Two white supremacist groups have been trying to recruit members in Baltimore County -- one by distributing pamphlets in Essex and another by planning a membership meeting in a public library in Rosedale.

Pamphlets wrapped in plastic bags and weighted down with rocks were dropped in yards in Essex the past few days. The literature, which states it is from the National Alliance, includes inflammatory statements about the two suspected snipers, who are black, and about Charles A. Moose, the black police chief in Montgomery County who helped lead the investigation of the serial shootings last month.

The material, Baltimore County police said, is protected by constitutional freedom of speech guarantees.

Police have received complaints about the pamphlets, which include photos of terrorists. But Bill Toohey, a police spokesman said, "It doesn't incite violence, so it's not a crime."

Another group, the World Church of the Creator, has scheduled a meeting at the Rosedale Library on Dec. 14.

The group issued a news release yesterday billing themselves as the "fastest growing White racist and anti-Semitic organization in America."

A librarian confirmed the group is scheduled to use the meeting room there on that date.

But, officials said they would be conferring with the Office of Law about the use of a public facility for such a meeting.

But it appears to be within the group's rights, said Anthony S. Fugett, president of the county's chapter of the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. "It's a legal event if they've gone through the proper channels," he said. "But I do have a problem with the message."

Matthew Hale, the leader of the church, said in yesterday's statement, "We're coming to Baltimore to recruit as many people of that city into the White racist cause as possible. ... We particularly deplore the violence of nonwhites in Baltimore as well as the so-called 'anti-racists' that occurred this past August."

In August, about 200 white supremacists on their way to a Washington rally were attacked with gas grenades, tire irons, baseball bats and hockey sticks at a Southeast Baltimore hotel.

County police were aware of the meeting planned in Rosedale, and Toohey said they would be prepared to "respond appropriately."

Fugett said he has received no complaints in the past year about any hate groups in the county. "This is all new," he said.