City Councilor Wheeler Explains Reasons for Cambridge Friction

"One of the sources of friction between Harvard and Cambridge is the readiness on the University level to believe the worst of Cambridge," said City Councilor Cornelia B. Wheeler at the Social Relations Society "Town and Gown" seminar last night. "Actually, there is a lot to be said in favor of city government in Cambridge."

Both Mrs. Wheeler and Professor Edwin B. Newman, vice-president of the Cambridge Civic Association, outlined the political history of Cambridge and discussed current trends in University-Cambridge relations.

"One bad sign is the tendency of young families with children--both graduate students and upper middle-class families--to move outside of Cambridge." Mrs. Wheeler said, "The only people left to bridge the gap are young people with no feeling of responsibility and older, retired people."

She defended present members of the Council, and regretted that Harvard graduates Crane and DeGuglielmo had no one following in their footsteps in city government. "It's natural enough for Al Vellucci to act the way he does," Mrs. Wheeler said. "People who want their garbage collected don't go to the Department of Public Works; they go to him, and he gets it done."

Mrs. Wheeler emphasized the fact that as Harvard expands, it cannot avoid causing friction. "Cambridge residents see pieces of good property going off the tax rolls for Harvard buildings," she said, "and the University is forced to go against many present zoning regulations.

Both Mrs. Wheeler and Professor Newman praised the University parking lot offer as "creative thinking," but doubted that Cambridge will pay for parking yet. Professor Newman forecast trouble in connection with the Loeb Theatre project. "A lot of CCA people were shocked when they heard about it.