Pace 6 Portland Observer Thursday. October 19. 1978
The Metcalf legacy: A personal rememberance
by Rep. John Conyers
public service, starting as director o f
Chicago's Department o f Civil
Rights, and later as a leading figure
on the City Council. In 1969 he
became the council's president pro
tetapore, and a year later won the
Cook County Democratic Party's
nomination for, and election to,
Congress.
Inescapably, in every public
figure's life the question arises: what
did he or she stand for? What did he
or she leave behind? It would have
been entirely appropriate and
adequate if Ralph Metcalfe's legacy
revolved solely around his athletic
accomplishments and community
service. To an extent, o f course, it
docs. But to the millions whom he
represented, he will be remembered
and revered for something more than
even his physical courage. He w ill be
remembered most for his political
courage, following in a great
tradition o f struggle in behalf o f
equality and justice set a half-century
earlier in Chicago by Debs and
Darrow.
During the early 1970s the City o f
Chicago was overrun by police
brutality. No one in the highest
reaches o f the political establishment
addressed the issue. There was
uniform and unanimous silence at
City Hall. A t first, Ralph Metcalfe
sought to bring the issue before the
leadership. As a reasonable man, his
first course o f action was an attempt
to solve the police problem from
Ralph Metcalfe was a good and
honorable man who served the
citizens o f Chicago and the nation
with distinction, eighteen years as a
Chicago Committeeman and Aider-
man and eight years as Member of
Congress from Illinois' First District.
He leaves behind him a legacy o f
supreme courage, both physical and
political, which millions o f citizens
w ill never forget.
Ralph had two careers which rein
forced
and
strengthened
one
another. In the first part o f his adult
life he won fame as a great athlete, a
national intercollegiate champion in
sprinting during the early 1930s, a
silver and bronze medal winnet at the
1932 World Olympics in Los
Angeles, and at the Berlin Olympics
in 1936 a gold medal winner in the
400-meter relay and silver medal
winner in the 100-meter, finishing
second to the legendary Jesse Owens.
Following upon his military service
in World War II, he devoted himself
to the advancement o f Black
Americans and to the education and
physical development o f youth. To
this end he created the Ralph H.
Metcalfe Youth Foundation, which
has supported over the years
numerous athletic, educational and
cultural programs. He was a source
o f inspiration to millions o f young
people.
Ralph devoted his second career to
within. He could not, however, elicit
a response. As more and more
citizens became victimized by police
behavior, Ralph concluded he could
no longer work effectively within the
leadership and the party. His in
tegrity demanded that he speak out
as forcefully as he could on the issue
that most affected the citizens whom
he
represented.
The
political
establishment, that once favored
him, turned against him in full fury.
For a long time Ralph Metcalfe
stood alone against the most power
ful political machine in the nation.
Every attempt was made to silence
him, but he persevered in his convic
tion and his courage. He won re-
election in the subsequent years, but
he had paid a considerable price. His
health suffered. Life-long friend
ships were disrupted. He was made
the object o f constant attack. Never
theless. he went on to serve in
Congress with great dedication and
effectiveness. He was a leader in the
Fields o f consumer protection and
health care. Against great odds,
Ralph had summoned up the same
courage that earlier had won him the
admiration o f the world for his
athletic achievements. In the end,
Ralph stood his ground, a moderate
and reasonable man up against an
immoderate
and
unreasonable
political system. His stand in
Chicago was his finest hour, for
which he w ill always be remembered.
Jr A
Orlando Ramon Colbert celebrates his fourth birthday at Farrels He is the
son of Carolyn and Al Williams.
Task Force proposes State Bank
The 'Interim Task Force on
Housing Costs' wrapped up its find
ings on ways to reduce the cost o f
housing. Unanimously approved was
the recommendation:
“ That the 60th Legislative Assem
bly (the 1979 Legislature) further
study the creation o f a 'state home
loan bank', including the in
vestigation o f the experience o f
similar types of financial institutions
in other states.”
State Representative Wally Priest
ley, D-Portland, pushed support for
the state bank idea said, " I t would
operate much the same as loans
now made by the State Depart
ment o f Veterans Affairs which now
make home loans at 5.9% but would
be available to all home buyers in
Oregon rather than just to veterans.
W ith 10% home loans now being
made by private banks this 4% plus
savings would amount to over $100*
savings per month to home buyers
and offer the chance at home pur
chase to families now having their
loans denied. Only the State of North
Dakota has such a bank and it has
served the people well since it was
established in 1919.”
Priestley said he would like to
organize a ‘ citizens’ army' to support
this proposal at the legislative session
beginning in January. “ W e'll need
an army o f faithful citizen believers
to chase the 'money changers' from
the Capitol Building.”
Priestley credited State Represen
tative George Starr, D-Portland #17,
with this positive solution to rising
costs of home ownership and the
'Commander-in-Chief in an expect
ed fight with private banking in
terests.
Buy a Certificate
of Deposit at
American State Bank
and W e ll Give You
This Color TV:
• With a loan balance o f $30,000 a
4»?o interest savings equals $1,200 per
year or SI00 per month.
19" Magnavox solid state color TV
Sooth Africa! fish
(Continued from Page 1 Column 6)
words o f the runaway, white editor,
Donald Woods, ‘ ‘The fact is,
whether it's Krugerrands (gold coins)
or share, every dollar invested in
South Africa provides tax revenues
to the (South African) government,
which buys planes, tanks guns; and
it is only through force that the
(South African) government can
repress
the
Black
m ajority.”
(Oregon Times. July 1978.) More and
more Blacks in America are aware o f
the race war raging in South Africa
today. The impact o f “ Roots” and
daily reports o f Black people being
slaughtered by whites, have been
heavy on the minds of the descendents
of enslaved African people. Now,
these Afro-Americans are willing to
act against “ the Brotherhood” o f in
ternational racist thugs, by at least
educating their Black communities.
Boycotting and picketing Safeway
is continuing in Seattle, but when
Portlanders asked a threatened
Safeway management to remove the
produce, on October 3rd, it was
reportedly o ff the shelves o f all Port
land stores within twenty-four hours.
A1 Neish, public relations assistant
for Safeway Inc. in Portland, stated
on Wednesday, October 4th, that
355 cartons of the frozen fish (priced
at $1.36 each) were removed. Neish
said he didn’ t know how much o f the
food was sold, but added that the
fish was o f “ . . . poor quality,
because it comes from warm waters
and that’s just not good fish.” Neish
indicated that “ Fairest Cape”
whiting was used to complete an or
der for a Safeway brand product not
in stock. The demand, however, is
for:
1. The removal o f the products of
South Africa from the shelves of
Safeways across the nation.
2. A public apology through the
media it uses to advertise, and;
3. Encouragement o f all U.S.
businesses to stop their economic
support o f South Africa and
end
their
racist,
underworld
“ Brotherhood“ , according to the
Seattle spokesman, Omari Tahir
Locally, these demands
are
fully supported and urged by us,” in
the words o f Fungai
Kumbula,
student at Portland State Univer
sity.
More questions remain, however,
for the Safeway corporation to an
swer:
1. I f the objections o f Black
patrons in Seattle were known, why
didn't Portland’ s management act
first and remove that product volun
tarily?
2. How widespread is this “ sub
stitution” o f inferior food in our
communities? Why?
3. How much death (profits) have
white supremacists in South Africa
made from uninformed Americans
o f good conscience?
4. Can the New York distributor
(“ Specialty Seafoods L td .” ) of
South African fish be found guilty o f
a human rights violation for pushing
other death food?
5. How long has this been going
on?
“ More research is needed on this
carefully managed economic support
o f ruthlessly brutal and racist
government. Because South Africa is
condemned by every civilized nation
o f the world, continued U.S.
economic support through American
corporate investments and sale o f
diamonds, gold, and, yes, FISH, is a
continuation o f white supremacist
practices. The Black people get pen
nies a day for the millions they
provide the white racists from gold
mines stolen from African people.
We are asking for the help o f people
who seek social justice to act now, to
monitor this one identifiable affront
to Black people everywhere,” said
Kumbula. “ We need to know more
about the Safeway corporate struc
ture, monitor the products sold by
Safeway and other corporations, and
we must be prepared to boycott or
shift our buying habits, to slap the
face o f arrogant white supremacy
that strangles our people on bad
food here and maintains slave labor
in Africa A fter ‘ Roots’ there is no
excuse.” It seems that the South
African war is going to come home
to America also.
(17' color set also available)
Buy a certificate of Deposit at American State Bank and
receive a brand new Magnavox color set as your prepaid interest
It s like gettino Instant Interest
Pertetf lor any room, these 100% solid state Magnavox color
sets are built of durable high-impact plastic with a beautiful walnut
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Compact in size, but big in fine performance and quality
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Backed by full factory warranty and factory service, these sets
ofheps* ° n d,Splay ,or your Inspec,iori al both American State Bank
American State Bank invites you to choose one of the follow-
¡3 ? j? vin9S plans and receive your Instant Interest in the form of a
Magnavox color TV.
for each
each certificate
certificate of
of deposit
deposit you
you buy
buy
' Receive
.ovc.vc a
a color
vuiur TV
I V set
sei lor
American State Bank
19" color TV set/lnstant Interest
Amount of your
Deposit
»1500
interest
7J6%
Lensthof
Deposit
Bank'» cost of TV
(special volume
discount 1
Redemption
• t Maturity
48 Month«
$316
•1 5 2 7 .« ,
13" color TV set/lnstant Interest
$2500
$4800
8.5%----------- 6%
Amount of your
Deposit
$1600
•2 6 0 0
84000
Intsrsst
7 26%
8.6%
0%
20 Month«
Length of
Deposit
48 Months
30 Month«
16 Month«
8318.
•2638.90
16 Month«
8318
84606 JO
Mam Office
2737 N E Umon
282 2216
Member F.D.I.C.
Fill out this authorization application and bring to American State
o
wrth y °ur check ,0 ,ns,an’ Interest. American State
Bank, PO. Box 12348, Portland, Oregon 97212
I am enclosing the following deposit lo purchase an American Stale Bank
Instant Interest Savings certificate of deposit tor $
maturmo
------------------- years from the dale I agree lo accept either a 13 L inavox color
television set or a 1» Magnavox color television set las indie, .x) below, as
'H erest on said certificate lor lime slated i understand Federal law
prohibits the Payment of a time deposit prior to maturity unless three months of
interest thereon is forfeited and interest on the amount w ithdrawn is reduced to
the passbook rate In such event I agree lo keep the Magnavox television set
and pay American State B a r * $388 95 tor the 13 set or $469 00 fo the 19 set
which amount shall be deducted from the principal and interest payable to me
under the certificate Interest will be the rale m effect on this date
Please m ake my prepaid interest the ' ] 1 3 Magnavox set
19 Magnavox set
Pick up your television set at the Bank or we wil. deliver it at the earner rhaioe
anywhere m Oregon
Offer may be withdrawn without prior notice
Branch
Berk'« cost of TV
(«pacial volume
discount)
4461 S E 28th
238 7080
Redemption at
Maturity
Eastmoreland
$286
8160318
-8286
<280818
8286
•4660.12
F*4erel law requires substantial Interest penalties on early withdrawal.
A'Wfit'i
ÇsySuss
Socie Sscrxxy or tisi i p
Check here and complete remainder if this is a joint account with
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