Page 2
Portland/Observer
Thursday, July 26. 1973
-
B U T IT SEEMS REASONABLY CLEAR THAT CRIMES INCUDES AT LEAST
UIRE-TAPPINO. THEFT, BURGLARY BREAMNG, AND ENTERING PERJURY,
MALFEASANCE IN OFFICE. SUBORNING PERJURY, BRIBERY. FORGERY
OBSTRUCTION OF JUSTICE, AND VARIOUS FORMS OF CONSPIRACY"
YON WICKER N.Y. n u t'ti
O ne o f the b e n e fits to th e c o m m u n ity th a t w as to
have a cru ed fro m th e la rg e sums o f M o d e l C ities
m o n e y a nd HUD m o n e y spent on h ou sin g re
h a b ilita tio n , street im p ro v e m e n t, a n d o th e r p h y s i
cal im p ro v e m e n ts w as e m p lo y m e n t a n d in co m e fo r
M o d e l C ities reside n ts a n d e s p c ia lly fo r Blacks.
A lth o u g h n ot a to ta lly " B la c k " p ro g ra m , the
M o d e l C ities p ro je cts n a tio n w id e w e re th e resu lt o f
Black d e m o n s tra tio n s a n d riots a n d are lo ca te d in
p re d o m in a n tly Black areas.
W h e th e r th e ir true
purpose w as to a id in the e c o n o m ic d e v e lo p m e n t
o f Black c o m m u n itie s or m e re ly to q u ie t th ing s
d o w n te m p o ra rily , it ca n n o t be d e n ie d th a t M o d e l
C ities is d ire c te d a t Black p e o p le
O n e o f th e s tip u la tio n s in a ll M o d e l C ities
Program s is th a t reside n ts be g iv e n p re fe re n c e in
e m p lo y m e n t. A ll fe d e ra lly fu n d e d p ro gram s are
also re q u ire d to in c lu d e m in o rity e m p lo y e e s a nd
m in o rity business, a n d in fa ct, to a id in th e
d e v e lo p m e n t o f m in o rity e nte rp rise .
In lig h t o f a ll o f this, w h e n w e lo o k a t the
m illio n s o f d o lla rs th a t h ave com e in to P ortland fo r
p hysical d e v e lo p m e n t in the M o d e l C ities a re a , w e
fin d very little o f th is m o n e y g o in g to m in o rity
business.
The largest contracts to contractors fo r hou sin g
re h a b ilita tio n , fo r e x a m p le , a re g o in g to w h ite -
o w n e d co m p an ies.
The lea de rs a re :
A e tn a
R oofing a nd C on structio n -
$305,220 (7 /1 9 7 1 -
3 /1 9 7 3 ); A - l W estern B uilders — $314,902; A llie d
B u ild e rs S y s te m s — $ 1 1 7 ,7 3 5 ; E arl D ry e r
$193,047; Ebelm esser C onstruction — $314,203,
N e il K e lly C om pa n y -- $238,875; M o rris C on-
struction C o m p a n y — $141,376; O b ie 's C onstruc
tio n C om p a n y — $169,833; Thom as M . W il
liam s — $149,504.
C om pa re these a m o u n ts to th e Black contractors:
W e n d e ll E. B row n — $19,450; F le m m in g C on
s tr u c tio n
— $ 2 6 ,1 5 0 ; G a rr is C o n s tr u c tio n
$50,235; A a ro n M itc h e ll - $19,050; T.N. N o ffa -
$32,105; U rban D e v e lo p m e n t — $130,391. These
a re the leaders, b u t m ost o f th e Black co ntractors
have re c e iv e d contracts ra n g in g fro m $3500 to
$7000.
D uring this tw o ye a r p e rio d w h ite co ntractors
e arn e d a p p ro x im a te ly $2,825,031, w h ile Blacks
e arne d a p p ro x im a te ly $542,141.
The p re fe re n c e to w h ite co ntractors is th e resu lt
o f the b id d in g p ra ctice . A lth o u g h it is p re -d e te r
m in e d h o w m uch w ill be spent on th e house a nd
h o w m uch w o rk w ill be d o n e — co ntractors a re
re q u ire d to b id a n d the low e st b id d e r gets th e |ob.
It is co m m o n p ra ctice , h o w e v e r, th a t th e co ntra cto r
w ill e nd up u sin g the fu ll a m o u n t a llo te d , re g a rd
less o f his b id .
The b id d in g p ro c e d u re e lm in a te s the sm all
contractors w h o c a n n o t co m p e te w ith the large
co m p an ies.
They m ust buy su p p lie s in s m a lle r,
a n d th e re fo re m o re e xp e n sive , q u a n titie s ; a nd
c a n n o t use th e ir w o rk fo rce in as e ffic ie n t a
m an ne r.
But it is e v e n m o re d is c rim in a tin g a g a in st the
Black c o n tra cto r w h o o fte n has to p a y h ig h e r prices
fo r su p p lie s; w h o has to pay h ig h e r insurance
rate s; w h o has d iffic u lty g e ttin g b o n d in g ; w h o is
m o re apt to use tra in e e s ; w h o is in e x p e rie n c e d in
b id d in g a n d p ric in g ; a nd w h o th e re fo re has
g re a te r expenses.
Since it has b e e n e sta b lish e d th a t this is a p ro g ra m
d e s ig n e d to a id re sid e n ts o f th e a re a , a n d es
p e c ia lly Blacks, it w o u ld be a s im p le m atte r fo r the
P o rtla n d D e v e lo p m e n t C om m ission to reverse this
tren d. S im p ly e lim in a te the b id d in g system ; a llo t
co n tra cts w ith p re fe re n c e to m in o rity contractors;
a llo t contracts on a ro ta tin g basis to in c lu d e a ll
co ntractors a n d g iv e a ll the sam e o p p o rtu n ity ;
m a ke the e n tire p ro ce d u re p u b lic so th a t each
c o n tra c to r as w e ll as the p u b lic can see w h e re the
■money is g o in g .
There a re sp e cia l p ro g ra m s u nd er w h ich m in o rity
co ntractors a re g iv e n contracts by fe d e ra l a ge n cie s
w ith o u t bids to insu re m in o rity p a rtic ip a tio n . These
too can be m isu sed if the sam e fe w contractors are
g iv e n a ll the w o rk .
These contracts sh ou ld be
a llo te d fa irly a m o n g a ll those contractors w h o are
in te re ste d
A lth o u g h it is g o o d to see a Black
business, g ro w io be la rg e a nd p ro fita b le , this
c a n n o t be a c c o m p lis h e d at th e e xpe nse o f the
others.
Most reasonable shop in town
CARLOS
Body and Fonder Repair
311 N.E. Shaver
WIGLETS
FALLS
5709 N. E. Union
283-3525
EDITORIAL FOCUS
Minority contractors
lose opportunity
FASHION WHEEL
Blacks alert to guilt
Recent p o lls sh ow th a t 80 p e rce n t o f the Black
c itiz e n s o f th e U n ite d States b e lie v e President
N ix o n to be g u ilty o f som e c rim e , as c o m p a re d to
34 p e rce n t o f th e to ta l citizen s p o lle d .
It is n ot su rp ris in g to fin d Blacks to be d is e n
c h a n te d w ith the President a n d w ith g o v e rn m e n t in
g e n e ra l.
President N ix o n has spent his fiv e years in o ffic e
c h o p p in g a w a y a t th e fe w p ro g ra m s th a t are
d e s ig n e d to h e lp m in o ritie s .
He has co nsiste ntly
a tta c k e d p ro g ra m s such as M o d e l C ities, OEO,
m e d ic a l care, c h ild care a n d e d u c a tio n , le g a l a id ,
a n d o the rs th a t m ig h t h a v e som e b e n e fits fo r
Blacks. He has b e e n so ruthless in his a tte m p t f a
shut d o w n th e W ar on Poverty Program s th a t he
o p p o se d C ongress a n d b ro k e the law .
W h ile m a n y w h ite s a cc e p te d the " n e w N ix o n "
or th e y a g re e d w ith th e th in g s he sought to d o —
Blacks saw th ro u g h th e fa c a d e .
Lack o f fa ith in th e P resident is o n ly p a rt o f the
p ic tu re . Blacks h a v e g o o d reason to be suspicious
o f g o v e rn m e n t. The U n ite d States g o v e rn m e n t has
s e ld o m co m e to th e d e fe n s e o f it's m in o rity p o p u
la tio n — it's p ro m ise s h ave s e ld o m b ee n fu lfille d .
Even those p ro g ra m s th a t a re d e s ig n e d to a id
m in o ritie s b e n e fit w h ite s m o re th a n th e y do
m in o ritie s . The g o d jobs g e n e ra lly go to w hite s
a nd w h ite business rea ps the b e n e fits.
H a v in g e x p e rie n c e d v io le n c e a t th e hands o f the
la w , it is n ot d iffic u lt fo r Blacks to b e lie v e the
President a n d th e g o v e rn m e n t o f th e U n ite d States
to be c a p a b le o f a n y c rim e .
Judge halts bombing
A fe d e ra l ju d g e has ru le d th a t the b o m b in g o f
C a m b o d ia is ille g a l because Congress has not
d e c la re d w a r on C a m b o d ia a n d has not a u th o riz e d
th e b o m b in g .
This ru lin g , if it stands, lim its the
P resident's p o w e r to th a t g iv e n b y Congress.
A series o f c o n fro n ta tio n s b e tw e e n President
N ix o n a nd Congress c le a rly show s th a t Congress
opposes the b o m b in g .
S tip u la tio n s a g a in s t the
b o m b in g w e re a tta c h e d to a n u m b e r o f b ills w h ic h
the President th e n ve to e d .
A c o m p ro m is e was
fin a lly reached, w ith P resident N ix o n a g re e in g to
end th e b o m b in g on A u gu st 15th. N o o n e know s
w h e th e r he w ill ke e p this p ro m ise .
This court d e c is io n c o u ld be th e firs t step to w a rd
re strictio n o f the p o w e rs th e p re s id e n t has taken
u po n h im s e lf a n d s lo w the rush to w a rd fa cism .
Published every Thursday by Exie Publishing Company,
2201 North Killingsworth, Portland, Oregon 97217. Mailing
address: P.O. Box 3137. Portland, Oregon 97208. Telephone:
283-2486.
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The Portland Observer's official position is expressed only
in it's Publisher's Column (We See The World Through
Black Eyes). Any other material throughout the paper is the
opinion of the individual writer or submitter and does not
necessarily reflect the opinion of the Portland Observer.
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5
The North’s turn to integrate
by Vernon Jordan, Jr
S low ly, reluctantly, and
under tremendous legal pres
sures, the South has de
segregated most of its dual
school systems. But all the
while, complaints were voiced
from some southerners who
objected to the fact that their
region was forced to desegre
gate while northern school
districts weren't.
The historic Supreme Court
decision in the Denver school
case last month means that
desegregation may finally
cross the Mason Dixon line.
Previous Supreme Court
-ulings affecting the South
were based on segregated
school systems created by
state law. In Denver, how
ever, racially isolated schools
were created by the actions
of the local school board.
The High Court, by erasing
the legalistic distinction be
tween the sources of segre
gation and concentrating on
the fact of segregation, opens
the way for widespread de
segregation of northern
schools.
This is very important,
because the vast majority of
Black pupils in the North
attend racially segregated
schools, and in some of the
biggest cities less than one
out of ten Black students
attend predominantly white
schools.
Technically, the Court's
decision was to return the
Denver case to a lower court
for decision on the extent of
officially-imposed segregation
and to act on remedies. But
the real meaning is to put
northern cities on notice that
they face the same legal
compulsions the South faced
some years back.
Two big issues in school
segregation are still unre
solved. One is the extent to
which the Court will deal
with school segregation re
sulting from segregated hous
ing patterns. In a narrow
sense, this does not result
from legally imposed actions
by governm ents or local
school boards. But since the
results are similar, and since
such authorities have the
duty to take affirmative ac
tion to insure that their
schools are integrated, even
if neighborhoods are not, a
good case can be made for
Supreme Court-ordered inte
gration.
The other dangling issue is
whether the courts can order
merger of urban and subur
ban school districts to achieve
integrated schools. A case
involving Kichmond, V ir
ginia ended in an incon
clusive tie vote in May, but
other cases, including one
centered in Detroit, will be
argued before the Court in
the fall.
The Denver derision is a
heartening indication that the
Court's recent departures
from the rulings of the pro
gressive Warren Court will
not be extended to the land
mark school decisions. The
Court has retreated on the
rights of the accused in
criminal cases and on civil
and personal liberties. But
the 7 to 1 decision in the
Denver case indicates there
will be a rollback in the
march of school desegregation
decisions dating bark to the
Brown case of 1954 that
ended legal school segrega
tion.
The North is now very
much in the position the
South was in after the Brown
decision. Back in the 195U's
southerners were at least as
opposed to desegregation as
suburban Detroiters are to
day. But now there is gen
eral acceptance that segre
gated schools belong to the
lond dead past.
The basic reason for the
change in attitude was the
combination of firm national
leadership that would allow
no violation of constitutional
rights, and the insistence of
the courts on compliance by
local authorities. The North,
too. can come to accept de
segregation if it gets the
leadership it needs, if the
courts are as firm as they
have been in the past, and if
local authorites start now to
plan for the transition period
and beyond, before they have
to do it in an atmosphere of
panic and compulsion.
But perhaps the most ini
portant elem ent here is
national leadership that
doesn't make a political foot
ball out of desegregation:
leadership that sponsors at
tractive inducements to inte
grate and penalties for non
compliance: leadership that
strikes the moral chord of
the nation to help remove
the racial barriers that foster
hate and inequality.
Model C ities Child Care Centers
are taking applications for summer
enrollment. C all . . . .
METRO AREA 4-C COUNCIL
POINT of INFORMATION A REFERRAL
CHARLEY’S
825 SW Broadway
Baggie Shirts by Flair
of California
4
—
LETTERS
TO THE EDITOR
Statistics questioned
Dear Sir:
I disagree with Mrs. Gladys
McCoy's statement on page 6
of the July 19, 1973 Portland
Observer:
'"We do have
Black teachers now employed
for every high school in the
d istrict. .
If "now" refers to the
present, may I say that
Cleveland High School does
not operate summer school
and consequently cannot be
evaluated for now.
In the regular school term
which ended May this year,
there were no Afro-American
classroom teachers at Cleve
land High School.
In the
previous two years, there
were no Afro-American class
room teachers.
Inasmuch as the status of
public education is a valid
community concern, a free
press can best serve the
community by providing ac
curate information. I have,
this date, contacted by tele
phone Mrs. McCoy and noli
fied her of the inaccuracy of
the above mentioned state
ment in her article "Portland
Public Schools and Minority
Employment”.
I trust that the Portland
O bserver will verify the
statu s of Afro-Am erican
classroom teachers in Port
land high schools and inform
the public accordingly.
Exclusively at Charley’s
$13.-15.00
227-6052
Buying a car?
Some common sense thoughts in buying an automobile:
Sincerely,
Mrs. Osly J. Gates
IKditor's note:
By her
statement "We do now have
Black teachers employed for
every high school in the
district," Mrs. McCoy refers
to the fart that Black teachers
have been assigned to the
high schools for the school
year 1973-1974.1
Everybody knows that Detroit is busy turning out the
1974 models. And everybody knows, or should know, that
prices are NOT going down, but up, after the auto workers
are given wage increases from at least 5 to 9 percent.
You will receive a better trade-in price on your used car
now than you ran ever get again. This is the ideal time to
buy a new car.
It is ALWAYS easier to buy a new car than a used car.
Why? Because you have longer to pay for a new car; you get
a written and enforceable warranty; and you have more left
when you trade it in than you do when you buy a used car.
What happened to the gasoline shortage? The same thing
that happened to snow in July.
THE PORTLAND OBSERVER
P.O. Box 3137
P o rtla n d , O re g o n 97208
Please a rrn n a e fo h ave the OBSERVER m a ile d to m y
hom e.
.. „
• $5.25 per year in the Tri County area.
• $6.00 oer year elsewhere.
Name
If you can afford an Impala, Fury, LTD, or Catalina, you
can also afford the magnificent Mercury Marquis
BROUGHAM.
Now let's talk turkey. If you are driving a T Bird, Coupe
de Ville, Electra 225 (deuce and a 1/4), Toronado, or even a
New Yorker or Monaco, you are paying for a Mark IV
Continental without the luxury and privilege of owning one.
( ome out to Wall Johnson Lincoln Mercury and find out just
how really easy it is to drive a Lincoln Continental.
t
Address
C .ty ___
Apt. (if any).
State & Z ip
T ele ph on e^
By the way, that "other” luxury car does not have the
highest resale value. That belongs to (he Mark IV and
Lincoln Continental.
* ome out to 1212 N.E. Halsey, Walt Johnson Lincoln
Mercury and discuss your car problems with J. ALTON
PAGE, 256-2800.
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