PERSONALITIES
By Cristina Del Sesto
Washington Post, February 28, 1987
Saturday, February 28, 1987; Page G03
Gorbachev's Plea
In a gesture of USSR public relations, Soviet leader
Mikhail Gorbachev urged American physicist Charles Hyder yesterday to end the
hunger strike he began in September for nuclear disarmament. Hyder and his
sign, "Fasting Physicist," can often be found in Lafayette Park. He weighed
approximately 310 pounds on Sept. 23 and he has lost 150 pounds in the months
since. The Soviet Embassy said yesterday that Gorbachev had cautioned Hyder:
"Your spiritual strength is needed to continue the struggle for preventing a
nuclear catastrophe. For this reason, we urge you to stop your hunger strike."