Bradley Will Greet King Marchers

Bolstered by a decision by Los Angeles Mayor Tom Bradley to participate in a march today honoring the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., organizers insisted Friday that the withdrawal from the event of several local religious leaders would not cripple their efforts.

Although aides to the mayor had said earlier that Bradley’s planned appearance at the march was not firm, they said Friday that he intended to greet the marchers at City Hall today after their procession through Skid Row.

Fred MacFarlane, the mayor’s press secretary, said Bradley’s participation would “include a few remarks” focusing on this week’s 20th anniversary of King’s assassination “and the importance for the city of Los Angeles to take note of Dr. King’s accomplishments and some of the goals we ought to concentrate on.”

Bradley’s decision came a day after several religious leaders, including Los Angeles Archbishop Roger M. Mahony, Rabbis Allen J. Freehling and Harvey J. Fields and Episcopal Bishop Oliver B. Garver Jr., made public their intention to withdraw from the march sponsored by Coalition ’88.

‘Progressive Agenda’

The religious leaders said they could not participate in the march because a “progressive agenda” statement printed by the coalition included support for abortion, the Palestine Liberation Organization and other controversial causes.

Despite the furor, organizers and staff members of the coalition insisted during a press conference that the defections would not scuttle their attempts to link up scores of social and political groups while pressing for increased voter registration and education. Organizers say 180 groups are represented.

“It will not affect the coalition,” said the Rev. James M. Lawson Jr., a co-chairman of the group and president of the Los Angeles Chapter of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference. “Many other bishops and church leaders are not pulling out. We will be strong.”

An official of at least one other endorsing organization said Friday that her group would have withdrawn from the coalition if its leaders had enough advance warning of the furor. Frances Haywood, a vice president of the United Teachers of Los Angeles, said the organization was unable to withdraw from the march this week because of the lag time between meetings of its steering committee.

“It’s something we’ve been wrestling with for the last week, but we were at a loss to do anything,” Haywood said. The group may re-evaluate its involvement in the coalition next week, she said.