Committee Protests Defense Contractor In Peaceful Action

The second largest defense contractor in Cambridge, Bolt, Beranek and Newman, Inc. (BBN), was the object of a low-keyed demonstration yesterday afternoon by members of the North Cambridge Vietnam Committee.

At 4:25 p.m. 17 members of the committee left the Fresh Pond Shopping Center for a high-spirited march to BBN's headquarters at 50 Moulton St., about a half-mile away. At 4:33 p.m. they, arrived at the company's offices, chanting, "Research, research, that's your game; war criminals is your name," BBN employees could be seen peering out the windows, frequently amiling.

A few minutes later, the demonstrators broadcast a tape recording of serial warfare over a loudspeaker while chanting, "BBN come out the door, listen to your own air war." To their surprise, about a dozen BBN workers suddenly appeared, Calling themselves "antiwar employses of BBN," they distributed a leaflet among the protesters entitled, "Welcome, Members of the North Cambridge Vietnam Committee!"

The two groups then engaged in often friendly discussion, debating the morality of accepting money from the Defense Department. BBN's defense contracts total 38.6 million, second only to MIT in Cambridge.

At 4:45 p.m., as light snow began to full, two Cambridge policeman in a squad can arrived. Herb Fox, a senior staff member of BBN in economics and physics told the officers. "I think your presence is troublesome and they left without incident