Judge Orders Cambridge to Put Anti-War Referendum on Ballot

The people of Cambridge will probably get a chance to vote on the Vietnam war in November.

A Middlesex County Superior Court Judge yesterday ruled that a resolutioin against American involvement in Vietnam must be placed on the City's November 7 ballot unless the City Council itself adopts the resolution.

Judge oseph Mitchell's ruling stated that the petition "is a proper subject for an initiative petition from the citizens of the City of Cambridge." The petition was circulated by the Cambridge Neighborhood Committee on Vietnam--a group whose sponsors include Michael L. Walzer, associate professor of Government.

The ruling gives the City's Election Commission 48 hours to check the approximately 8000 signatures on the petition. The signatures of 3600 registered voters are required to place it on the ballot.

If enough signatures are valid, the City must immediately print ballots for the resolutions, without waiting for the city to complete appeals or for City Council action on a possible resolution.

It is likely, but was not certain last night, that the City will appeal the decision to the Supreme Judicial Court of the Commonwealth. In all probability, the City Council will not adopt the antiwar resolution, since only last week it sent a similar petition to a death in committee.

The court did not rule yesterday on the other petition--sponsored by Cambridge Vote on Vietnam--but indicated that a ruling would be forthcoming today.

Yesterday's ruling climaxed a long struggle by CNVC. The group circulated its petition last August, gaining its 8000 signatures in only a month. However, on September 18, Cambridge City Solicitor Andrew T. Trodden tried to block the petition from the ballot, claiming that it was irrelevant to City business. CNCV then went to court to challenge his ruling, with Cambridge attorney Hans Loeser handling the case.