”
WE SEE THE WORLD
.♦
THROUGH BLACK EYES
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i n c w zi/ z ne n ttu r,
Walt Johnson
Lincoln Mercury
TO APPEA SE THE NEH MAJORITY.'
THE PRESIDENT MAY BE MISREADING
THE ELECTION RETURNS.
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.¿ IT
WALT JOHNSON
3 ..$►
ALFRED LEE HENDERSON
EDÍTOR/PVBL1SHER
The Better C o m m u n itie s B ill b e in g co n sid e re d by
Congress w ill h a ve a g re a t im p a ct on the M o d e l
C ities a re a if it is passed.
This b ill w ill d e p riv e
P ortland o f m o n e y it n o w rece ive s fo r M o d e l C ities,
n e ig h b o rh o o d fa c ilitie s , U rban R en ew a l, w a te r a nd
space grants, h isto ric p re se rva tio n , and re h a b ilita ­
tio n a nd p u b lic fa c ilitie s loans.
Instead it w o u ld
re c e ive funds a llo c a te d on a fo rm u la th a t inclu de s
p o p u la tio n , c ro w d in g a n d the n u m b e r o f p e o p le
b e lo w the p o v e rty le v e l.
The N a tio n a l League o f C ities estim a tes that
P ortland w ill lose $3.2 m illio n in the n ext fo u r
years. An e v e n g re a te r hazard is th a t the funds
can be put to a n y use the city d esire a n d do not
h a v e to b e n e fit th e p o o r a nd m in o ritie s , or
d e s ig n a te d p o v e rty areas. So w e co u ld be tra d in g
M o d e l C ities fo r a n e w sta diu m or city o ffic e
b u ild in g .
The b ill, w h ic h is sponsored by the N ixo n
a d m in is tra tio n , m ig h t n ot pass; but if it does, it w ill
g o into e ffe c t n ext July.
The p e o p le o f A lb in a need to g et to g e th e r n o w
and d e c id e w h a t w e n e e d fo r o u r co m m u n ity . If
w e w a it, w e w ill fin d th a t the m o n e y is here, is
spent, a nd w e w ill be p ro te stin g a lost cause.
The o n ly reason A lb in a got it's share o f the W ar
on Poverty m o n e y is th a t the p e o p le o f the
c o m m u n ity h ad the fo re s ig h t to o rg a n ize a n d pla n
a h e a d so th a t w e ll-fo rm u la te d proposals co u ld be
su b m itte d a t th e p ro p e r tim e . Areas o f Southeast
a n d N orth P o rtlan d neve r d id get the p ro je cts they
sh ou ld have because th e y w e re d is o rg a n iz e d and
started too late.
W e w ill fin d o u rselve s in the sam e p o sitio n w ith
th e n e w Better C o m m u n itie s B ill if w e d o n 't g et
started im m e d ia te ly .
Published every Thursday by Exie Publishing Company,
2201 North Killingsworth, Portland, Oregon 97217. Mailing
address. P.0. Box 3137, Portland, Oregon 97208. Telephone:
283 2486.
Subscriptions: $5.25 per year in the Tri-County area, $6.00
per year outside Portland.
Second Class Postage Paid at Portland. Oregon
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.
MEMBER
member
O re g o n
N ew spaper
P u b lish e rs
A s s o c ia tio n
X
Black unemployment -
white racism
Albina must organize
The latest e m p lo y m e n t statistics show an u n e m ­
p lo y m e n t rate fo r Blacks o f a b o u t 10.5 p e rce n t, as
c o m p a re d to a p p ro x im a te ly 5.3 p e rc e n t fo r w hite s.
The jobless rate fo r Black ve teran s w as 11 p e rce n t
fo r the q u a rte r e n d in g June 30th.
The Labor B ureau statistics d o n ot g iv e a
c o m p le te p ic tu re since th ey o n ly in c lu d e persons
w h o a re re g is te re d fo r e m p lo y m e n t or u n e m p lo y ­
m e n t c o m p e n s a tio n .
They d o n ot in c lu d e those
w h o d o n ot seek |obs th ro u g h the state e m p lo y ­
m e n t o f f ic e , th o s e w h o a re n o t e l i g ib l e o r
w h o h ave used up th e ir u n e m p lo y m e n t b e n e fits or
w h o h ave lon g a go g iv e n up lo o k in g fo r a job.
The h ig h u n e m p lo y m e n t rate a m o n g Blacks, a nd
e s p e c ia lly a m o n g y o u n g m en, re fle cts so cie ty's
re je c tio n o f Black w orkers.
In th e P ortland a re a , Black u n e m p lo y m e n t rates
a re a p p ro x im a te ly tw ic e those o f w hite s. Yet c o n ­
struction is g o in g on a ll a ro u n d us w ith a ll-w h ite
crew s. N ot o n ly a re th e re la rg e fe d e ra lly fu n d e d
b u ild in g p ro ie cts such as the n e w fe d e ra l b u ild in g ,
th e h ig h w a y co nstructio n , fe d e ra l su bsidize d h ou s­
in g p ro je cts, b ut rig h t in our m idst is fe d e ra lly -
fu n d e d h o u sin g re h a b ilita tio n a n d n e ig h b o rh o o d
im p ro v e m e n t projects.
Few o f these p ro je cts a re using m in o rity w o rkers.
The co ntractors b la m e th e u nions, sa yin g th e y h ave
to h ire th ro u g h the u n io n s or h ire u n io n m e m b e rs
a nd th a t th e y a re restricte d by the union s in h irin g
a p p re n tic e s . The u n io n s a d m it o n ly jo u rn e y m e n ,
b ut it is th e u n io n s th a t cre a te th e jo u rn e y m e n .
The a p p re n tic e s h ip system is n ot w o rk in g because
th e u n io n s can s till a v o id fa k in g m in o rity a p p re n ­
tices a n d fo re v e r restrict the tra d e to w hites.
F ederal g u id e lin e s re q u ire th a t contractors a nd
u n io n s seek m in o rity e m p lo y e e s .
H o w e v e r, the
g u id e lin e s a re not s p e c ific a n d if a co n tra cto r or
u n io n show s " g o o d f a it h " he is a llo w e d to
c o n tin u e on fe d e ra lly fu n d e d projects, e ven if he
h ires no m in o ritie s .
If th e re a re to be fe d e ra l g u id e lin e s re g a rd in g
m in o rity e m p lo y m e n t, th e y m ust be e n fo rce d .
Perhaps a firm q u o ta is n ot necessary, but w h e n
jo b a fte r jo b is d o n e w ith an a ll- w h ite c re w w h ile
Black w o rk e rs re m a in u n e m p lo y e d , it is o b vio u s
th a t s o m e th in g is w ro n g .
C o n tracto rs a re s till sa yin g th e y c a n 't fin d
m in o rity w o rk e rs or contractors. This excuse is a
fa rc e unless th e y h a v e pursue d th e o b v io u s
avenues:
1) c o n ta ct th e m in o rity contractors
p ro fe s s io n a l o rg a n iz a tio n , the A lb in a C ontractors
A s s o c ia tio n ;
2) co nta ct the U n ite d M in o rity
W o rke rs; 3) a d v e rtis e in the Black n ew s m e d ia .
LETTERS
TO THE EDITOR
MEMBER
HêWAipEE
Association - Foundsd 1885
PCC
Gentlemen:
THE PORTLAND OBSERVER
P.O. Box 3137
P ortland, O re g o n 97208
Please a rra n g e to h a ve th e OBSERVER m a ile d to my
hom e.
„ „
• $5.25 per year in the Tri County area.
• $6.00 per year elsewhere.
N am e
A d dress
State & Zip
A pt. ( if a n y ),
T ele ph on e
SUPPORT
YOUR ADVERTISERS
«
This is to make formal
complaint of racial and eco­
nomic discrimination in the
operation of Portland Com
munity College. While not
yet filing a civil suit, this is
to inform all board members
and the President of Port
land Community College that
the basis of the complaint is
the obvious dispairity be­
tween the courses offered to
the inner-city (Cascade) re
turning veteran with finan­
cial difficulties and the Syl­
vania suburban white student
body.
If educational opportunity
is related to the economic
opportunity and job market
of skills (and there is much
evidence of this), then the
best skills, greatest variety,
and quality of staff has been
outrageously mismanaged. If
not mismanaged, then funds
have been deliberately fun
nelled into the largely upper
middle class, white, isolated
Sylvania Campus denying op
portunity to the Black and
poor of the inner-city Cas­
cade Campus.
Many stu
dents must leave the inner-
city campus area after work
We c o n s id e r il .1 p r iv ile g e
land we are happy to supply
I courtesy transportation for
I the benefit o f th is fine anil
I worthwhile annual conven
tion.
KC
EDITORIAL FOCUS
ing an eight-hour job (V.A.
students include because we
don't rate what WW II vets
got) and travel the best way
they can (the poor most
often have tra n sp o rta tio n
problems) to an often racist,
if not openly hostile, com
munity to gain an educa­
tional opportunity equivalent
to the already priviledged
majority.
You may expect to hear
more of this.
Donald M. Fuller
Agrees
Dear. Mr. Henderson,
I read your paper regu
larly and appreciate it very
much. You do a good job.
This note is to congratu
late you on your excellent
editorial “Can We Afford
Nixon?”. I agree with you
100% and you said it ex
tremely well.
Nixon is a traitor to the
best interests of this country.
Sincerely,
Rep. Howard Willits
Democrat
li
4
Lincoln
I Mercury extends congratula
I lions to the H 2 lld S e s s io n o f
I the Puget Sound District of
I the African Methodist Epi>
I copal Church.
&
W7,ll
Now you can own the luxury cars with the highest
resale value today
Continental Mark IV and Lincoln
Continental
at a low price never before offered.
Call J. Alton Page. Walt Johnson Lincoln Mercury,
256 2800 to find out just why so many of our area
residents have already taken advantage of buying a true
luxury car at medium car prices
à-
'4
jcall J. Alton Page,
2 5 6 -2 8 0 0
N.E. 122nd & Halsey Street
T h « f or« o lot of hungry children, Mr. President
Revenue Sharing danger to Blacks
Proposals for special reve­ Study.
requirement, citizens in an
nue sharing programs, as
Of the four “special reve
now written, would have the nue sharing" programs pro­ Alabama town have been
denied the right to even
effect of shortchanging poor posed by the Nixon adminis
and Black residents of many tration, Williams aimed most attend council meetings at
towns and cities, Eddie N. of his criticism at the "Belter which revenue sharing funds
were apportioned; citizens in
Williams, president of the Com m unities A ct".
This upstate New York were un
Joint Center for Political would replace several exist
able to obtain budget data
Studies, has warned.
ing programs for urban re
from several local govern
Any legislation establishing
newal and community de
block grants or special reve­ velopm ent, including the ments and a city in Indiana
decided to use its revenue
nue sharing must include Model Cities program.
sharing money to pay for
safeguards requiring state
The administration's pro­ cost overruns on a sports
and local governments to posed formula for allocating
take into account the needs of money to various localities stadium, despite strong riti
zen opposition. Williams
minorities when they spend
includes language which
"Why should we
their federal money, Wil­ seems to provide for more added.
liams told the 63rd annual money to areas with large expect the picture to be dif
conference of the National numbers of poor residents, ferent under the Better Com
munities Act?" he asked.
Urban Leagué in Washing
but actually there would be
ton recently.
“a hurt put on the cities,
"The proposed art does not
"I cannot support a reve­ where we are, and a bonanza
provide machinery to assure
nue sharing concept which
for the suburbs, where we that those whose needs are
gives unrestricted powers to ain’t,” Williams said.
being served by existing
those levels of government
He observed that a clause categorical grants will con
which have historically been
guaranteeing that no locality tinue to have their needs
the least responsive to our
would receive less under the served under special revenue
(Blacks') needs," Williams
new bill than under the old sharing," Williams contended.
said.
programs would expire after
He said adm inistration
Any such legislation with
five years. Then, he said, spokesmen "ask us to let go
out protection, he said, would "central cities would experi
of categorical grants
the
put minorities in a “hatchet ence a sharp drop or at best
little limb of survival that we
fight without a hatchet," a slight gain from the reve
are hanging onto for dear
because of their relative lack nues they presently get under life. They ask us to have
of political "clout” in many
the categorical program s.
faith in the face of benign
cities.
Urban counties, on the other neglect. They suggest we
He suggested that "any hand, including may well to- seek our salvation from state
move tow ard block type
do suburbs, would receive and local governments, many
grants must be accompanied
much greater amounts."
of which have been contemp-
I by a continuation and a re
For example, after five tous of our problems in the
finement of categorical pro- years Baltimore City's share past or incapable of respond
I grams aimed at specific pur
would be down 46 percent, ing to them."
poses."
but suburban Baltim ore
Williams noted that, al
Further, he said, "It is County's share would be up
though the Joint Center for
essential that block grants or 237 percent," Williams noted.
Political Studies has shown a
special revenue sharing pro-
Further. Williams noted, doubling of the number of
1 grams meet four key tests:
there is no requirement that Black elected officials in the
“One, they must contain
citizens be allowed to parti
nation in the last four years,
explicit national goals which cipate in decisions on how
there is still no assurance
take into account the needs
revenue sharing money is to that Blacks and other minor
of the poor and of minorities.
be spent.
ities have sufficient political
Where possible they should
Under the current general clout to have revenue shar
also provide financial incen­ revenue sh aring program ,
ing funds allocated on pro
tives to governments which
which also lacks such a jects that meet their needs.
strive to meet these goals.
"Two, there must be a
reasonable application and
review process which will
ensure that those localities
most needing funds actually
receive them and that those
that receive them actually
use them consistent with the
national objectives.
"Three, there must be ex­
plicit and binding civil rights
protections written into the
law, which take full account
• All Ltnws Ground Io youi Doctor'« PioKriplit
of the continuing need for
federal enforcement.
m
Four, there m ust be
SEMLER
strong provisions for effec­
tive community participation
in the decision-making pro­
cess.”
The Joint Center for Poli
tical Studies, which Williams
O r. Sender
MIIOFD
r iZ .
has headed for one year, is a
A N r ia e a . . .
private non partisan organi
H A VIYOU*
zation which provides re
All Optical
KYIS IX AMINKO M , In TA. 0 .,
search, information and sup
INSURANCE
For
port services to the nation's
R s s *U a
Accepted
Black and other minority
«AahUaAAwt
group elected officials, and
W i H« k C im i W s I m m O
SO* LINS
others representing minority
group interests.
Williams is a former vice
president for public affairs of
the University of Chicago
ire e ir liv u » M M tioetoo
O FFICII
S. W.Third anil M a r r iiu n
the first Black to hold such a
position at that university
OH* OHicMi. SALEM ALMENE • H t , W W
tmruu Dation •/ UpioaMiry -
and former head of the uni­
R. Hull, M. Kelly. W. MoCnim. H. Webb. 0 . Wall-.«*
versity’s Center for Policy
Need
r
Glasses r d S
SEE SEMLER'
U
EASY
CREDIT
n
t;
Cheesebu
McDonalds
where its a
M cD o n a ld 's is the p la ce to be
fo r g o o d fo o d and g o o d lim es.
B ig M ac, F ile t-o -F ish ,
C heeseburger, w h a te ve r yo u 've
got the h u n g rie s for. M cD o n a ld s
is the scene M ake it
EBBS'
4
You deserve a break today