Most BASIC dialects do have loops and control structures as well, but GOTO is the original control flow mechanism, it is conceptually very easy to grasp, and it

Most BASIC dialects do have loops and control structures as well, but GOTO is the original control flow mechanism, it is conceptually very easy to grasp, and it is available across pretty much all BASICs. Even C has a GOTO statement, despite a certain famous computer scientist considering it to be "harmful," so Kernighan and Ritchie must have seen some value in their language having it available.