University security guards will meet this afternoon to discuss the conduct and public statements of union steward Stephen G. McCombe, who has charged police department management with engaging in a "pattern of retaliation" against guards who accused their supervisors of discriminatory practices.

The executive board of the Local 254 AFL-CIO union, which represents Harvard guards, called the meeting this week in response to a petition signed by 25 of Harvard's 100 guards. Two guards familiar with the petition said that four of the union's five stewards--all but McCombe--were among the signees.

Today's meeting, which will take place at the Sheraton Commander Hotel, is indicative of increasingly open hostilities within the guard unit. Last year, eight former and current security employees charged discrimination based on race, and relations between guards have grown bitter. A series of 28 interviews with guards conducted in January showed the department to be evenly divided over the discrimination charges.

"This is war," said one minority security guard, who has not charged harassment and will support McCombe at today's meeting. "I think Steve McCombe was the only guy with the balls not to take this lying down."

Five guards, all of whom spoke on condition of anonymity, said the meeting was part of an effort by some of their colleagues to remove McCombe from his position as steward and strip him of his union membership. Edward T. Sullivan, business manager for Local 254, did not return a phone call yesterday.

"I can't say anything until it's over," said Manny Theama, the chief guard steward, who is Black and among the petition's signees. "Unlike Mr. McCombe, I don't give out any information until I know what I'm talking about."

Two guards said the petition charges McCombe with breaking union rules and creating divisiveness by his public statements in a Febru- ary interview with The Crimson. In that interview, McCombe discussed the cases of five minority guards who he represented and who have charged the department management with discrimination based on race and ethnicity. He repeatedly insisted that his statements reflected his personal views and not those of the union.

The charges of discrimination were vehemently denied by Manager of Operations for Security Robert J. Dowling. In February, Dowling alleged that McCombe engaged in a "personal vendetta" against him and that the union steward coerced guards to go public with charges of discrimination.

McCombe refused to comment on the matter yesterday.

In recent interviews, guards have said McCombe is at the center of the dispute over the charges. Some have suggested the steward is a self-promoter who has put the good of the guards he represents over the larger interests of the unit.

But others say he is the only union steward who will adequately represent them in disputes with management. These guards say the other stewards are too friendly with department management