SDS will hold a general membership meeting tomorrow to decide what kind of protest should be made if McNamara decides not to debate. Contingency plans will probably include a demonstration during McNamara's Monday night "chat" in one of the Houses.

"McNamara has enough time to fit a debate into his schedule," Ansara said, "it's just that he's unwilling to have a direct confrontation with his intellectual critics." He is coming to Harvard so that he can say "I talked it over with the intellectuals, and although we didn't agree, we hashed it all out," Ansara continued.

Gusty Student

"It's going to take a helluva gutsy student to stand up to McNamara and say 'no sir those ain't the facts,'" Ansara said. The whole set up of the visit, Ansara continued, is designed to avoid straining McNamara and allow him to overpower small groups of students.

Since both Scheer and Johnson will be arriving at Logan on Friday at about the same time, Ansara has suggested a fitting start to the President's 90 minute tour of Boston. When Scheer arrives, all of the anti-war demonstrators are going to abandon LBJ and surround the Democratic peace-candidate asking if there is any truth to the rumor that he will run for President in '72