A handbill attacking Democratic Congressional nominee John L. Saltonstall Jr. '38, was posted yesterday in University dining halls and entries by members of the Harvard Eisenhower Republican Club. The bill drew severe criticism last night from Harvard Young Democratic Club president Fred M. Leventhal '60, who denounced it as a "vicious McCarthyistic slander-sheet."

Leventhal charged that the hand-bill falsely imputed communist sympathizing and draft-dodging to Saltonstall. He called the handbill and the HERC's action "cheap and irresponsible."

The handbill, entitled "A Statement By Citizens Of The Tenth Congressional District," attacked Saltonstall for his membership in the ADA, approval of General MacArthur's dismissal and opposition to the Smith Act.

Elliot D. Bernat '60, HERC president, admitted distribution of the material, but he insisted that all statements in its were "factually true."

"Unfortunate Wording"

When asked if one statement about Saltonstall's having been a civilian throughout World War II might give an incorrect impression, Bernat observed that the wording was "unfortunate." He added that "Mrs. Saltonstall was pretty upset over it" because the statement failed to mention that Saltonstall was turned down three times by the Army as 4-F.

Bernat commented that he thought the handbill might have helped Saltonstall more than it hurt him, and added, "We didn't put up very many of them."

Copies of the handbill also were mailed out by Congressman Laurence Curtis, Saltonstall's rival, to the voters of the Tenth District.