Confidential letters obtained yesterday by The Crimson show that Boston University (B.U.) President John R. Silber hoped to discredit the B.U. faculty union's decision to strike for a new contract.

Silber said in a memo sent Wednesday "We must not leave the impression that anything was gained by striking. I hope we will stick to the view that the strike wasunnecessary and self-defeating; I believe we must be able to demonstrate that they have won nothing by striking," the memo states.

to save their face with regard to the folly of this strike.

"We must not leave the impression that anything was gained by striking. I hope we will stick to the view that the strike was unnecessary and self-defeating; I believe we must be able to demonstrate that they have won nothing by striking," the memo states.

The B.U. professor who released the memos to selected news organizations said he received them from a source in Silber's office.

Silber wrote Arthur G.B. Metcalf, chairman of the board of trustess: "I thought that press handling has been pretty good thus far and, fortunately, there is enough significant news elsewhere to prevent major space.

"I would hope our negotiators and press people would play up this conflict of interest in the faculty having a hand in setting its own salaries. The public is highly sensitized to conflict of interest and these I believe to be useful words from the public relations standpoint," Silber's letter continues.