An Alumnus Attacks Moynihan

At the appointive level, Harvard professors frequently obtain positions of influence in the federal government without abandoning their tenure on the faculty, and no questions of impropriety are raised. If they seek elective office, however, they apparently run the risk of drawing fire.

While his colleagues at Harvard passively await the outcome of the presidential election, Daniel P. Moynihan, professor of government, actively pursues the votes of New Yorkers in his Senate race with Sen. James L. Buckley (R-N.Y.). Simultaneously with his campaign, Moynihan retains his teaching position and returns to Harvard once a week to teach Social Sciences 115, "Social Science and Social Policy."

Moynihan's dual role prompted a prominent alumnus of the college, Albert F. Gordon '59, to write two letters of protest to President Bok, which Gordon released to The Crimson on Tuesday. In the letters, Gordon questions "the propriety and even the legality" of Moynihan receiving a salary from Harvard while he campaigns for the Senate.

Bok maintains that Moynihan's activities are in accord with University policy. There is a precedent for Moynihan's behavior. In Massachusett's Senate contest of 1962, two professors, Republican George Cabot Lodge '50 and peace candidate H. Stuart Hughes, ran against each other for a seat eventually won by Sen. Edward M. Kennedy '54 (D-Mass.). Lodge resigned from the faculty, but Hughes continued to teach while he campaigned.

However, Gordon cites more recent precedents in his argument that Moynihan's activities are inappropriate. Specifically, he points to the University of South Carolina, which this year required a faculty member to take a leave of absence while campaigning for office.

Gordon wrote to Bok that "to have a southern university being the beacon for ethical standards in the political arena, and not Harvard, is indeed galling and discouraging."

Daniel Steiner '54, general counsel to the University, said yesterday he does not recollect any references in Gordon's first letter to the possibility of Gordon severing financial ties to the University. But Gordon's dissatisfaction is worrisome to University officials who solicit contributions from alumni.

Peter C. Brooks '74, associate director of the College Fund, said yesterday he hopes Gordon has "no intention of withdrawing his support from the college." Brooks characterized Gordon as a "very good and faithful supporter of the College." He added that the College Fund has "no way of gauging" how the incident might affect the college if Gordon ceased contributing.

Gordon is vice-president of Kidder, Peabody and Co., an investment banking firm in New York City. He also sits on Buckley's finance committee, but he denies that partisan interests prompted him to write the letters.