A hearing on the libel suit brought by the Boston Nutrition Society against Dr. Frederick J. Stare, professor of Nutrition, has been postponed until mid-January at the request of the Society's lawyer.

The suit, which claims that Stare made libelous statements in his column in the March, 1959, issue of McCall's Magazine, was scheduled to go before a Superior Court jury yesterday.

Attorney John R. Auchter said he asked for the delay because "a couple of out witnesses got tied up. "However, Dr. Stare charged that the Society which he called "a bunch of screwballs" was "unable to find any expert witness on their behalf."

In his McCall's column Stare accused the Society of "cruel and reckless fraud" in linking white bread with cancer, heart disease, mental illness, and dental cavities. The Society stated this belief in an "open letter," signed by John D. Pearmain '13, which it sent to President Pusey in 1957.

Stare said Pearmain "used to sell the seaweed" in the Copley square diet Shop, which was headquarters for the Society until the store closed last year.

Pearmain, who now lives on Prince Edward Island, Canada, was one of the witness whom Auchter said could not attend a hearing this week. He refused to name any other witnesses, because "we don't want to tip out whole hand to Dr. Stare."

"I don't feel any personal animosity toward Dr. Stare," Auchter remarked yesterday.