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About Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current | View Entire Issue (April 20, 1972)
A Bureau of Human Resources for Portland MUST WORK TOGETHERFUR FULL ANU EQUAL EMPLOYMENT. P o rtla n d O b serv er T h u rsd a y A p ril 2 ) , Par» III 1972 The N o rth w M t'» Best W e e k ly A Black O w n e d Publication Published every Lhutsdax by iM e Publishing Uc.upany, 2201 N. K illingswoi th, Portland, Oregon 97217 Subscription $5.25 per year in Tri-County area by m ail, yxit- side the Tri-County area - $6.00 per year by m ail. Phone 283-2486. M ailing address - P. 0 . Box 3137, Portland, Oregon 97208. ALFRED LEE HENDERSoN, P ublisher/E ditor Verna L , Henderson Asst. Publlsher/business managei Helen Hendrix Personnel and Production Manager IN PA Any erroneous reflection upon the character, standing or rep utation of person, firm or corporation, which may aspear m the Portland observer w ill be cheerfully corrected upon being brought to the attention of the E ditor. The I» A change of image is needed not only on the National scene, but also in City and County Government. A man does not change and become better simply because he is elevated to a higher position. ’s WASHINGTON BRIEFS Desk Commitment lacking Freedom of the press? to Black students There is no freedom of thepress in the United States. There is no freedom of the p ess in Portland. There is not even the freedom fo r the black press to exist in Portland. The black press, like other black businesses, is dependent on the white businessman fo r its existence. Without the income from advertising, a newspaper cannot meet its expenses, pay its staff, its printing costs, its rent and u tilitie s , its m ailing and dehvei-y costs. And in a city I ike Portland, with Unie b ack bus iness, the advertising must come from white owned and operated business and industry. Aside from the businessmen who m ight be offended by news or e d itorial positions taken by the paper and therefore withhold their advertising, there are those who sayyjhey caQ obtain black trade without the black preps, that blacxgsjrjsrdo with them; those who say they dp not care if they have black trade; and thosewhodonotwantblacktraàe. These are the businesses whict^ although they a.e quick to accept your d ollar, are not w illin g to return it to the black community. We believe there is a need for a black newspaper in Portland. One of die greatest needs of the black community is a vehicle fo r communication. We need a black perspective of the local news, and we need to receive news of black happenings around the country chat are not reported, or are not objectively reported, in the white press. But white Portland needs the black press also. If blacks con tinue to be isolated, if their views are hidden from the rest of society, if they are denied a method of communication with white Am erica, America w ill cease toexist. In Portland there is s till the opportunity fo r communication among blacks and whites. A black newspaper is one way of encouraging and facilitating this communication. Yet a black newspaper w ill not be allowed to survive in P ort land until the white business establishment decides to et it sur vive. It is fo r this reason that we say there is no freedom of the press in Portland. REGISTER by April 22nd so YOU can Vote! The recent incidents at Jackson High School demonstrate once again the lack of commitment to its black students on the part of the school d is tric t. The black students at Jackson, numbering about 40 out ot 1,000 students, feel that they are the victuns of differential treatment - that they are assumed wrong, that their witnesses are not heard, that the word of white students o r teachers is tak en over theirs, that th e ir punishment is harsher, and that they do not receive proper counseling. This is not surprising since the (acuity has had little training in human relations and Black culture m the past, and none this year. There has been no contact between the faculty and the black community, no opportunity fo r the faculty to learn about the background and culture of its students. There have been no organized group discussions fo r the black students to a ir th e ir grievances o r fo r white students and faculty todiscuss with the black students their feelings and expectations. It is not su rp ris ing that hostile teelings on the part ot teachers, either suppressed o r unknown, have surfaced as the result of interra cial fighting in the school and the accusations and counteraccu- sations that follow. Such a m in o r incident as a fight between a black g irl and a white g irl has led to tension and hostility among the teachers as well as the student body. Located in a middle-class white neighborhood, there has teen no e ffo rt to involve the Jackson community with the black stu dents o r th e ir fa m ilie s. Although there isconcem fo r the black students among some members of the administration, the school's relationship with its own community is paramount. But the plight of the black students at Jackson cannot be blamed entirely on a contused and perhaps misguided admi mstratlon or on a tew white teachers. The true responsibility lies with the school d is tric t. M r. Roy Carlson, principal of Jackson, said he has attempted to increase the percentage of black students at Jackson by recruiting in the elementary schools, but has not received supportfrom eitherthe elementary schools or the adm inistration. Jackson High school is one ol the best high schools in the PorVand d is tric t. Black students attend Jackson because its academic system and philosophy prov ides the kind of educa tion they desire. But as long as the school d is tric t continues only token busing, 544 students in a ll, black students wil find themselves small m inorities in large student bodies-desegre gated, but isolated. As long as teachers and counselors, and the d is tric t itse lf, do not encourage black students to avail them selves of the best schools, this situation w ill continue. It w ill be unfortunate if our students cannot attend the best schools be cause of lack on concern and understanding on the part of the white school establishment. During the period that our students must travel to the suburbs to receive the best possible education, we must let them know that the black adults a re aware ol tbeirproblem s and appreciate th e ir e ffo rts. They need to know that the black communi ty stands behind them and is ready to support them. Representative W i l l i a m McCulloch (R-4 ihio), the rank ing Republican member on the House JudiciaryCom m ittee as co-sponsor ol Nixon's anti busing moratorium legisla tion, has changed his mind. He denounced Nixon's proposal as unconstitutional. McCulloch, long known as a c iv il rights ad vocate, declared, ‘ It is with the deepest regret that I sit here today to listen to a spokesman fo r a Republican administration asking the Congress to prostitute the courts by obligating them to suspend the equal protection clause (of the constitution) so that Congress may debate the m e r i t s of fu rth e r slowing down and perhaps even rolling back of desegregation in public schools." U,S. D is tric t Judge Stephen J. Roth has ruled that the c ity's predominantly white suburbs must be included in any plan to achieve racial balance in De tro it schools. Such a metropolitan school integration plan would involve massive c ro s s -d is tric t busing and could be ordered Im plemented fo r the 1972-73 school year. The ruling was made des pite Nixon administration ef forts to halt the proceedings. I he 2nd | .5, C irc u it Court of Appeals, in a decision which may ultim ately clear the rec ords of thousands of dishonor - ably discharged servicemen, has ruled that a Supreme Court decision lim itin g co u rt-m a r tials to m ilita ry offenses should 1« applied retroactive ly- Letters to the Editor Letter from a citizen M ark Hatfield The Senate Washington D.C. tí I 3 i- L l 1 Honorable Mark Hatfield: I'm not g o o d at making speeches, but I just read this a rticle (E d ito ria l: "Separate h it not equal", Portland Ob server, March 23, 1972), and it expresses exactly what I ’ m feeling, so I thought if you read this you would understand, and perhaps, be able to do some thing about it. We have always had "se p a r ate but equal" schools. Why can’ t you give the children a chance to learn andstopplay- uig games? Thank you. Sincerely, M rs . E arl Winchester 2303 N.E. 37th Portland, Oregon M rs. E a rl Winchester 2303 NJb. 37th Portland, Oregon Dear M rs . Winchester: Thank you fo r your recent le tte r, accompanied byanedi- to ria l on the school busing question. Enclosed lo r your information is a statement of my position on this issue. I do not agree that this Sen ate-passed amendment is "playing games." We in th e Senate were faced with much more serious amendments; a filib u s te r was in progress; it appeared thatunless the lib e r al Senators (Republican and Democrat) could come up with an amendment of th e ir own ot moderate tone, the anti-court, a n ti-b u s in g amendments would pass. This is the re a lity of the situation. It is one which con stantly confronts the Senate, and a person is thus faced with the situation of voting fo r the lesser of two evils o r seeing vita lly needed legislation de feated. 1 do not favor anti- c o u r t , anti-busing amend ments. 1 am against the at tempt to amend our C onstl- t u t io n with mischievous amendments which w ill set back the cause ot integration in schools. The goal of equal, quality education fo r all child ren is one we should pursue. Len w ood In this w rite r's opinion the basic concept of a Bureau of Human Resources fo r the City of Portland Is avalulone. And it w ill inevitably 1« estab lished any way, whether the c i tizens want ito i not. However, the present proposal that was aibniitted by Commissioner Goldschmidt does not need m ajor surgery, revision or to he amended; it needs to be dis carded and a new proposal be re-submitted. I tel ore another proposal fo r a Human Re sources is submitted there should be more citizen p a rti cipation. 1 here should be def inite efforts made to assure the public that it is in P ort land's best interest to get In tune wlthwhat is occurring na tionally and that the Federal Government is moving toward Revenue Sharing. The whole concept of Reve nue Sharing was poorly ex plained in the original propo sal. And this w rite r fo r one ijuestions whether or not that was done purposefully. Atany rate it should have been em phatically explained. Whether o r not as BUIdeWeese, candi date lo r mayor, stated recent ly that Goldschmidt’ s pro posed Bureau ol Human Re sources was nothing m o r e than a "naked pow ergrab," so liastlly conceived ami shallow ly pursued p rio r to announce ment, that It could well heroine a political and social (tower base, manipulating great sums of money and massive num bers of people, is a matter ol conjecture at tills point. And I do not propose to go into that issue at this juncture. A s I see it tfie fundamental issues are not (lie disadvan taged against (he advantaged; the haves against the have nots; tlie rich against the poor! black against white; oi (tie governmen( against tie |>eo- ple. T tie Issues are whether o r not the people should have some Input in the decision making ami have some say-so over programs t h a t alfect th e ir lives, ami whetherornot the C ity of Portland w ill take advantage of the Federal Rev enue Sharing plan. I hese are the basic issues that must be decided, not the aforemen tioned superficial ones. It must also he noted that each Agency has the right to accept or reject tie proposal. F urtherm ore each ol the D i rectors ot the two m ajor pro grams involved declarer) that they w ill support the decision (A th e ir Hoard of D irectors whether they agree with it or Farm workers ask help Dear Brothers and Sisters, of the NLRB, has gone Into and I think of busing as one tool F o r years farm workers federal court to get an injunc which can ne used to achieve an have been kept outside the pro- tion against the farm w orkers' integrated, quality education. , tection of the law. Whenweor- boycott. This is grossly un I regret the fu ro r and emotion ganized and sought negotia fa ir; alism surrounding this issue. tions with our employers the) E F o r th irty-se ve n years A fte r a ll, over 55% of Oregon's coldly Ignored us. When we growers have tried to keep children are bused each day to went on strike we were har farm workers from organizing th e ir schools. There is noth assed, beaten and jailed; am! by excluding them from tlie ing inherently wrong with bus workers, even poorer th a n NLRA; now that farm w orkers ing, tu t it is not the panacea ourselves, were brought in to are building a union, the Re to r achieving racial integra take our jobs. In the Delano publicans want to make use of tion of the schools. We need to Grajie Strike we learned a way the punitive provisions of the do m u chm ore.T herew iil have to struggle ami win. We went NLRA to destroy our union. to be a good-will e ffo rt on the on strike ami then to support 2. M l previous NLRB deci part of Oregonians (particu the strike hundreds of f a r m sions have made it cle a r that la rly in Portland) to support workers am) their fam ilies farm workers cannot 1« re integration plans which can be traveled to strange cities to stricted by a law (the NLRA) supported with federal money. tell th e ir cause to the A m eri that does not cover oi protect D r. RobertBlanchanf has such can people. It wasnoteasy but them. a plan. I wish the Portland thousands of fr lends helped us. 3. Federal funds are being community would get behind Through hard work and many used to attack farm workers him fo r federal money which sacrifices farm workers made when the NLRB has no authori w ill become available under the Crepe Boycott into a most ty under the law to use the the $1-1/2 b illio n Emergency beautiful and powerful n o n money in this way. School Act. violent force for Justice. The Republicans have de- Sincerely, Now, after we have found a ckJeri tli.it jjjg punitive p ro vi M a rk O. H atfield way to struggle non-vlolently sions of tlie NLRB (e g., the United States Senator ami to make progress fo r our ban on secondary boycotts) selves ami our children, the should apply to the fa rm work Republican Party is attempt e rs ' union even though the pro ing to take away the boycott. tections ot tlie NLRA do not ap Peter Nash,PresidentNixon's ply to farm workers. I hispo appointee as General Counsel sltion is so unfair that It Is hard to imagine how rea9on- G .D a v it By I enwood C. Davis not. I'he Hoard of D irectors MUS T get the Input of the peo ple (hat they represent before maktng any final decisions. PMSC recently prepaied a document that refuted some of the allegations ami alleged statements of facts stated in th e originul proposal fo r the Bureau. It would be wise if Goldschmidt included some ot (hose recommendations in Ills new oroiiosal. I have observed Nell Gold schmidt over tlie past several months amt have concluded that he Is an extremely intel ligent young man. Hence, how could such an Intelligent poli tician make a m ajor blunder? WHAI IS THE HIDDEN MO TIVE? WIIA 1 IS THE HIDDEN ACENDA? Oregon m otorists are le - mlmled that by state law <tudded lire s are not |<er- mtted on (he state's highway system after A p ril 30. I , miei changes In the law en acted dut mg the last régulai session of th e legislature, studded tire s are |>etiiiitted ui Oregon during the (>ei h>l Nov ein 1er I ol any year to Api ll 30 ol tie following year. Credibility Gap Ron Hendran IN WASHINGTON our counti y great, could not be " B o i rowers are nearly al restuied with increased goods ways ill sfe m le rs," observed ami services. But he die,I in John Ruskin before the turn of 1910 when the flowei of indus this century, "am i K is with tria l l/atlon was only a bud. I lent muney that all e vil is wumler wlietbe: hewould have mainly done ami alt unjust war relieved (hat within sixty protracted," yeai s m illions ol his fellow c i In tie a n rent fiscal year tizens ami (heir government tie United states govei iiment would lite ra lly have hocked w ill spend some $23 b illion their futures for a coloi tele above what it w ill take in. Ami vision set . . , o r a war in In in the same poi lod in illio n s o l dochina. Amei icans w ill themselvesgu Moreover, by tlie tune they deejei into debt, spending are paid fo i, most of oui ap highly inflated dollars for pliances, automobiles ami goods often ot equally inflated gold-plated bathroom fix value. tures - If they are working at Pei tups no phenomenon has all - w ill have lost then lim changed Americans’ lives so ited chaim . Ami at 18 per d ia stica lly ami in so short a cent or more interest with tune as the advent of easy three years to pay, it is little c ie d lf. As late as 1956 M e r- wonder. rlam-Webstei defined c ie d lt Perhaps one day we w ill all as "Reliance on the truth. . .; fold, spindle ami mutilate our belief; fa ith ." By 1963 the p ri com (alter i zed payment books, mary meaning hail changed to t e a r up our cre d it cards ami read "tim e given for payment stop indulging in d e ficit s|>em1- fo r goois oi services. . .' ing. if so, we might convince (in ly seven yeai s lapsed be our government to do th e tween the publication ol these same, ft's funny how p o liti two books. I lie sti iking d if cians are imitating their con ference he tween tlie del in i stituents (hese days. (Ions is some indication of the That new car smell which speed with which I iving on bor anesthetizes mom entarily the rowed money became accept frustrations ami anxieties of able, even praiseworthy, ui life soon wears off. I be I lu s our counti y. trations return, often before ioday v irtu a lly anything the im itation leathei smell lias from a tr l|i to Spain to a trash dlsappeaied amt invariably masher can he flnamed. Ami before the last ol tlie i6 sheets dthough one well-known ad has le e n to in o u lo f thatdei e|>- vertisement jingle begins tlvely thin payment book. "N eveI borrow money need It was in the m id -1800'a that le .sly,” Americans ire none Artemus Ward cynically ob (hales:, exhui ted Irorn every served, " L e t us all be happy quartet and in countless sug . ami live within our means, gestive ways to purchase even if we have to borrow the goals ami servr as they do not money to do it w ith.” I lie line need ami, what is more, cannot isn't as tunny as it used lobe. afford. I o pai aphrase I wain, we are " A ll the modern inconveni individually ami collectively ernes,” M ark twain ■ ailed fast rising from affluenceto them. I wain might have told poverty. No nation ever su, - us (hat self- reliance and Imle- cessfully spent its way out of pendence, erode. I in pa i t by the debt. L'ew men have, ami at very technology which made that not legally. I lie J ib s e rv e r's o ffic ia l position is expressed only In Its I Usher's Column ( I he observation Post) and tlie E ditor'sD esk. Any othei m aterial throughout the paper is the opinion ol the in dividual w rite i or subm itter and does not necessai lly reflect the opinion ot the Observer. Appreciation able men could lake such a Dear Rev. Henderson: course. Hut tlie Republican Appreciated tlie obituary Party has apparently deckled notice of Rev. E.L.Jackson. to make a direct political at I was the fir s t person to g reel tack on tlie larm workers' the Jackson’ s after they a r movement. Farm workers rived In Portland. We have had cannot take this lying down. a wonderful friendship through I lie boycott is breath and life the years. fo r our union. We must fight Also I wish to commend you back. on tire per sonal testimony of We are again taking our Mary Ruth Hooker. She ap cause to the Aniei lean people. pears to be a lovely young We ask you to jurlge our strug lady. gle, to test our commitment to I enjoy the Observer. non-violence, ami to conskler Sincerely, the gross injustice of this Re Evelyn M . C ollins publican move against farm C h iistla n Community Cen w o r k e r s . We ask all our te r fi lends to communicate with 128 N J i. Russell Senate i b cl.: it J. Dole, C han- Portland, Dregon 97212 man of tlie KepublicanNatlon- al Committee, 310 F irs t St. S.E., Washington, D.C. 20003. Dear E ditor: Urge him to stop this Illegal attack by the Republican-dom We wish to express our sin inated NLRB. We need your cere thanks to the edltoi of the help urgently. Dbsei ver for the space given us foi tlie obituary ot the late Pastor Edgar L . Jackson. Viva la Causa, We would also like tothank Cesar E. Chavez. out many fi lends, members ami organizations who have shared th e ir love ami concern for us in out bereavement, and fo r tlie beautiful f lo w e r s , c a rts , telegrams, gifts ami other set vices given dur ing tire P astor's illness ami pass ing. Wotds decjiest of you. ' cannot express out appreciation to each ... Sincerely, P atricia Jackson and fam ily The Observer welcomes comments from its readers
