But much of Harvard's service was affected by the failure, Manager of Network Operations Paul Conway said.

Conway said many people thought that there were physical problems with their own telephones and complained to his office, which is responsible for the phone repair. His employees had to drop their work to answer the calls, he said.

Conway also said he kept in touch with the Harvard Police and the University Health Services in case of urgent calls. But a Harvard police spokesman said his department's emergency lines remained open.

Protesters Ask, Where Was George?

Demonstrators outside Bush campaign headquarters in Boston yesterday accused Vice-President Bush of giving a $40 million bribe to Iranian officials during the 1980 election campaign in exchange for an Iranian promise not to release the American hostages until after the election.

According to the Contragate Action Team, a local group, Bush met with representatives of the Ayatollah Khomeini in Paris on October 19, 1980 to finalize a deal in which Reagan campaign officials agreed to send arms to Iran once Reagan was elected.

Speakers at the rally, which drew about 150, claimed that national news organizations were not covering the story because Bush aide Donald Gregg had masterminded a media coverup.

Bush campaign officials did not take the charges seriously. "I do not believe that there is any possibility that those things are true," said Ron J. Balmer, executive director of the Bush campaign in Massachusetts."

The Contragate group chanted "Where was George?" as about 70 Bush supporters shouted, "Peace through strength."