86.2

“PEN Invitation to Shultz Criticized.” Article by Herbert Mitgang. New York Times, 10 January, Sec. C, p. 24. Mailer responds to criticism for having invited Secretary of State George P. Shultz to be a welcoming speaker at the PEN conference without the approval of the Board of the American PEN Center. Mailer, president-elect of the center, said, “It seemed self-evident that the PEN Congress would be dignified by the presence of an American Secretary of State. We have also invited distinguished writers from all over the world, including Omar Cabezas of Nicaragua, and we’re hoping the Russians will be there as observers.” None of the Board members called for the invitation to be withdrawn. See 85.1, 85.2, 85.6, 85.8, 85.9 and 1986 entries.