Picketers Confront OGCP

About 50 demonstrators confronted the acting director of the Office for Graduate and Career Planning yesterday afternoon and demanded a justification for the appearance of Marine Corps and Naval recruiters at the OGCP earlier in the day.

The demonstrators--who included members of SDS and the Cambridge Vietnam Veterans Against the War--confronted James W. Wickenden for about one hour. Wickenden sat calmly and responded to a barrage of questions from the group.

After the demonstrators learned that the recruiters had left earlier in the day, they dropped their plans for a picket line and entered the building. Wickenden told them that the Marine recruiter had seen five people in the morning and the Naval representative had talked to four students.

Most of the questioning centered around the Vietvets' request that they be granted permission to come to the OGCP and tell students "the truth about the Marines." Toward the end of the confrontation, Wickenden said that he would "consider" granting their request.

Anti-Recruking

Wickenden said last night that he would "broach the subject (of the 'anti-recruiting' proposal)" with Charles P. Whitlock, acting dean of the College.

In response to heated questioning, Wickenden explained the presence of the recruiters on campus by citing a 1968 Faculty resolution that directs the OGCP to "make its facilities available to the broadest possible range of organizations offering information relevant to the future plans and careers of Harvard and Radcliffe students."

"I know what the Marines do," Wickenden told the demonstrators. "I can sympathize with you." He summarized his position by saying. "The majority of people at Harvard oppose the war. But some don't--and this office must serve them also."

He told the group that he discussed the presence of the Marines and Navy with Whitlock and that the dean supported his decision to allow the recruiters at the OGCP. Whitlock could not be reached for comment last night.

Wickenden had said Monday that the decision to recruit was initiated by the Marines and the Navy themselves, and not by his office.

In response to a question whether he would permit the Mafia to recruit at the OGCP, Wickenden said, "I would discuss that with Dean Whitlock."

As the hour wore on, the confrontation dwindled to a discussion. One of the Vietvets, an ex-Marine, tacked up a poster on the OGCP door that read. "The only ex-Marines are dead Marines, crippled Marines and unemployed Marines."

Wickenden told the remaining demonstrators that they had "done nothing in here to merit any form of retaliatory action by anyone."

Wickenden said last night that he felt "uncomfortable" at the confrontation, but he was thankful that "people did not act out strong feelings in an embarrassing manner.

"It was an orderly demonstration and I'm thankful that no damage was done either to the OGCP office or to the people involved," he said