Protesters Silence Anti-Abortion Talk

Gov. Robert P. Casey of Pennsylvania, who was not allowed to give his anti-abortion views at the Democratic national convention in July, fared no better last night in Manhattan at a talk co-sponsored by The Village Voice and Cooper Union.

Knots of demonstrators in the college's Great Hall, where Abraham Lincoln spoke on slavery in 1860, prevented Governor Casey from delivering his speech, "Can a Liberal Be Pro-Life?" at the Cooper Union School of Architecture. Nat Hentoff, a writer for The Voice who introduced Governor Casey, repeatedly begged and scolded the demonstrators to let the Governor speak. "Murderers have no right to speak," demonstrators shouted back, referring to arguments that women will die in illegal abortions if abortion is outlawed.

David Schneiderman, publisher of The Voice, said, "I had, in retrospect, thisnaive faith that people would listen to another point of view." He added that itwas The Voice's first attempt to sponsor such an event, "and I think it's my last."

After stepping off the stage, Mr. Casey immediately left the hall without speaking to reporters.

The New York Times