New Democrat Group Emerges

Democratic gubernatorial nominee John R. Silber can count on the support of at least two Harvard students--the two that comprise the membership of Harvard's newest and smallest political group, Students for Silber.

Only one student and one professor--organizer Colin V. Gallagher '91 and Higgins Professor of Biochemistry Guido Guidotti--emerged as members from the group's premier meeting at Lamont Library yesterday, which was attended by only one other student.

"It will take some time to get people to take a second look at Silber," Gallagher said.

But far from conceding total defeat in the mission to energize campus support for the maverick Boston University president, Gallagher said there was an unusually low turnout because posters advertising the meeting had been torn down.

At the meeting, Gallagher unveiled before his two-person audience the group's plans to hold a rally in the near future and to invite Silber to speak at Harvard. Gallagher said he decided to start the group this week because he believes Silber is a "straight shooter" who can best deal with the state's government corruption and education woes.

Out of the Blue?

Although Gallagher conceded that Silber is "out of touch with the liberal mainstream," he said campus Democrats--who have so far refused to endorse either Silber or Republican nominee William F. Weld '66--should support him anyway because of his opposition to the controversial Citizens For Limited Taxation (CLT) petition, which would roll back state taxes to their 1988 levels.

"It's simple," Gallagher said in his address. "Silber is against CLT, and Weld waffles on the issue."

But while Gallagher's efforts have so far succeeded in swaying one faculty member, they have left several other campus Democrats confused about the organizer's motives.

"This new group is completely out of the blue," said Neil A. Cooper '91 executive director of the College Democrats of America. "He never showed an interest in the Democrats before. I don't get it."