The director of the Selective Service System confronted a crowd of demonstrators and an auditorium full of hostile, jeering students as he defended draft registration last night in a speech at the Science Center.
Shortly before the official Thomas K. Turnage, appeared to speak, about 40 activists burned registration cards and chanted slogans is a protect outside the Science Center During Turnage's address, which was sponsored by the Republican Club, registration opponents interrupted Turnage repeatedly.
One woman set the tone for the audience of about 100 when she shouted, "No free speech for speech as the former Major General approached the podium.
Turnage dismissed the protestors and said that most draft-age citizens support registration "I do not see many eighteen year-olds protesting registration" he said.
Still Fighting
Throughout his remarks, Turnage reaffirmed the Reagan Administration's commitment to registration in the face of recent court setbacks. In California and low a last month, federal judges threw out government prosecutions of non registrant.
Turnage emphasized that the decisions do not affect cases pending in other states and are under appeal.
"We are not conferred and the decisions will have no effect on U.S polics to go after those who do not register" he said.
He also responded to criticism that the Jus tice Department is "selectively prosecuting" only those non-registrants who publicly declare their action.
ice Department is "selectively prosecuting onl those non-registrants who publicly declare their action.
The Justice Department is equally concerned with non-registrants who do not publicize their opposition, Turnage said. According to Turnage, 500,000 men out of nine million have broken the law by failing to register.
Turnage calmly condemned non-registrants during his address, saying "A citizen cannot disregard what laws he wants to," and added "morally correct students were those who registered."
Before Turnage's speech, several protestors, said they did not object to the official's appearance on campus, and actually welcomed his visit as an opportunity to protest registration.
I think that he's a governments flunkis, but it's right to confront government flunkies sometimes," said Jamin B. Raskin'83 of the Radcliffe Harvard Peace Alliance.
Joining the demonstrators outside the Science Center were some costumed members of the cast of Hair, appearing at the Hasty Pudding Theater, minutes before their curtain rose.
"Our show basically a vehicle to support the views that the demonstrators here are advocating," explained cast-member jeff Bercuvitz, a senior at Brown University.
Despite of gym;s partial reopening. the three Quad House committee chairman and College officials are continuing to discuss alternatives to the facilities that remain off-limits.
Currier House Chairman Alan A. Khazei'83 said yesterday that officials are now considering several proposals that would be supported by operating funds accumulated while the gym was shut. Among the proposals are plans to improve exercise facilities in the individual Houses, reserve extra squash court time at Hememway for Quad residents, and add extra shuttle bus service to the IAB.
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