Rep Edward J. Markey (D-Mass) told a crowd of 400 at an institute of Politics nuclear conference Saturday night that the nuclear treeze "is the major challenge in our lifetimes."

Markey's remarks came at the concluson of the two-day non-partisan conference which attracted students from 70 New England colleges. The congressman was one of the series of speakers, including Reagan Administration spokesmen and pro-freeze leaders, to address the conference.

Robert Dean, deputy director of the State Department's Bureau of Politico-Military Affairs, said the freeze would make "significant army control more difficult" because the United States would have no bargaining chips.

He added that the new United States army programs "are an incentive for the Soviets to settle at the table."

George Rathjens, chairman-elect of the Council for a Lisable World: Robert Hass, deputy for European Affairs in the State Department, and Leslie Gelb. New York Times National Security Correspondent and former State Department official in the Carter Administration, also addressed the delegates, most whom were pro-freeze.

In addition to the 100 Harvard delegates, the conference drew more than 300 students from across the country. It was the largest such group hosted overnight at the University on a weekend without a home football game, said Archie C. Epps III, dean of students.

Many students said they were attracted to the conference because it was held at Harvard. Dan McGuire, a junior from the University of Maine at Orono, said that he skipped a similar nuclear conference at Hampshire last month, adding. "I figured at Harvard there would be more prestige."

"I am interested in networking other nuclear freeze student group, but I also really wanted to see Hair in the Square," commented Amberst sophomore Matthew Weinstein.