Throngs in Washington, S.F. Also Focus on S. Africa : Marchers Protest Reagan Policies in Central America

Tens of thousands of protesters, led by labor leaders and liberal churchmen, marched here and in San Francisco on Saturday to protest the Reagan Administration’s policies in Central America and southern Africa.

Members of dozens of labor unions joined the march despite a plea from AFL-CIO President Lane Kirkland to stay away because the sponsors called for an end to U.S. military aid to El Salvador.

In Washington, a long parade of demonstrators carrying union banners and hand-lettered placards braved chill winds and rain to march past the White House to a rally on the Capitol grounds. U.S. Park Police estimated the turnout at about 75,000, falling short of organizers’ hopes of 100,000 or more.

30,000 March in S.F.

In San Francisco, a crowd estimated at 30,000 by police marched through warm sunshine to a rally near City Hall. The demonstrators, like those protesting in Washington, supported a variety of causes.

The Rev. Jesse Jackson, an unannounced candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination, spoke to the Washington marchers at the Capitol and said the demonstration was “in the great tradition” of American protest movements.

Jackson called for an end to U.S. aid to rebels fighting Nicaragua’s leftist government and a total economic boycott of the minority white regime in South Africa.

“Ronald Reagan is apparently willing to break laws to subvert the will of the Congress,” he said, citing the diversion of profits from the Administration’s secret arms sales to Iran to aid the contras.

Labor Movement Divided

The twin marches divided the labor movement, with some union leaders charging that the march was dominated by pro-communist groups.

Leaders of 20 national unions endorsed the marches, including Owen Bieber of the United Auto Workers, Kenneth T. Blaylock of the American Federation of Government Employees and Morton Bahr of the Communications Workers of America.

The AFL-CIO’s Kirkland, in a letter last month, warned that the marches would include groups that support Marxist guerrillas in El Salvador and the leftist government of Nicaragua. The Reagan Administration and the AFL-CIO support the Salvadoran government and oppose the Nicaraguan regime.

Despite Kirkland’s plea and even stronger warnings from other union leaders, none of the sponsors withdrew.

“Lane Kirkland’s position is not consistent with where the majority of labor’s rank and file stands,” said Henry Nicholas, president of the National Union of Hospital Employees. “The people who were protesting the war in Vietnam are the people who are protesting here today. . . . The AFL-CIO leadership was wrong on Vietnam 20 years ago, and they’re wrong today.”

100 Chanting Communists

The marchers in Washington spanned a broad variety of people: busloads of high school and college students, graying veterans of Vietnam war protests, churchmen, nuns and about 100 chanting members of the Communist Party U.S.A.

Dozens wore buttons reading: “Impeach Reagan.” At least one man wore a button suggesting: “Impeach Bush First.”

At the White House, motorcycle policemen and U.S. Park Police on horseback barred the marchers from approaching the mansion’s high iron fence. Police spokesmen said the march was orderly.

President Reagan and his wife, Nancy, were not inside the White House as the demonstrators marched by. They left later than usual Friday night for Camp David, the presidential retreat in the mountains of western Maryland, where they frequently spend weekends. White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater denied that the trip was made to avoid the demonstration.

But several White House employees peered out the windows of the Old Executive Office Building--where the National Security Council staff works--as the marchers passed by.

March sponsors said they planned to continue their demonstrations on Monday with an attempt to block the entrances to CIA headquarters in suburban Langley, Va.