ie
2
P o rtla n d
i 'b i e r v e r
Thunday.
I k e e n i h e r 7 ,1 9 7 2
* IT IS INCONCEIVABLE TO HE THAT HE NHO HAVE PREVAILED IN S P IT E
OF THE SAP PARISH O E H H IT E PEOPLE SHOULD, IN THE LAST QUARTER
OF THE 2 0 * CENTURY STAND AS MUTE SPECTATORS TO OUR
ohn doch :'
The
OROf. COMBS N Y NMiAZiNE
Editor’«
Desk
ALFRED
Public welfare in Oregon:
Myths and
PART I
HEAR
by L e n w o o d G . D a v is
nothino
There are a number of
myths about Public Welfare
all over the United Stales,
including the Stale of O re
gon. Moat people are of the
upinion that mostly Blacks
are on W elfare, obviously,
this is NUT true in Oregon.
After all. Blacks In the Bea
ver S U M only consist of I
(26,JUS - 1970 census) of the
total population - nearly 2
m illion. Therefore, U every
Black in the state were on
welfare we still would only
make up IJfc of the total.
Since records do no« alleg
edly list a person's race in
the s u e , u is difficult to
know how many Blacks are on
W elfare.
Nevertheless, one
only has to visit the different
agencies and observe that
MOST of the recipients are
whitel
Another myth implies that
"once on weltare always on
w elfare."
The facts reveal
that half of die recipients
have
teen on wellare 11
months or less and over 1/2
had N I T previously received
public assistance. The let<th
of tune on assistance is high
est for 1-6 months (33J%),
with 6-12 moths only 22.5%,
and 1-2 years having 203% .
LEE HENDERSON
Some of my
best friends....
Congresswoman Green has stated that the fact that she is
sponsoring a home rule hill proves that she is fo r home rule
fo r the blacks . Washington, D .C . However, M rs . Green’s bill
would put t e black citizens of Washington in the State of
Maryland, i southern state.
Statehood, on the other hand,
would bring the L nited States its first state with a black
ma o nly - - a state t at would in all probability elect two black
senators and tw black representatives. In our opinion M rs.
Green's bill is not designed to give the black citizens of Wash-
i gton self-determination at last - - it is a move to skuttle
statehood a d even worse, to dilute the voting power of black
W ashington by merging it with Maryland,
M rs . Green’s second argument is that Washington’ s citizens
were net given home rule while they had a white m ajority - - so
t ¡t must have been "white ra c is m ". That is a rediculous
argument, used only to the most naive of people.
T is reminds us of the argument that "the poor get ever-
thing” — an arguments used by M rs Green.
Further, it is a fact that those territo rie s with minority
populations have found statehood difficult to achieve — Alaska,
Hawaii, the Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico.
M rs . Green does not understand why black people would
call e r i racist when she belongs to black organizations like
the National Council of Negro Women and Tielta Sigma Theta
Sorority. M rs . Green was admitted to these organizations - -
both of which have many white members — years ago when
many people considered her to be a " lib e r a l" . There have
been movements within the organizations during the past four
years to oust her. But her membership has little to do with
e r politics or her philosophy.
Persons join organizations
for many reason. There are blacks who belong to such racist
organizations as the John Birch Society - - and there is always
tie example of the young black man in Idaho who joined the
Klu Klux Kian.
W at M rs. Green is really saying is very much like most
WOplO say, "Some of my best friends are black."
W e ta lk about com m unity control,
w h ile the black com m unity
becomes the most dangerous
The N orthw est’s Best W eekly
A Black O w ned Publication
Publish«! every Thursday by E xie Publishing Company
2201 N . Killingsworth, Portland. Oregon 97217
M ailing address:
P.O. Box 3137 ' Portland, Oregon 9 7 2 0 8
Subscriptions - $5.25 per year - Tri-County area by mail
o.0O per year - Elsewhere by mail
Telephone: 283-2486
application to mail at second-class postage rates is pending
at Portland, Oregon.
inpa
ALFRED LEE HENDERSON, Publisher/Editor
i e Observer s official position is expressed only in its
Publisher s Column (The Observation Post; and the E d ito r’ s
)esk. \ny other material throughout the paper is the opinion
of the irxlividual w rite r o r submitter and does not necessarily
reflect tie opinion of the Observer.
Any erroneous reflection upon the character . standing or
reputation of person, firm or corporation, which may appear
m tie Portland Observer will be cheerfully corrected upon
being rought to the attention o f the Editor.
■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■■g,
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;
N o m in a tio n
:
•
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fo r P o rtlan d A re a «
!
.
. .
2
First C itizen A w a rd ;
Nam e of Nominee
Address-----------------
Reason for Nom ination
by Vernon E . Jordan, J r .
In general, black GIs ire
convinced they can't get jus
tice in m ilitary courts. Some
of the prisoners I spoke to
at the stockade in Mannheim
were certain that tfie court
would try to set an example
of
them by giving them
heavier sentences tecause
One key area that remain:
a trouble spot fo r racial ten
sions in the Army is the
system of m ilita ry justice.
On my recent swing through
L 3 . Army bases in Germany,
1 found that m ajor reforms
are needed.
Racism, not
permissiveness
In recent days, racial dis
turbances in the Navy have
dominated the headlines. "I he
problems are not new. They
are as old as the service it
self and have been largely
ignored. Tim es new are dif
ferent. Docile blacks, whoen-
dured the humiliation and in
dignity of subservience to an
unresponsive system which
treated them as less than hu
man, have teen replaced by
young, impatient aggressives.
They are essentially acti
vists, demanding the imme
diate
resolution
of their
grievances. When there is no
adequate response, they lash
out angrily at the system, car
ing little about old tried tra
ditions
or
consequences.
Thus, at long last, the prob
lems in race relations have
come to a boiling head at sea.
Riots and sit-ins have taken
place on the ca rrie rs Kitty-
hawk and Constellation and
the oiler Hassayampa. There
have been other un reported
incidents. One hundred and
thirty-one black servicemen
from tlie Constellation have
been transferred following
th eir pan in the rebellion of
November 9.
Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt,
Chief of Naval Operations who
addressed the NNPA conven
tion in Atlanta in 1971, has
(as lie told usj instituted a
senes of "People to People"
programs - all designed to
improve race relations and
to implement guidelines on
e-^ial opportunity in the Navy.
He has demonstrated his sin
cerity; but too often, sad to
say, his directives have been
ignored. The hidebound hier-
archy of tlie Navy is so jeal
ous of its traditional prerog
atives that it cannot bear to
be forced to deal with the
realities
of the changing
tim es. Equipment may he
modernized, but not policies
in human relations.
A Congressional Committee
is now looking into the in
cidents. The apparent intent
is to place the blame for " p e r
missiveness" and a break
down in discipline squarely on
tie
shoulders of Admiral
Zumwalt, although there is
overwhelming evidence to the
contrary.
The A dm iral, while holding
firm ly to discipline, has just
as forthrightly insisted that
his subordinates obey tie
rules on equal opportunity.
We think that the central issue
is far greater than Admiral
Zumwalt and "perm issive
ness." It is whether the Navy
can catch up with the 20th
c ntury as we march swiftly
t 'ard the 21st, or w lether
n « ill continue to hang back
« king in the ruins of its
pride.
We do not by any means
condone unruJlness and wilful
disobedience of just and law
ful regulations. Those who
break such rules must be
dea
/¡th firm ly . However,
we do 'nslst that the re must he
no double standards in the
Navy, either In the applica
tion of V i tee or in the chance
for all personnel to advance
under equal opportunity guide
lines. And this seems to be
the core of what Admiral
Zumwalt is fighting for. He
has our full support.
Nam e
BOTTI
Address
Let PEPPS BOTTLE SHOP be your headquarters for
champagne, wines, m ixers. . a t the lowest prices In >
town
Phone
Portland O bserver
■
P.O. Box 3137
J
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■
After then only 93% would
receive assistance for
-3
years. Three (3) — five (5)
years
approximately 73%
would receive aid. Five (5)
to tan (10) years there is a
decline to 4 . ^ , and ten (10)
or more years only 2J% re
ceive
a s s is ta n c e .
These
figures are only for Aid to
Dependent Children ( ADC).
M o i l people, no doubt, be
lieve that W elfare recipients
are cheats. This la n o t true.
Only four-wntha of one per
cent of welfare cease are
referred for prosecution for
fraud. The actual number of
cases, however, w lie re fraud
is e s t a b l i s h e d
is even
sm aller. It must bs pointed
uut, also, that undoubtedly a
number of fraduient cases go
undetected. D irect evidence
available, seems to Indicate
that tie amount of deliberate
misrepresentation by Wel
fare
recipients
is
even
sm aller in proportion to total
caseload. Many of the fraud
ulent "recip ients" are white
hippie type - - whatever that
la - - college and non-college
students.
Some of the have
acknowledged.
erroneously,
that they are only getting ahi
aa a way of showing up the
Lenwood Davis
establishment for what It la.
I, however, do not accept that
argument.
Many no doubt
are doing It because tlwy do
not want to work,
o ther myths surmise that
Welfare fam ilies are loaded
with kkla — and have more
just to get more money. Wel
fare fam ilies apjwar to be
getting sm aller. Tlie latest
ADC study (1971) in Oregon
(Minted out that h l . 5% of the
famHtea had only oiw (I) or
two (2) children, [ he monthly
Increase is only $27 a month
per child.
Obviously, tew
people would have a child to
get that small amount of
m oney.
P art II of "Public W elfare
Ui Oregon: Myths and Reali
ties w ill appear next week.
Black G Is convinced m ilit a r y justice is shy
AW T MMK TOGETHER FUR FULL
ANP EQUAL EMPLOYMENT.
dB
As I See It
l loyd C a n te - N ex t to the Liquor Store
». , , , T R W S One end O nly Store
i . j X
Op* " * »
“ > * 0 0 p m Dotty
V
Su«d»Vt Noon to 4 0 0 p m
2 1 1 -2 7 3 1
they are black.
Another prisoner, awaiting
trial in a German court to r a
civilian crim e, was just as
positive that the German jury
would not give him justice.
Charged with robbery, the
case against him hinges on
the word of his fo rm er g ir l
friend who is Germ an. He
:eels that when the jury tears
of th eir affair, they'll rush
to convict him.
What
matters
in these
cases is less the factual
situation than the way tie
black p r i s o n e r s perceive
their state.
Unlike others
accused of violations, they
know they may not get fa ir
treatment because of racial
bigotry and discrim inatory
practices.
They were relieved just to
have someone to talk to,
someone to listen to their
grievances, someone to care.
In this instance that some
one
was
me,
a visitor
from tlie States, but die Army
ought to build into its m ili
tary justice system a way
to fu lfill tie need for human
concern and support.
At tie very least, equal
opportunity officers ought to
take off their uniforms and,
in civilian clothes that re
move tie b a rrie r of rank,
talk
informally with pri
soners and other so lders and
lend an ear and a helping
hand.
The system of justice ought
to be taken out of the com
mand system to liberate it
from suspicion of being a
tool of the m ilitary and tnus
convert It into a truly Im
partial
judiciary
system.
There's also a crying need
for more black jucige-advo-
cates and for expanded legal
services for enlisted men.
A far brlgher spot of my
trip was tie unique experience
of seeing so many black of
ficers, some commanding key
combat units.
I was very
impressed with die calibre
of men, who were exceptional
in their bearing, their com-
petence, their skill and their
grasp of essentials. To be
briefed by ttese officers was
an enjoyable lesson in pro
fessionalism.
It was especially gratifying
to me that so many were pro
ducts of the black colleger.
It
is a tribute to ttese
schools that ttiey can train
such men, and another indi
cation that die black colleges
are an important national re
source.
Perhaps die basic feeling
one conies away with from an
extsrxied tour of Arm y bases
is fhe extent to which the
Arm y Is a haven for whites
and blacks who would other
wise be mired in poverty lie re
at home.
Many of the Gia
met in Germany told me that
tie Army was tie first place
d ey got three square meals
a day, hot running water, an
opportunity for training, and
a feeling of importance and
satisfaction.
tells us that our nation has
failed to order its domestic
affairs so that the poorest
among us has an opportunity
to te wet! fed, well housed and
to fulfill his needs and as
pirations.
What I saw in Germany was
• U.S. Army groping tows nt
remaking itself into an Insti
tution that brings together
members of all ethnic groups
In an atmosphere of mutual
respect to work toward a
common goal. It has a long
way to go tut It la at least
conscious of the problem,
which is more than can t *
said about many people here
at home.
If effect, our country says
to poor young men that tie re
Is no place for them le re
and that they'll have to put
on a uniform and train to fight
and peihaps dw, if they want
d e barest essentials of a
decent life.
This Is a terrible com
mentary on our society. It
tells us that our country hat
neglectsd
tie
productive
capacities of hundreds of
thousands of young men. It
With Ron Hendren
A YOUNG VIEW OF WASHINGTON
GOING ALONG TO GET ALONG:
THE SENIORITY SYSTEM IN CONGRESS
7 love Speaker Rayburn, hit heart
u to warm
A nJ if I love him he II do me no harm
So I th a n t ta ti the Speaker one
little bitty,
A nd then I 7/ wind up on a ma/or
committee "
Quoted by Arthur Krock in
the New York Times.
A p r il 8 , 1 9 5 8
W A SH IN G TO N In
January of odd-
numbered years when new Congresses
first convene, invariably one of the first
issues to be revived and rehashed is the
seniority system of selecting committee
chairmen. And as sure as fhe sunrise,
1973 will prove no exception
The long-standing tradition of select
ing the most senior committee members
of the majority party to fill the powerful
chairmanships is one of the few organiza
tional disputes which Members of Con
gress launder publicly, regularly and
heatedly
Like most disputes, the argument over
the seniority system when stripped to its
basics is essentially one between those
who have and those who haven't in this
case, those Congressmen and Senators
who have lived, literally and politically,
long enough to attain the prestige and
power of committee leadership and those
who are newer to the Congressional
scene.
And again as in most disputes between
those who have and those who haven't,
logic does not always prevail The argu
ments in favor of the seniority system are
for the most part hypothetical and nega
live, and necessarily so since nothing else
has really been tried, at least within
memory of the living The arguments
supporting other means of selecting com
mittee leadership, such as electing chair
men by and from among committee
members, are, on the other hand, signifi
cant and persuasive Yet the system, like
the aging patriarchs who benefit most
from if, lives on.
The most effective argument for
retaining some semblance of the seniority
system is that long periods of service
provide the experience committee chair
men need to be effective. But effective
ness is only one characteristic of leader
ship, and the ability to be elected over
and over again does not necessarily reflect
the highest degree of competence.
Indeed, the seniority system means that
the bulk of committee leadership posts
are held by representatives from safe,
one-party districts and states, states
which often are small, and whose resi
dents often hold views different from the
majority of Americans on many impor
tant issues
The time has come for change, and
while the seniority system is not likely to
crumble in one session, particularly in the
Senate where reform is more urgently
needed, it is possible that some dents
could be made in 1973 I t ’s worth a try
by the newcomers and other Tint term
Senators As for present committee chair
men, if their experience has indeed made
them most qualified for the job, they
should have nothing to fear
Volume II Number 22
For subscribri only
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