Life in VISTA Called Radicalizing
Exposure of thousands of young, middle-class Amers to poverty through VISTA has sharply 'radicalized' about 1/3 of them and moved most others toward 'more left' soc and pol posture, according to Govt evaluation study conducted by Prof D Gottlieb; study is based on questionnaires sent to about 22,000 persons, roughly 1/2 of them ex-volunteers; other 1/2, control group against whom change was gauged, were VISTA applicants who failed to serve usual 1-yr enlistment working among poor on poverty-level stipend; study unintentionally provides VISTA critics with fresh ammunition at time when VISTA's continued existence is matter of growing controversy because of Nixon Adm's proposal for merger of VISTA and other volunteer agencies; Gottlieb finds major factor in radicalization process is 'corruption,' impotence and gen failure of govt at all levels in relieving poverty; graph shows radicalization of volunteers as they rate themselves in study
