Page 2 P o rtlan d O bserver O c to b e r 18. 1979
EDITORIAL/OPINION
No junk food here
Congratulations are in order for Harvey Scott
Elementary School and its principal, Harold
Kulm.
The school has been on a campaign, since the
beginning of the school year, to eliminate “ junk
foods" from the students' school diets.
The campaign is the result of Kuhns reading
that too much sugar can make some children
hyperactive, yet many children seemed to live
mostly on candy. Of course the sugar also added
to obesity problems and poor dental health.
Through a concerted e ffo rt, parents are
cooperating by sending natural foods for class
treats
fruit, popcorn, juice, etc., rather than
the usual candy, cake and cookies. The PTA is
collecting low sugar recepies.
The School Board has wrestled for years with
the problem of whether "junk food' should be
sold in the schools' vending m achines and
student stores. Although some schools have at
tempted to provide a choice between sweets and
more nourishing foods, the Board has been
reluctant to act decisively on behalf of better
nutrician.
Harvey Scott has demonstrated that
with a
Rhodesia:
Conference stalemate unresolved
little inconvenience and much effort - it can be
done. The health of the District's children would
be far better if the Harvey Scott program were
extended to all of the schools.
Call out the Marines!
The Marines have landed at Guantanamo Bay
to show Fidel Castro and the world that we are
not afraid of two or three thousand Soviet troops
stationed in Cuba. It almost makes one think of
that old movie, "The Russians Are Coming", a
comedy which depicts the panic caused the
people of a Florida town by a stranded Soviet
sub.
It's unfortunate that President Carter allowed
him self to be pushed in to such an em pty
maneuver by Senator Church and others who
are seeking his job or just to keep their own.
The U S. can hardly be endangered by a small
number of Soviet troops stationed in Cuba,
where they have stayed peacefully for the last
seventeen years. Especially is this true when the
Soviet Union is surrounded by U.S. troops in
Europe, Japan, etc, etc.
A lot of money and energy that could be better
spent.
Black opportunities sink with merchant marine
/>v Hayard Husttn
One i,l the greaiesi ironies o f our so-
called free enterprise economy is its
seemingly inherent tendency to wipe
out more and more jobs - jobs that
once ot tered young people, especially
non-college youth, the opportunity
to enjoy a lull life, and to support a
family decently without the nagging
uncertainties associated w ith un
skilled, seasonal and service work.
No long ago, for instance, many
Black youngsters turned to the mer
chant marine for a rewarding and
challenging career. To be sure, the
life ol a seaman is far from easy; and
there are lew luxuries aboard typical
merchant ships and tankers. Yet, a
job in the merchant marine provided
good pay, decent working conditions
and a real chance for advancement to
a higher paying maritime profession.
Now, however, new job oppor
tunities in the maritime industry have
sin mills disappeared. A look at a
lew statistics w ill graphically
illustrate the enormous shrinkage in
employment.
In 1950, American shipping com
panies employed over 56,000
seamen By I960, employment in the
merchant marine fell to 49,(XX). Ten
sears later in 1970, another I 1 .(XX)
lobs vanished. And at the end of 1978
only 21,000 seamen worked on
American vessels.
What caused this rapid decline in
jobs? l or one thing, the owners o f
the ships followed the time-honored
example of other businessmen: they
discovered clever ways to increase
their profits by hiring seamen who
w ould work fo r shockingly low
wages. Since American seamen, long
protected by the National Maritime
U nion and the Seafareres In te r
national Union, refused to accept
starvation wages, the shipping
magnates turned to easily-exploited
foreign workers.
American ship owners, o f course,
could not bring the thousands o f
low -paid foreign workers to our
nation’ s shores. Instead, they did the
next best thing: they brought the
ships to the foreign workers by re
registering the vessels in countries
like Liberia, Panama and Greece.
Through re-registration, the ship
owners -- inclu ding some o f the
richest oil companies in the world -
not only avoid paying fair wages, they
also evade safety requirements, fair
labor standard provisions, and last but
not least, they escape many American
taxes.
For most shipping companies,
however a lower pay is the main ad
vantage o f re-registration under a
foreign llag. As one might expect,
the savings in labor o f a 32-man
tanker or bulk carrier Hying the U.S.
flag amount to $1.75 m illion. The
same type ship crewed by seamen
from a Third World country would
have labor costs amounting to only
$.33 million. To put it more simply,
for every dollar an American seaman
earns, his counterpart from Liberia,
El Salvador, the P h illip in e s , or
Korea receives something like 18 or
19 cents.
In my view, this situation has two
tragic aspects. First, thousands o f
mercant sailors from African, Asian,
and L a tin Am erican nations are
being mercilessly exploited by some
of the world’s largest and wealthiest
multinationals. And second, this ex
ploitation results in the destruction
of w o rth w h ile jobs fo r some o f
A m e rica ’ s poorest people, most
notably Blacks and Hispanics.
Since well over 55 per cent o f all
Am erican merchant marine crews
consist o f m inority seamen, Black
people have a special responsibility
to demand an end to industry and
governm ental policies that place
exorbitant profits before the needs o f
Black and Hispanic workers. Unless
Black organizations begin to focus
some attention on this sometimes
forgotten issue, I fear that we may be
permitting thousands o f desperately-
needed o p p p o rtu n itie s fo r Black
youngsters to sink with the already
endangered U.S. merchant marine.
by Vernon Jordan
If we as a nation wanted to give all
our young people the skills training
and jo b experiences they need, we
would do so.
L et’ s look at some o f the sup
posed causes o f youth unem
ployment. One is that the economy
isn’ t creating enough jobs for all.
That’s true.
But it is creating enough jobs to
provide work for many. And Blacks
lag in getting that work -- with Black
youth at the end o f the line.
A n othe r supposed cause is the
m inim um wage. I reject that ab
solutely. A fte r the last hike in the
minimum wage white youth unem
ployment declined while Black rates
went up. If the proponents o f the
minimum wage argument were right
one would expect rates for both races
to rise. They didn’t, which suggests
that race is a bigger factor than the
level o f the minimum wage.
The minimum wage argument is
not really concerned w ith Black
youth; it is part o f a general effort to
restrain the gains o f labor. A split-
level minimum wage would be the
breach in the w all o f protective
legislation that surrounds working
conditions. I ’ m opposed to driving
holes in that wall.
A n othe r cause is the attitudes
found among many young people
today. It is hard to make a clear
distinction between the negative at
titudes o f some and the experiences
in the workplace that reinforce those
attitudes.
The behavior patterns that pay o ff
in status on the street are the op
posite o f those that pay o ff in the
work setting. The schools have failed
to assist those kids in making the
City hearing brings no-show
are honest and sincere people who
have an interest in helping. I am Black
and the first person who steps up and
indicates that he is “ my leader”
will be in for a surprise.
I am appaled at the lack o f par
ticipation in the gut issue concerning
education and employment. Some
fo lk seem to make the headlines
when little effort is needed to be a
spokesperson i.e. school boycott.
Where are those same people when
Quality and Effective education and
employm ent preparedness is the
most important objective? W here are
those same people right now when the
schools need visible live people to
assist with discipline and tutoring?
For those who want Black History
taught, why can’t
you offer your
pert assistance voluntarily on the
A t the end o f last week, Britain,
acting as the chairman to the prickly
negotiations aimed at resolving the
Rhodesian p roblem , gave the
Patriotic Front guerrilla alliance an
ultimatum: accept the constitutional
proposal offered or else...The PF
was given first 24 hours, later exten
ded to 48, in which to accept the pact
they had rejected and which the
M uzorew a-Sm ith clique had ten
tatively accepted. The “ or else...”
was never spelled out, but it was
clear to all fa m ilia r w ith the
situation, that Britain had very few if
any options, to carry out any threat.
That same conference is scheduled
to resume this week and still the PF
has not “ changed its mind or recon
sidered” as ordered by Britain. W hile
Britain still insists on PF acceptance
of her draft resolution, the PF for its
part, is insisting on the opening o f the
more substantial negotiations: control
of the army and the question o f pen
sions.
The constitutional d ra ft Britain
had presented skirted over the issue
o f c o n tro l o f the armed forces
because both sides (Muzorewa and
the PF) had put fo rth hardline
policy: the PF insisting on a com
plete dismantling o f the present army
to be replaced by a Peoples Arm y
and Muzorewa and Smith just as
adamantly insisting on the retention
o f the arm y in its present fo rm .
When Muzorewa “ came to power,”
Zimbabwe just cannot afford to pay
o ff millions o f dollars to people who
will most likely not invest it in the
country. More than likely, the bulk
o f this money would be spirited out
to wherever they decide to flee. In
1975, then Secretary o f State, Henry
Kissinger, had proposed a $4 billion
fund to help whites who do not wish
to live under a majority government
set up elsewhere. The Africans rejec
ted that plan then saying, this
money, which was to be provided by
the U.S., should instead be given to
the government o f Zimbabwe to help
it along on its long road to
nationhood.
These two issues: control o f the
armed forces and “ compensation”
for the whites, promise to doom the
conference and there does not seem
to be a middle road either. And all
the time, the war is taking its toll: at
this writing, there is an outbreak of
measles brought about by the closure
o f nearly all health facilities in the
rural areas. Thousands o f refugees
have set up shantytowns outside o f
the main cities and that is where the
epidemic has hit the hardest. How do
they spell RELIEF? The overthrow
o f the Smith-Muzorewa Clique.
STOP PRESS: The PF has finally
rejected B rita in ’ s plan,so, now
B rita in is talking o nly to the
Muzorewa group--a prelude to
recognition o f the bankrupt regime-
that can only mean more war.
he inherited the army intact, com
plete with its white officers-the same
people who have trampled the A fri
cans u n d e rfo o t fo r the last nine
decades.
The other equally contentious
issue revolves around the question o f
pensions. Britain is proposing that
whites who have been in Rhodesia
since 1964 (UD I was 1965) should be
guaranteed “ their” pensions. Under
their system, white workers were en
titled to pensions while Blacks were
not. Britain claims to have inserted
this condition in consideration o f the
contributions whites have made in
Rhodesia. As was to be expected,
Muzorewa accepted this condition
and the guerrillas rejected it.
For one thing, what the whites
have stolen from the country over
weighs whatever “ c o n trib u tio n s ”
they are supposed to have made. For
another, most o f them came to
Rhodesia empty-handed and made
th e ir fortunes in Rhodesia; par
tic u la rly o f f e x p lo itin g the in
digenous Africans. What o f the con
tributions o f the Africans? They ac
tu a lly c o n trib u te d more to the
development o f the country because
they did the actual work. Why are
they not being offered any compen
sations?
A n o th e r argument against this
racist c o n d itio n , centers on the
financial drain this would pose, for
the fledgling nation o f Zimbabwe.
Employing Black youth
Letters to the Editor
To the editor:
Whs are certain Black persons
continually identified as “ leaders” ,
within the Black community and for
Black people? I have participated in
many groups sessions and asked per
sons of other ethnic groups who were
their leaders and spokes persons for
them and the answer is always, No
one. As long as we are tentatively
catergorized as having leaders, we
will never integrate fully within the
main stream o f life.
True there are many outstanding
Black people, but they simply are
doing that which is the best thing for
them to do to assist our future
generations. There are many out
standing people who arc not Black-
who are equally assisting Black
people and they are not leaders. They
by N. Eungai Kumbula
weekends or after school at one o f our
churches? I’m sure those who are sear
ching for identity can find it through
the assistance of these volunteers?
On October 6, 7:30 p.m., at King
facility, there was a forum on input
for the revision o f the City Charter.
One o f the concerns was employment
within the City for minority (Black)
people. There were less than ten
people attending the session. I saw
no one there who voiced a concern
for the hiring o f Black people and
ideas as to how our people could find
employm ent w ith in the C ity .
However, everyone did miss seeing a
very dynamic Black Female who is
serving on the Advisory committee,
Ms. Ethel McWilliams.
Walter F. Morris, Jr.
tra n s itio n , and employers often
don't want to.
I f the need for labor were to ex
pand, we would find that many o f
the attitudes employers find objec
tionable would no longer constitute
an excuse to avoid h irin g young
people.
We would find instead, that em
ployers would make greater efforts
to train youth, to overcome their
suspicions and hostility, to provide
the services alienated youth need to
break through their protective ar
mor, and to treat those young people
with respect and dignity.
The remedy for youth joblessness
is simple: create jobs in the public
and private sectors.
I favor a national full employment
policy that guarantees jobs to r all
who want to work. Every young per
son should
have access to
educational, skill training, or work
experiences as a matter o f right.
AT lX R iw itl’s
dental
repairs
* PRICKS QUOTKD fM ADVANCK ★
Liberal CREDIT Terms
N o In te re st o r C a rry in g Charges
O ffu r H o u r, -
9:30 A M fa S:PM _ ( Jo.ag S « lu rrf.y ,
DENTURES R.lln«d
lor Better Fit
•
BROKEN 4 CRACKED
Denture« Mended
MISSING TEETH Repleced In Denture«
Bridget 4 Partial« Repaired
O R T H O D O N T I A (S tra ig h te n in g T eeth I
1« L o i r ci* ( p io 3 0 % B e lo tr liv r c iflc O rth o d o n tic *
E mergency C ases
Chen Immediate Attention. . .
Work Completed While You Wait in Most Cases
* * Operete Our Own Laboratory
AU Dental
Accepted
Ask About Our LOW COST
Quality DENTURES
On. Lnwieitc® Se/iMitd
Street Level '
51 5
PORTLAND OBSERVER
1 st Place
Community Service
O NPA 1973
The P o rr/u n rfO T .irrw r (U SPS 969 6801 ,s pubhshed every Thurs
o’ * bV j ”* Publ,»hl" 9 Company. Inc 2201 North Kilhngsworth
P o la n d . Oregon 97217. Poa, 0 ff.ee B o, 3137 Portland Oregon
9 /2 0 8 Second class postage paid at Portland, Oregon
5th Place
Best Editoria!
O NPA 1973
The P ortland O b v r v r r t off.c,al position is expressed only in its
Editorial colum n. Any other material throughout the paper is the
opinion ot the individual writer or submitter and does not neces
eerily reflect the opinion of the Pnrlland Observer
283 2486
ALFRED L HENDERSON
Editor/Publisher
M MMM •
NH^A
L
PER
A«tOCf«r*Off ■ fo u n d e d »MÄ
■ fO r p q o r
J M
'
■
M
®
MM
P u tii s h p rs
Association
H
V
2nd Place
Best Editorial
3rd Place
Community Leadership
O NPA 1975
3rd Place
Community Leadership
O NPA 1978
DENTIST
Park TREE
u n io i tor
M«3ra
(orncts also in s » u w & tuemf) — MoeeisoNi
. . . . . . i- , . . :
.
—
n~2 ~
Subscribe Today
!
$7.50 per year—Trl-countv
$8.00 per year —Other
1 Dxr.=..-
Honorable Mention
Herrick Editoria! Avvard
N N A 1973
N atio n a l A d v ertis in g R ep re s e n ta tiv e
A m a lg a m a te d Publishers Inc
N o w York
sw 4 t h Ave.
Between Alder 6 W o ih.ngton
1 st Place
Best Ad Results
O NPA 1973
Subscr.pt,o n , »7 50 per year ,n Tr, County area SB 00 per year
ih i P
I? '
area
Send address changes to
the P w f/arrd fM w r-w v . P 0 Box 3137. Portland, Oregon 97MB
C o tta
I In Our Pnrlland O fjic ri)
:---------- i
2~- ..Ku atar
NAME
ADDRESS
CITY
2 8 3 -2 4 8 6
STATE
'
1
------------ Z IP
Mail to:
Portland Observer
P.0. Box 3137
_________Portland, Oregon 97208
i
,