Play Up Abortion, Conservative Says

Conservatives will dominate the country's policy-making into the 21st century if they emphasize emotionally-charged issues like school prayer and abortion, noted conservative activist Richard Viguerie told about 75 people at a Kennedy School study group yesterday.

"The issues that cause people to go out there and vote are the conservative issues: buses, taxes, abortion, defense," said Viguerie, 52, the direct mail maestro who founded the Conservative Digest.

To win office in the 1980's candidates must use the media and mass communication techniques, said Viguerie, who began the practice of sending political communications directly to voters in 1965. "Ronald Reagan probably would not be in the White House today if not for direct mail."

Because the media are biased toward liberal causes, he said, direct communication with voters is especially necessary for conservative office-seekers.