Portland observer., July 12, 1973, Page 2, Image 2

Pag« 2
Portland/Obaerver
Thursday, July 12, 1973
BRENNAN HELD THAT EVEN IN THE ABSENCE OF SUCHAlAfy*ITIS DULY
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SENSE FORCES
TO CONCLUPE'
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PE SEGREGATE
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^ A U r S o R lT EXIST
^ S H S W E E C N X n e p
WE SEE THE * WORLD
OUT A S^STEHATIC PROGRAM OF SEGREGATION AFFECTING A SUBSTANTIAL
PORTION OF THE STUDENTS, SCHOOLS, TEACHERS, AMP FACILITIES."
THROUGH BLACK EYES
JEFFREY ANTlMl. N .Y 0 M .Y RFV5
¿ÍHOPÍ
ALFRED LEE HENDERSON
EDITOR/PVBLISHER
EDITORIAL FOCUS
Facts refute
middle class theory
A h ig h ly p u b lic iz e d a rtic le in the A p ril issue o f
C o m m e n ta ry c a lle d "B la c k Progress a nd Liberal
R h e to ric " has caused c o n sid e ra b le controversy.
The a rtic le by Ben J. W a tte n b e rg a n d R ichard M.
Scom m on suggests th a t th e m a jo rity o f Blacks in
th e U n ite d States can n o w be cla s s ifie d as m id d le
class a n d th a t this progress is b e in g ig n o re d by
Blacks a n d w h ite -lib e ra ls in o rd e r to cash in on
m ore g o v e rn m e n t program s.
The m a in reason Scom m on a n d W a tte n b e rg
w e re a b le to p la ce 52% o f Blacks as m id d le class is
th a t th e y d e fin e as m id d le class n e a rly e v e ry o n e
e xce p t p ro fe ssio n a ls a n d the u n e m p lo y e d . In th e ir
eagerness to fin d a g ro u p o f Blacks w ith incom es
n e a rly e q u a l to w h ite s , th e y e lim in a te d a ll one-
p a re n t fa m ilie s , fa m ilie s w h e re the h usband is
o ve r 35 years o ld , a n d a ll S outhern fa m ilie s . They
th en stated th a t " th e
m e d ia n in c o m e Black
h u s b a n d -w ife fa m ilie s in the N orth a n d West, w ith
the h ea d o f th e fa m ily u nd er 35 years o f a ge , rose
fro m 78 p e rce n t o f w h ite in co m e in 1959 to 96
p e rce n t in 1970." These fa m ilie s in c lu d e o n ly 16
p e rce n t o f th e Black fa m ilie s in the n a tio n .
In re a lity , fe w Blacks h ave inco m e s th a t are
e q u a l to w h ite s a nd those th a t d o m ust w o rk
h a rd e r to g et them .
B e tw ee n 1947 a nd 1971, th e g a p b e tw e e n
incpm es o f Black fa m ilie s a n d w h ite fa m ilie s g re w
fro m $2,500 to a b o u t $4,000.
So a lth o u g h som e
fa m ilie s a re b e tte r o ff, m ost a re w orse o ff c o m ­
p a ra tiv e ly . The m e d ia n in co m e fo r Black fa m ilie s
in 1971 w as $6,440, a nd fo r w h ite fa m ilie s $10,672.
N e a rly 40 p ercen t o f Black fa m ilie s e a rn less th an
$5,000 a ye a r, as co m p a re d to 16 p e rce n t o f w h ite
fa m ilie s .
The sta tistical rise in Black in c o m e can be
e x p la in e d by tw o factors.
M a n y Blacks le ft the
South a n d g o t jobs in th e N o rth w ith h ig h e r
p a y — a n d h ig h e r cost o f liv in g .
Blacks also
g a in e d d u rin g th e e c o n o m ic b oo m o f the 1960's
w h e n th e re w as a d e m a n d fo r lab or.
But n o w ,
w ith tw o Blacks u n e m p lo y e d fo r e ve ry w h ite , w e
a re back w h e re w e started.
There a re s till fe w Blacks in h ig h sa la ry p o s i­
tions. Blacks h ave 70 p e rce n t fe w e r m a n a g e ria l
jobs a n d 30 p e rce n t fe w e r c ra ft jobs th a n they
sh o u ld h a ve if th e y w e re fa irly re p re se n te d . Blacks
co n stitu te o n ly 5 p e rce n t o f th e jo u rn e y m e n in the
cra ft unions.
These fig u re s sh ow th a t Blacks a re fa r fro m
h a v in g e q u a l in co m e w ith w h ite s , a lth o u g h som e
g a in s h ave b e e n m ade.
Scom m on a n d W a tte n b e rg c h a rg e th a t w h ite
lib e ra ls a n d Black c iv il rig hts lea d e rs h a v e "e le c te d
to m u te a n y p u b lic a c k n o w le d g e m e n t or c e le ­
b ra tio n o f Black a cco m p lish m e n ts in o rd e r to
m a in ta in m o ra l a nd p o litic a l pressure on th e a d ­
m in is tra tio n a n d on p u b lic o p in io n ." It s h o u ld be
re a liz e d th a t th e te rm in a fio n o f the so cia l p ro g ra m s
o f th e G rea t S ociety is not the re su lt o f lock o f
c e le b ra tio n , b ut th e resu lt o f th e c o m in g to p o w e r
o f a c o n se rva tive fo rc e w h ic h fu n d a m e n ta lly o p ­
poses such plans.
The jo b o f d e fe n d in g the G re a t S ociety sh o u ld
not b e lo n g a lo n e to Blacks, fo r w e a re n o t the
m a jo r b e n e fa c to rs o f it's social program s.
Publlahad e v e ry Thursday by E xle Publishing Company, 2201
N. K llllngsw orth, Portland, Oregon 97217, M ailin g address,
P .O . Box 3137, P o rtland, Oregon 97208
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The OBSERVER'S o ffic ia l p o sitio n is expressed
o n ly in it's Publishers C olu m n (W e See The W o rld
Through Black Eyes). A n y o th e r m a te ria l th ro u g h ­
o ut th e p a p e r is the o p in io n o f th e in d iv id u a l w rite r
or s u b m itte r a nd does not necessarily re fle c t the
o p in io n o f the OBSERVER.
MEMBER
■ Oregon
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Movement suffers
R everend A b e rn a th y has resign e d fro m his p o s i­
tio n as hea d o f th e Southern C hristian Leadership
C o n fe re n c e , th e p o s itio n he has h e ld since the
d e a th o f it's fo u n d e r, Dr. M a rtin Luther K ing, Jr.
A b e rn a th y a ttrib u te d his re s ig n a tio n to lack o f
fin a n c ia l support fo r the o rg a n iz a tio n .
SCLC has had it's in te rn a l p ro ble m s, w ith the
d e fe c tio n s o f Jesse Jackson, a nd th e m o v e m e n t
o f m a n y o f it's leaders in to o th e r fie ld s , such
as A n d re w Y o un g , w h o has g o n e to the U n ite d
States Congress.
There has b ee n som e dissa tis­
fa c tio n w ith A b e rn a th y 's lack o f ch arism a , b ut on
the w h o le , he does have the a b ility a n d the w ill to
le a d this o rg a n iz a tio n .
The NAACP is also h a v in g it's p ro b le m s, w ith
o ne o f it's large st a n d most in flu e n tia l bra nch es
suspended as a re su lt o f it's insistence on loca l
a nsw ers to lo c a l p ro ble m s. The n a tio n a l o ffic e , in
an a tte m p t to re in fo rc e it's c o n tro l o ve r the
branches, has e x p e lle d the p re sid e n t a nd p ro m ise d
re m o v a l o f th e Branch C ha rter if it does not
c o n fo rm to th e ord ers o f th e n a tio n a l o ffic e .
W e a re in a p e rio d w h e n the stru g g le fo r e q u a l
o p p o rtu n ity is less g la m o ro u s a nd less d ra m a tic
th a t it w as in th e 1960's. There are no m arches in
S elm a, b us-bo ycotts in M o n tg o m e ry , or riots in
W atts. The ja ils a re not fille d w ith m ilita n t y o u n g
Blacks a n d id e a lis tic y o u n g w h ite s.
The stru g g le
goes on b u t it is fo u g h t in the courts, in th e le g is ­
latures a n d c ity halls, a nd in the m a rk e tp la c e .
It is no lo n g e r ille g a l to b e lo n g to the NAACP in
M ississipp i.
It's le a d e rs a re no lo n g e r shot or
b o m b e d . W ith th e pressure fro m the o u ts id e re ­
d uce d, th e c o n flic ts fro m w ith in seem to take
p re c e d e n t.
It is p ro b a b ly n a tu ra l th a t in this p e rio d o f tim e
fin a n c ia l su pp ort fo r c iv il rig h ts o rg a n iz a tio n s
w o u ld d im in s h . W h e n the s tru g g le is not in the
fro n t pages o f th e d a ily n ew spa pe rs, Blacks w h o
h a v e m a d e if to som e d e g re e p re fe r to fo rg e t the
past a n d h o p e fo r a b e tte r fu tu re ; a n d w h ite s are
a b le to fo rg e t th a t opp re ssion exists. But this is a
p e rio d p erh a p s m o re d a n g e ro u s th an the 1960's
w h e n th e fig h t w as in the o p e n a nd e v e ry o n e
k n e w w h e re the lin e s w e re d ra w n . N o w w e face
th e m o re su btle racism o f jo b d is c rim in a tio n a nd
to k e n is m , p o litic a l e xc lu s io n a n d e co n o m ic o p p re s ­
sion. W e h ave a p re s id e n tia l a d m in is tra tio n th a t is
in te n t on e lim in a tin g the p ro g ra m s th a t have
h e lp e d m in o ritie s a n d the p o o r; th a t seeks to do
a w a y w ith c o n tra c t c o m p lia n c e , quotas a nd e d u c a ­
tio n a l assistance th a t have e n a b le d Blacks to get
in to som e g o o d p osition s in g o v e rn m e n t and
p riv a te industry.
W e c a n n o t a ffo rd to loose o u r lea de rs because
w e a re u n w illin g to p ro v id e fin a n c ia l a nd m oral
su pp ort.
O ur o rg a n iz a tio n c a n n o t a ffo rd to take
tim e o u t fro m th e stru g g le fo r p o w e r pla ys a g a in st
o u r o w n . The g re a t need is to u n ite a g a in s t the
com m on enem y.
Segregation in intent
What other Black Editors Say
Congress compromises
(R e p rin te d fro m The Sun R eporter)
Last w e e k C ongress re a ch e d a c o m p ro m is e w ith
P resident N ix o n on an issue o f d e a d ly im p o rta n c e
A n a g re e m e n t b e tw e e n the W h ite House a n d C on ­
gress m ea ns th e e n d o f A m e ric a n a ir attacks
a g a in s t C a m b o d ia a fte r A ugust 15.
Senate M a io rity Leader M ik e M a n s fie ld c a lle d
the c o n g re s s io n a l a c tio n a " c a p itu la tio n " . Senator
M a n s fie ld n o te d th a t b oth Houses o f Congress
v o te d se v e ra l tim e s in rece nt w ee ks to cut o ff
fu n d in g fo r m ilita ry o p e ra tio n s in Asia. The c u to ff
w as s c h e d u le d to ta ke e ffe c t June 30.
The c o m p ro m is e ca m e a fte r P resident N ix o n
v e toe d a s p e n d in g b ill w ith o u t fu nd s fo r A sian
M ilita ry o p e ra tio n s . The House fa ile d to o v e rrid e
N ix o n 's v e to a n d W a sh in g to n p o litic ia n s b e g a n to
speak o f a c o n s titu tio n a l crisis.
N ix o n said he
w o u ld v e to a n y b ill w ith no fu nd s fo r b o m b in g .
N ix o n im p lie d th a t a n y re s u ltin g b u d g e t crisis
w o u ld be the fa u lt o f Congress. The $33 b illio n b ill
v e to e d by N ix o n c o n ta in e d fu n d s fo r se ve ra l o n ­
g o in g g o v e rn m e n t o p e ra tio n s.
N ix o n said th a t n e g o tia tio n s to reach peace in
Asia w o u ld be s ty m ie d if Congress tie d his hands
by n ot a llo w in g h im to b o m b CaTTTbodia
The
c o m b in a tio n o f an a lle g e d b u d g e t crisis a n d im ­
p lic a tio n s th a t C ongress w o u ld be h e ld at fa u lt if a
p ea ce a g re e m e n t is not re a c h e d p ro v e d too m uch.
Congress c o m p ro m is e d .
The c o m p ro m is e , w h ic h m eans C a m b o d ia n s w ill
be su bject to six m o re w e e ks o f d e a th fro m the
sky, raises som e questions.
First, does a le g is la tiv e b o d y have the rig h t to
c o m p ro m is e w h e n the live s o f p e o p le a re at stake?
Second, w h a t sh o u ld be th e first p rio rity o f C on ­
gress?
Is C ongress m a n d a te d to c o n tin u e an
u n d e c la re d w a r o r sh o u ld Congress b o w to the
President a n d g iv e up it's o w n w a r m a k in g p o w e r?
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
<
w a r takes second b illin g w h e n the President w ants
o th e rw is e
The th ird q u e s tio n raises o n e v a lid p o in t
If
C ongress had c o n tin u e d to d e n y N ix o n fu nd s to
w a g e w a r, it is safe to assum e th a t th e President
w o u ld h a v e fo u n d m o n e y e ls e w h e re .
President N ix o n has d is p la y e d a re m a rk a b le
d is d a in fo r C on gre ssio na l p re ro g a tiv e s
The fe d ­
e ra l b u re a u c ra c y , b e in g the b e h e m o th it is,
p ro v id e s fu n d s fo r the President fro m m an y
sources. N ix o n , w h o fe e ls th a t a n y co n g re ssio n a l
a c tio n to curb his p o w e r in the fo re ig n a re n a is
a k in to treason, w o u ld h ave fo u n d w a r m on ey.
That m a y be w h y m a n y co ngressm en a n d senators
to o k th e c o m p ro m is e o ffe r; lock stock a n d b o m b e r.
The C on g re ssio n a l co m p ro m ise w ith President
N ix o n is c e rta in ly o u tra g e o u s fro m a n y h u m a n i­
ta ria n s ta n d p o in t. As a m a tte r o f p ra c tic a l p o litics
it w as a p ra c tic a l m o v e by Congress to e n d the
A sia n c o n flic t.
e
Judge finds room .
Dear Mr. Henderson:
I just read the letter to
the editor in the July 5, 1973
issue of the Observer en
titled ‘‘No Room for the
Judge”.
I am deeply ap­
preciative of the concern
expressed by the two attor
neys, but my dilemma no
longer exists.
j
On June 29, 1973, I moved
into the courtroom and
chambers which Judge Jean
L. Lewis vacated on my
behalf in order that my de­
partment would have a suit-
able and appropriate court­
room in which to hear cases.
It is anticipated that the
County Commissioners will
provide and build a per­
manent and functional full-
court com plex for Judge
Lewis within the next few
months.
Thank you and all your
readers very much for all the
community support which I
have received.
Sincerely and respectfully,
Mercedes F. Deiz
SHOP
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Third, is th e C o n gre ssio na l co m p ro m is e a c c e p t­
a b le on the g ro u n d s that N ix o n w o u ld h ave fo u n d
b o m b in g m o n e y fro m a n o th e r source a n d c o m ­
p ro m is e w as the o n ly w a y to e n d the C a m b o d ia n
b o m b in g ?
The first q u e s tio n is m oot.
Congress has been
c o m p ro m is in g the lives o f p e o p le fo r years.
N e ith e r Presidents K e nn e dy, Johnson or N ix o n ever
re c e iv e d a s p e cific w a r d e c la ra tio n fro m Congress
d u rin g the S outheast A sian c o n flic t.
Congress
u n d o u b te d ly p laces the President a b o v e h u m a n ity .
This is no ju s tific a tio n
It is the re a lity o f in te r­
n a tio n a l p o litics.
The second q u e s tio n is fu ll o f a m b ig u ity . U ntil
re c e n tly Congress not o n ly su p p o rte d a n u n d e ­
c la re d A sia n w a r, it w illin g ly p ro v id e d the m o n e y
to w a g e it.
N o w th a t Congress has d e n ie d w a r
fu n d s to the President, w h y sh o u ld it be so q u ick to
re scin d it's o w n a c tio n ?
The a n sw e r to that
q u e s tio n is th e su p re m a cy o f the P resident in
A m e ric a n p o litic s
A ll d e b a te not w ith s ta n d in g ,
C ongress in v a ria b ly succum bs to th e w ill o f the
President
Thus, th e cessation o f an u n d e c la re d
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