Tsongas to Discuss Issue of Divestiture Here on Saturday

Sen. Paul E. Tsongas (D-Mass.) will speak on the divestiture of South Africa-related investments and U.S. policy toward that country this Saturday in the Science Center.

Tsongas proposed a national program of "phased conditional divestiture" on the Senate floor last month. Under his plan, universities would sell 20 per cent of their holdings in companies with operations in South Africa each year for five years, achieving complete divestiture by 1983.

On Friday, Hugh Calkins '45, chairman of the Corporation Committee on Shareholder Responsibility, will debate Harvard divestiture at the Science Center with Mark Smith, '72-4, the spokesman for the anti-apartheid movement at the dedication of the K-School last fall.

Difficult Facilities

At last October's dedication of the K-School library, Smith criticized Harvard for accepting a donation in the name of Charles W. Engelhard and called the proposed naming of the library after Engelhard a "travesty and a damn shame."

Neal I. Koblitz '69, Pierce lecturer on Mathematics and a member of the ad hoc committee, said last night that Tsongas will discuss divestiture with the audience after delivering a short speech.

Koblitz said he believes the debate will raise arguments for and against divestiture because it is the first one-on-one exchange vetwen a member of the Corporation and a supporter of divestiture.

Neither Smith or Calkins could be reached for comment yesterday.

Tsongas isolated Harvard in his Senate speech and challenged President Bok to a debate that Bok later turned down.

In a telephone interview last month, Tsongas said he has focused on Harvard in his call for divestiture because "it is in a unique situation as one of the leading universities in the country."

Incredible

"Harvard certainly has the credibility that can be used or not used to lead a national divestiture movement among universities," Tsongas said.

Koblitz said that many members of the Class of '69 support the ad hoc committee's efforts in favor of divestiture.

"A lot of class members see a connection between the protests of '69 and the divestiture movement of today--we're still trying to get Harvard to take a moral stand on an international crisis," Koblitz said.

Both events, along with a panel discussion entitled "Harvard College in the '70s," are sponsored by the Class of '69 ad hoc committee on Harvard and South Africa and are part of a series of events for the 10th reunion of the Class of '69.