Republican George Cabot Lodge '50, Independent H. Stuart Hughes, and a probably empty chair representing Democrat Edward M. "Ted" Kennedy '54 will clash in a debate at Boston's John Hancock Hall Saturday night.

Hughes and Lodge supporters have been flooding Boston television stations with telephone calls over the weekend in an attempt to force the industry to carry the debate.

Last night WBZ-TV (channel 4) had "made no decision," WHDH-TV (channel 5) had decided not to carry the debate, and WNAC-TV (channel 7) had "not been contacted by any of the participating candidates."

Station officials indicated privately that the debate will not be televised unless Kennedy agrees to appear with Lodge and Hughes.

Saturday, Rep. Gerard F. Doherty, a top Kennedy aide, branded the Hughes candidacy frivolous, and said the President's youngest brother "absolutely refused" to debate on the same platform with Hughes.

The challenge to debate was issued Friday by Lodge's campaign manager, Paul Grindle immediately after an abortive session in which he and Doherty attempted to arrange a series of debates between the Democratic and Republican candidates.

As Doherty left Lodge headquarters, Grindle issued a prepared statement inviting both Kennedy and Hughes to debate the proposition: "The Cold War Can Be Won." Within an hour, Hughes accepted the challenge, declaring "I welcome (Lodge's) statesmanlike action... I rejoice for the people of Massachusetts and the entire nation that the party candidates have risen to their national responsibility."

Doherty immediately labeled the Lodge action "the height of discourtesy" and accused Grindle of "bargaining in bad faith" during their earlier meeting.

Saturday's meeting at 8 p.m. will reportedly be the first of six weekly debates among the Senatorial candidates. The ground rules for this debate call for a moderator, no press panel, and a maximum of two minutes for any speech.

Lodge headquarters revealed yesterday that since Kennedy has been invited to speak, one-third of the seats will be reserved for his supporters. The rest will be distributed by Lodge and Hughes headquarters.

There will be three separate podiums on the stage, with a sign on each for Kennedy, Lodge, and Hughes. Kennedy has repeatedly refused to appear with Hughes unless the token candidates of the Prohibition and Socialist-Labor Parties are also included.