Thursday. April » , 1975
Th«
Editor**
Desk
Media needs leadership
Tw o b o a rd m e m b e rs o f MEDIA, Inc. h ave
a n n o u n c e d (th ro u g h th e O re g o n ia n ) th a t th ey
h a v e a p p o in te d te m p o ra ry co -d ire c to rs fo r MEDIA,
p e n d in g a p p ro v a l o f th e fu ll boa rd .
Louis Scherzer, President, a n d Bob Rogers,
S ecretary-T reasurer, said th e y h a v e a p p o in te d
MEDIA e m p lo y e e s H a rv e y Rice a n d Dr. D o n a ld
Jones to be c o -d ire cto rs, a lth o u g h , b ecause o f
th e n e e d fo r a s in g lu a r fig u re h e a d , Rice " w i l l
p ro b a b ly act as te m p o ra ry e x e c u tiv e d ir e c to r ."
Rice a n d Jones w ill re p la c e Joseph Bostic,
w h o w as asked by th e b o a rd to resign .
ALFRED LEE HENDERSON
WE SEE THE WORLD
THROUGH BLACK EYES
Jungle or fort?
W h e n a stran ge r tra ve ls U n io n A v e n u e he
m ust th in k he is in a ju n g le or a fo rt.
Store
w in d o w s a re b o a rd e d o ve r, ra m sh a c k le d b u ild
ings lin e the streets, even b u ild in g s in use are in
p o o r re p a ir.
Yet this is a c o m m u n iy w h e re p e o p le live ,
shop, w o rk , a n d w o u ld lik e to h ave som e
d e g re e o f p rid e in th e ir su rrou nd ing s.
M an y
residents, th ro u g h M o d e l C ities a nd o th e r pro-
gram s, or th ro u g h th e ir o w n hard e ffo rts , have
m a n a g e d to re p a ir a n d b e a u tify th e ir hom es a nd
gardens.
M a n y p e o p le spend hours in th e ir yards,
fussing w ith la w n a n d flo w e rs ; but m uch o f the
in c e n tiv e m ust be lost w h e n th e y h ave to d riv e
past b o a rd e d -u p b u ild in g s a nd tu m b le -d o w n e d
shacks to g e t to th e ir h om es; or w h e n th e y see a
va ca n t a nd ro ttin g house o u t o f th e ir kitch en
w in d o w .
A n y m an w h o w ants to d o business in a
c o m m u n ity sh o u ld have som e interest a n d co n
cern fo r his n eigh bo rs. N o businessm an should
o p e ra te in such a w a y th a t he is a d e trim e n t
ra th e r th a n an asset. There is no excuse fo r the
ru n -d o w n c o n d itio n o f m ost o f th e business
b u ild in g s.
W h y sh o u ld p e o p le shop in a store th a t looks
lik e a fo rt -- th a t says w ith it's e x te rio r th a t it
n ot o n ly d o e s n 't care, b u t is a fra id o f it's
n eigh bo rs? H o w can a businessm an e xp e ct to
o b ta in the business o f th e residents o f A lb in a , let
a lo n e e n tic e consum ers fro m o th e r parts o f
P ortland into his store, w h e n he im p lie s th a t if is
not safe.
W e hear th a t m a n y w h ite P ortlanders are
a fra id to shop in A lb in a , a lth o u g h th ey w o u ld be
sa fer here th a n in n e a rly a n y o th e r a re a o f
P ortland. W h o can b la m e th em ? P utting racism
asid e, w h o w o u ld w a n t to p ick a m o n g shattered
glass a nd ru b b ish to step in to a store th a t looks
lik e a d u n g e o n ?
The fa c t th a t the o ld b u ild in g s can be
re m o d e le d to be p re se n ta b le a nd c o n v e n ie n t
is d e m o n stra te d by the o ffic e s o f N ero Industries
on U n io n A v e n u e n ea r F rem ont, or by MEDIA'S
b u ild in g .
The fa c t that J e w e ll Glass a n d the
C athay R estaurant, a m o n g others, h ave chosen
to re lo ca te in A lb in a ra th e r th a n le a ve th e a re a ,
should d e m o n s tra te th a t th e y th in k this is a g oo d
p la ce to do business.
The Lam pus c o m p a n y su re ly m ust be a ttra c tin g
m o re consum ers n o w th a t th e p e o p le passing by
see the fu rn itu re d is p la y e d b e h in d b e a u tifu l
sh ow w in d o w s . W h o can be in sp ire d to g o into
a store a nd lo o k a ro u n d if th ey d o n 't see
a n y th in g b ut beards.
This is th e a g e o f the co nsu m e r a n d o n e o f
these days th e p e o p le o f A lb in a w ill sh o w these
m erchants h o w th e y fe e l a b o u t those w h o th in k
th e y m ust p ro te ct th em selve s a g a in st the p e o p le .
The w ill stay a w a y fro m those businesses that
w o n 't invest in a can o f p a in t, w h o w o n 't sw eep
the s id e w a lk o cca s io n a lly , or w h o fe e l they
must p ro tect th e m se lve s fro m th e c o m m u n ity .
4W
______________ MEMBER
S S |1|R
M lO
re9°n
N e -v , p ; ip e r
Publishers
■ Bissisi I Association
EDITOR/PUBL1SHER
i NNA
Ataodation - Foundad 1B85
THE PORTLAND OBSERVER
P O . Box 3 I3 7
P ortland, O re g o n 97208
Please a rra n g e to h a ve the OBSERVER m a ile d to m y
h om e
„ _
. „
• »5.25 per year in the T ri County area.
• $6.00 per year elsewhere.
N am e .
City _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Apt. ( if a n y )
—
State & Z ip _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
T e le p h o n e
Dear Sir:
As far as conditions are
here in Rocky Butte Jail, we
spend 22'/< hours a day in a
dormitory. Our activities are
domiaoes, cards, chess, books,
T .V ., and a radio.
W e are
not allowed outside activi
ties. even though there is a
yard with double fences and
towers for this purpose.
There is no circulation of
fresh air, and there is a
constant odor of human
bodies and jail stink. When
one man catches a cold or
the flu. rather than remove
this man to a hospital room
here in the jail, he is left
among us and so everyone
becomes ill.
I f an inmate gets in trou
ble, he goes to the hole
(isolation) cells for punish
ment.
Here he may have
mace or tear gas thrown on
him, or maybe the guy in the
next cell has a mental pro
blem, and screams all night,
while the guards squirt cold
water from a hose on him.
They say they have hearings
here for offenders of the
rules, but their hearings are
by a sergeant and another
guard who very seldom give
justice.
I fell in the hallway once,
injuring my arm.
I was
taken to the hospital and a
cast put on.
A few days
THE NORTHWEST’S BEST
W EEKLY-A BLACK OWNED
PUBLICATION
Published every Thursday by
Exie Publishing Company at
2201 N .K lllln gsw o rth .P ort-
land, Oregon 97217, M ailing
address: Box 3137, Portland
Oregon 97208.
283-2486
Application to m all at sec
ond class postage rates is
pending at Portland,Oregon.
MEMBER
Bostic is th e second d ire c to r fire d in the last
y e a r d u e to s ta ff d issa tisfa ctio n .
Perhaps the
b o a rd sh o u ld lo o k a t its p e rs o n n e l practices,
a p p e a l p ro ced ures, a n d a d m in is tra tiv e lines o f
c o m m u n ic a tio n -- th e n stick to th e p o lic y .
The id e a th a t no o n e o u tsid e the p ro g ra m
w o u ld w a n t th e job, a n d the In fe re n c e that
p e rh a p s a n e rro r w as m a d e in b rin g in g in
so m e o n e fro m C a lifo rn ia , is ty p ic a l o f the
O re g o n stig m a a g a in s t "n e w c o m e rs ".
O re
g o n ia n s , a n d e s p e c ia lly P ortland Blacks, seem to
fe a r a n d m istrust a n y o n e w h o w as not raised in
O re g o n .
The tw o s ta ff m e m b e rs w ill serve as te m p o ra ry
co -d ire c to rs fo r 8 m onths, a t w h ic h tim e the
M o d e l C ities g ra n t w ill end. As a n in d e p e n d e n t
a g e n c y , it is not n ece ssarily tru e th a t MEDIA
c a n n o t e xist w ith o u t M o d e l C ities. If the b oa rd
b e lie v e s the p ro g ra m is v a lu a b le , th e y m ust h ire
a d ire c to r w h o can fin d the necessary m o n e y to
c o n tin u e the p ro g ra m .
In these tim e s o f c o n flic t, unrest, b u d g e t cuts
a n d in d e c is io n , it w o u ld b e h o o v e MEDIA to h ire
a p e rm a n e n t d ire c to r w ith the strength to
o v e rc o m e the p ro b le m s a n d shape up the p ro
g ra m , w h e re e v e r he m ust be fo u n d .
H a rv e y Rice a n d Dr. Jones a re p ro b a b ly both
q u a lifie d fo r the p o s itio n o f D irector.
They
sh o u ld b oth be co n sid e re d , a lo n g w ith a n y o th e r
a p p lic a n ts w h o a re intereste d , fo r th e p o s itio n o f
p e rm a n e n t Executive D irector.
CARLOS
Body and Fondor Repair
2609 N. Vancouver Ave.
2 8 7 -1 5 2 9
A rra n g e m e n t*
E x p e r t ly ...
B ecau se the
» u u l w ill I
:)>•• f a m ilie s
we s e iv e IS u u i
m u s t v a lu a b le
AB|||||||||
asset.
C. D e n V e n n
VANN'S
MORTUARY
5211 N .W illia m s A v e n u e 2 8 1 - 2 8 3 6
P o rtla n d .O re g o n
SHOP
Subscriptions: $5.25 a year
in Tri-C ounty area, $6.00
elsewhere.
ALFRED L . HENDERSON
Address
The d e c is io n to re p la c e Bostic w ith tw o e m
p lo y e e s w as based on tw o p re m ise s: 1) L ea d e r
ship
w as p ic k e d
fro m
the
ranks o f the
e m p lo y e e s to a v o id le n g t h y o r ie n t a t io n .
Scherzer said, " th e re is so m uch unrest in
p ro g ra m s lik e this th a t to g o o u t in th e o p e n
m a rk e t a n d a ttra c t s o m e o n e n e w w o u ld be
ra th e r d if fic u lt." 2) The p ro g ra m is fu n d e d fo r
o n ly 8 m onths.
W e b e lie v e these su pp osition s to be fa ls e a n d
to be a g a in s t th e best interest o f MEDIA. If th e re
is a n e e d a nd a purpose fo r MEDIA, th e n it
sh o u ld be g iv e n th e strongest possible le a d e r
ship.
A jo in t d ire c to rs h ip
is d iffic u lt to
a d m in is te r a n d n e a rly im p o ssib le to d e fin e in
term s o f re s p o n s ib ility .
If th e re a re p e rs o n n e l
p ro b le m s a n d unrest a m o n g th e sta ff, a strong
d ire c to r is n ee de d.
M o s t re a s o n a b le shop in town
Member:
NNPA - INPA
ONPA NNA
ALFRED LEE HENDERSON,
Publlsher/Edltor
The Observer’ s official po
sition is expressed only in
its Publisher's Column (The
Observation Post) and the
E d ito r’s Desk.
Any other
m aterial throughout the pap
e r is the opinion of the In
dividual w rite r or submitter
and does not necessarily re
flect the opinion of the Ob
server.
Any erroneous reflection up
on the characwr, standing or
reputation of person, firm o r
corporation, which may ap
pear in the Portland Obser
ver will be cheerfully co r
rected upon being brought to
the attention of tbs Editor.
later the cast became un
berable. so I removed it.
For this. I was put in the
hole.
W hile in the hole, I
had a first hand view of how
the hole was run. In my cell
with me was an obviously
demented man. I found that
he had refused food for five
days. I do not know what
became of him. but I do
know his only crime was a
(iften dollar traffic violation.
I have seen inmates who
were seriously ill and refused
medical treatment. W e had
a flu epedemic in January,
and our only relief was
aspirin. And if anyone could
not get out of bed to eat,
they were thrown in the
hole.
Drug addicts have
been refused medical relief
and told to suffer.
Our
medical care is faulty and
incompetent on the whole.
I being a reasonably sane
man. find this jail to be an
insult to humanity and the
public it serves.
When a
man alledgedly is confined
for an infraction of the law,
he is supposed to be innocent
until proven guilty.
I say
this jail is run completely
different than that. Here a
man is treated as a convicted
criminal, deprived of all his
rights and forced to suffer
indignities unfit for an ani
mal and if. as I am doing
lEN O W ’S
now, he complains, none hear
him.
I have found all ears closed
to the cries of men confined
in this jail. I say it is time
for change. We the inmates
are humans, and we feel we
are being treated as less.
FOR
BRANDS
yo u k n o w l
V A R IE T IE S y o u lik e
SIZE S vo u w a n t
Bruce Joe Gisbin
C Tank
Rocky Butte Jail
• vi
v h
«
•
Seniors honored
Dear Editor:
We certainly want to ex
press our appreciation to you
for giving recognition of our
senior citizens in the Port
land Observer, on a monthly
basis, for the first time in
the history of this city.
W e believe you should be
commended for your efforts
in attempting to improve the
quality of life for all people
in the community.
May God continue to bless
and strengthen you.
Sincerely yours,
Marie Smith and Bill Ingram,
Advisors, Senior Adult Ser
vice Center
Call
On
Us
for a good
place to do business.
L et your fingers
do the walking
through
the Y ellow Pages.
With Ron Hendren
A YOUNG VIEW OF WASHINGTON
THE GREAT MAIL ROBBERY
W A S H IN G T O N -A lte r a year and a half
of operation, America's latest govern
mental Edsal, the Postal Service Corpora
tion, is grinding its way toward crisis as
mail delivery grinds to a halt Same-day
mail service, which at one time was the
pnde of the nation, has already become a
thing of the past in many parts of the
country. The grand scheme of incorporat
ing the postal system, operating it as a
business, cutting costa and speeding deliv
ery, has simultaneously become the butt
of a new breed of cruelty jokes.
Former Postmaster General Winton
Blount, sitting in on one of the early
brainstorming sessions on the problems of
mail delivery, is reported to have Mid:
“ I ’ve been listening patiently now for
three hours, and all I want is a simple
answer to a simple question: If it is
neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom
of night that is holding up the mail, then
just what the hell is the trouble?”
The trouble is that the postal corpora
tion has moved too far too fast in an
effort to cut costs at the expense of
service. While the mail volume increased
by 2.3 billion pieces over the last two and
a half years, the number of postal
employees decreased by more than
63,000
New machines designed to
automate the mail system were installed
without proper testing, and the system
has been designed around other machines
which are still on the drawing boards.
The haste has resulted in long hours of
mandatory overtime for remaining postal
employees, plummeting worker moral to
an alFtime low.
Only top postal administrators haven't
felt the crunch. The old Post Office
Department had eight assistant post
masters general. The new corporation has
17 assistant postmasters general and a
new category of five senior assistant
postmasters general -
bureaucratise
which translates to high Mlaries. Today
20 postal officials are salaried at $42,000
per year or more - as many high-paid
executives as are authorized for the entire
federal executive branch mmua cabinet
members.
The new approach calls for centralized
automated mailing centers, and even
before the first of these new complexes
was finished and tested, the corporation
committed itself to spending $S billion
for additional centers.
Meanwhile, neighborhood post offices
are being phaaed out and local post
ir »steri have not been allowed to fill
vacancies. That, coupled with ever-
increasing growth in suburban population
centers, has pushed local offices to the
brink. One California rendent reported it
took 14 days to receive a letter mailed
from a port office only 25 miles from her
home.
Members o f Congress have been
flooded with similar complaints. Senator
Alan Cranston (D -C alif.) told his col
leagues that constituent complaints about
mail service in the nation's largest state
sometimes reach 100 per day in his
office. That level of congressional mail
flow spells trouble for the fledgling postal
service corporation
And even the corporation admits it
may have goofed. “ We probably did go
too far in our effort to uve money,” say,
Assistant Postmaster General Murray
Comarow.
Save money for whom should be the
question: An increase in firat daw mail
rates from eight to 10 cents per ounce is
probably on the way in the near future.
Meanwhile the jokes continue to make
their rounds (Smash the M afia-m ail it
parcel post) and the mad backlog grows.
@
Pacific Northwest Bell
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