Libertarian Party's VP Choice Nathan Attacks Positions of Nixon, McGovern

The Libertarian Party's vice presidential candidate yesterday criticized the Democratic and Republican presidential candidates for their inconsistencies and contradictions.

Speaking before 20 people in the Union. Tonie Nathan said that Senator George S. McGovern is the "lesser of two evils." However, she said that with his initial selection of Thomas F. Eagleton (D-Mo.) as running mate, and with his positions on abortion and on the Vietnam war, he has modified his stands.

She said that all parties other than the Libertarian Party are socialistic and grant government the right to control the individual. "When there is free trade between people under no coercion from government, this is known as "laissezfaire" capitalism," Nathan said.

"But we've always had intervention by government in protection of big business. The only function of government is the protection of individual rights," she said.

"Taxation is extortion. We oppose it because it's forced. Government needs very little money if it restricts itself to maintaining a police force, national defense, and courts of law. And people will voluntarily support values they believe in," Nathan said. She referred to the Catholic Church's financial success as evidence of the individual's readiness to finance what he values.

A free-lance journalist, public relations counselor, and part-time TV producer, the 49-year-old Nathan has been speaking at university centers across the country. Her talk here was sponsored by the Massachusetts Libertarian Party, which last month hosted her presidential candidate, Dr. John Hospers.

The party, formed last year, opposes welfare, required public education, forced busing, tariffs, protection allowances, and wage-price controls.

Nathan does not expect to win but stresses that her party is gaining support, and that Libertarian candidates for lesser posts are on ballots in other states.