Harvard Presses Charges Of Trespassing at Teach-In

The Administration filed criminal changes yesterday for trespass and disturbing an assembly of people during last Friday night's "Counter-Teach-In" against three former students who were previously dismissed, separated, or required to withdraw from the University.

This appears to be the beginning of a steady stream of disciplinary and legal action against individuals who allegedly disrupted the meeting.

Judge Haven Parker '22, presiding in East Cambridge District Court, issued warrants yesterday for the arrest of John T. Berlow '71, James T. Kilbreth III '69, and Ellen J. Messing '72. The penalty for criminal trespass is a maximum of 30 days in jail and $100 fine. Disturbing an assembly of people is punishable by a maximum of one month in jail or $50 fine.

Kilbreth served a nine-month jail sentence ending last December for assault and battery on Robert Watson, the former dean of students, during the April, 1969 occupation of University Hall.

Meanwhile, back at Harvard, 25 to 30 conservative students will meet privately tonight to review photographic evidence in hopes of identifying as many students as possible.

President Pusey issued a statement yesterday calling the disruption of the teach-in "an abhorrent affront to the basic right of freedom of expression."

"The very fact that the speakers were individuals representing an unpopular view made it all the more important that they be allowed to speak and to be heard. We must not lose sight of this central issue," the statement added.

Pusey also urged "everyone in the University to stand in quiet resolution, so that we shall not be victimized by obfuscation, while our chosen representatives seek a just resolution of the present grave problem and work to insure respect for a basic article of our shared responsibility." He added that the "reprehensible occurrence in Sanders Theatre puts the whole community on trial."

An SDS leaflet distributed yesterday stated, "We demonstrated our solidarity with the people of southeast Asia by giving no sanctuary to their enemies.... The war will continue untilmasses of people take concrete actions to stop it. We think that stopping the teach-in on Friday was such an action, and that it will help to build future actions against the war, like shutting down the CFIA."

SDS gave two examples where, they said, the Administration perverted the free-speech argument. They cited the "facist riot-control course" which the Design School attempted to sponsor in 1969 and Pusey's termination in 1954 of three Faculty appointments of alleged Communists.

The Indochina Teach-in Committee began circulating a petition last night which deplored "the denial of freedom of speech and the right to listen" but which also reaffirmed "our absolute opposition to the United States' reprehensible policy in Indochina."

Richard Zorza '71, a member of the committee, said, "We felt YAF [Young Americans for Freedom] should not be allowed to co-opt the free speech issue, which can't be separated from the war."

Donald G. Anderson, chairman of the Committee on Rights and Responsibilities (CRR), said yesterday that no charges have been filed before the CRR at this point and that "probably none will be filed until late in the week."

He said that undergraduate membership in the CRR is still an open issue. "If the undergraduates change their minds, then the seats will be filled," he said. "If two Houses were to send two people each, then they would probably be selected to fill the vacancies," Anderson added.

The CRR is constituted to consist of five tenured Faculty members, two nontenured Faculty members, two graduate students, and four undergraduates.

This fall, rules for observing the CRR hearings were tightened. In the past, an unlimited number of witnesses, three observers, and one advisor could attend each CRR hearing. "Now, witnesses shall only be there when testifying," Anderson said.

He said that the CRR and its predecessor, the Committee of 15, have processed 309 charges since April, 1969. From these, the committees dismissed three students, separated seven, required 35 to withdraw, suspended the requirement of 60 to withdraw, warned 168, admonished nine, and withdrew or dismissed complaints against 27 students. The CRR has readmitted 21 students.

Anderson added that Administration pledges of stringent disciplinary action will not affect the CRR. "As far as I'm concerned, it won't have any influence."

He said that Administration pressure might possibly make a difference "subliminally, but I'm sure there would be no overt pressure from the Administration."

Laszlo Pasztor Jr. '73, chairman of YAF, said last night, that his group's evidence will come primarily from live testimony and six or seven cameras which shot still photographs. "We shall carry our prosecutions to the CRR up to the very hilt. Our rights were violated; we demand retribution," he added.

"A lot of people are paying for the photographs themselves," Pasztor said. "If people are hard up, SJP [Students for a Just Peace]-which sponsored Friday's "Counter Teach-In"-will pay."

Pasztor said, "Civil courts pose some problems. It's very sticky. The CRR is an easier avenue to work through." He added, "We do plan to have more counter teach-ins, perhaps this spring."

Stephen Rosen '74, program director for YAF, said yesterday, "We would have charged admission but thought we'd get almost nobody. We weren't acting as provocateurs and just didn't expect them to draw such a large crowd and such a hostile reaction."

"We advertised this stuff in good faith," Rosen said, "and weren't trying to dupe anybody or build ourselves up bigger than we were."

Pasztor and Rosen both said that the South Vietnamese Ambassador had said he would come tentatively and that his name could be used as advertised. They said their incorrect name for the Thai Ambassador to U. N. was "an honest mistake."