Medford mail tribune. (Medford, Or.) 1909-1989, September 18, 1956, Image 4

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    FOUR MEDFORD (OREGON)
MlDFORDjTWBUNE
"Everyone In Southern Oregon
Red The Mail Tribune 'J
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March 3. 1837
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Flight o' Time
Medford and Jackson County
History from the files of The
Mail Tribune 10. 20, 30. 40
and 90 years ago.
10 YEARS AGO
Sept. 18, 1946 (Wednesday)
- This year's pear crop will
amount to about 3.000,000 boxes,
the largest crop ever produced
In the valley.
From Arthur Perry's Ye
Smudge Pot column: The kids
are still shooting off firecrack
ers, and the posters of the last
circus await a cyclone to remove
them from barns, second story
windows, and alley walls.
20 YEARS AGO
Sept. IS, 193S (Friday)
Deferred O and C land grant
tax refund money, amounting
to more than $92,000, received
this week by Jackson county;
will be used in reducing the
warrant indebtedness $50,000,
says County Judge Earl B. Day.
Affiliation of the Ashland
Chamber of Commerce with the
Jackson County Chamber of
Commerce reported a step near
er realization this afternoon.
30 YEARS AGO
Sept. 18, 1926 (Saturday)
Today, Grants Pass day,
marks the close of the Jackson
county fair, one of the most suc
cessful in recent years.
Both northbound and south
bound mail planes arrived on
schedule in Medford today
bringing about 200 letters.
40 YEARS AGO
Medford band's engagement
at Jackson county fair has been
most satisfactory, according to
fair directors.
Prize winners in the public
school department of the coun
ty fair announced Saturday.
SO YEARS AGO
Sept. 18, 1906 (Tuesday)
Public schools opened yester
day with an increased attend
ance and with several new
teachers.
Yesterday's shooting at Coro
nado finished the most success
ful tournament that the Pastime
Gun club has ever held.
What's the Answer?
Can Ton Get 4 of the 7?
Copr. 1955 Editorial Research
Report
1. Professional betting odds Just
after this year's conventions
were about 4 to 1, 5 to 2, or 8 to
5 on Eisenhower, or even, or 8
to 5 on Stevenson?
2. The Jewish New Year this
year was or wasn't celebrated
by religious services in Moscow?
3. The Federal Reserve Board
now does or doesn't have power
to fix the terms of instalment
buying?
4. "I have found it impossible
to carry (my) heavy burden. . .
without the help of the woman
I love" was announced over the
radio by whom?
5. Most lawyers in the U.S.
are or aren't members of the
American Bar Association?
6. All 13 original states, were
represented at the convention
that drew up the Constitution
In 1787; right or wrong?
7. Encephalitis is another name
for cancer, sleeping sickness,
stomach ulcers, high blood pres
sure or a block in the small
colon?
The Answers: 1. Generally
reported as 4 to 1 on Eisenhower.
2. Was. 3. Doesn't. 4. King
Edward VIII. now Duke of
Windsor. 5. Most aren't. 6. Wrong
(no delegates from Rhode Is
land). 1. Sleeping sickness.
71
MAIL TRIBUNE
Why Is McKay Slipping?
The supporters of Douglas McKay are getting des
perate. In spite of the blessing of the White House and
even circulating a picture of "Dear Doug" chatting
with "Ike" at San Francisco, their officially selected
"man to beat Morse" isn't getting along very well. In
fact very badly.
Even the Portland Oregonian's chosen poll in
Multnomah shows Morse gaining steadily in the Dem
ocratic party and even more surprising getting ap
proximately a fifth of the Republican votes. This sur
vey must mean something the Oregonian opposes
Morse, of course.
At that rate the former Secretary of the Interior,
even with a front seat on Ike's coat tails, will not get
to first base.
Which only goes to prove Lincoln was right when
he said "you can fool some of the people ALL the
time, and ALL the people SOME of the time but you
can't fool ALL the people ALL the time." You
CAN'T!
In their desperation perhaps one shouldn't be too
hard on the McKay "shock-troops" for falling back
upon that well-known dodge of the shyster lawyer,
namely:
"When you haven't a case abuse the attorney on the
other side."
Some of McKay's most respected supporters have
adopted this tactic.
All in all it is rather a painful and depressing
spectacle, but that is the way the prospect of defeat
works on certain types of mind they JUST can't
take it not like good spoils at least They want to
throw things mud, especially.
AS a matter of fact it must have been apparent to
" any voter who has followed this campaign at all
closely, that while Mr. McKay has been defended
vigorously, and his opponents called everything in the
calender from Communists to cannibals, no real de
fense has been offered against the definite charges
brought against him and his federal record.
Take the much-publicized Al Sarena case, for ex
ample only one item in the McKay extensive "Give
Away" program.
Here are the main facts; not as yet refuted, to wit:
Timber Land in the U.S. Forest reserve was handed over
to the owners of the worked-out Al Sarena "mine" for $5 an
acre when the timber not only belonged to the people of the
United States but was worth one hundred times as much.
Both the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Manage
ment declared the mineral values in no way Justified the
granting of the mineral patents. For around half a
century such action would have ended the deal, by long
firmly established tradition when the U.S. Forest Service
said "No," in this sort of thing it meant "no." It did mean
"no" during the Democratic administration, but as soon
as Douglas McKay took office it did not he granted the
mining patents as fast as he could, when the owners of the
mine ignoring the U.S. Forest Service decision secured
mineral assays in their home town in Mobile, Alabama,
and appealed to the Bureau of Mines.
The only defense of the above we have seen has
been that the transaction was "within the law" and
therefore Secretary of the Interior McKay not only
had the right but was compelled by law to grant these
patents, giving over US timber land on the plea of
mineral rights which according to both the US Forest
Service and the Bureau of Land Management, did not
exist.
A non-sequitur if there ever was one.
AS has been frequently stated in this department
" there has been no denial the deal was "WITHIN
the law" but as far as we have observed the placing of
$2,500 in cash on the office desk of Senator Case of
South Dakota during the gas bill fight was also "with
in the law." We are told it was only a campaign con
tribution with no strings attached, by the president of
a large California oil company so why complain,
there is no law against THAT.
Does that mean however, that the people of Ore
gon wish to send to the US Senate for 6 years a man
who not only excuses but justifies such a principle and
policy?
Everything indicates at this writing they do not.
And in taking that stand as we have so often said, they
are exactly right
FINALLY has there been any denial of the main
facts concerning the Al Sarena deal as above
indicated?
If so, we haven't seen them.
There has been plenty of abuse of those who make
them, plenty of alibis along the line there having been
nothing improper, the deal was all within the law,
etc., etc., but we have seen no refutation of the
salient facts and we don't expect to see them, for
the simple reason they happen to be the FACTS.
CO THE outstanding issue in this senatorial race
is simply whether the people of Oregon, regard
less of party, wish that sort of policy continued or
want it stopped?
This paper wants It stopped, just as it wants the
"give away" program in ALL the other departments
of government stopped where the issue is so clearly
between the public welfare and private profit.
Everything as of today. indicates a majority of
the voters of Oregon feel the same way about it.
This result only refers to Multnomah County.
But as the Oregonian remarked editorially a few
days ago:
"As Multnomah goes so goes the nation." K.W.R.
Tuesday, September 18, 1956
Suez Crisis
For Quick
By CHARLES M. McCANN
United Press Correspondent
The Suez Canal dispute has
ended any chance that Great
Britain might grant self - rule
to Cyprus with
in the foresee
able future.
More than
ever, the east,
em Mediter
ranean island
has become
! for Britain
i . sA an inrfisnpn.
kJ-iui.. i-i-A sable military
Charles M. McCann base.
For several months, there was
hope in London that an agree
ment might be reached that
would end the violence by the
Greek Cypriots.
Egyptian President Gamal
Bipartisan Support
Given Many Measures
In Congress in 1956
Washington (CQ) Although
Congressional Republicans and
Democrats clashed as often as
they agreed in this election year,
a substantial number of import
ant legislative proposals re
ceived bipartisan support.
In a survey of ali 203 roll
call votes recorded by the Sen
ate and House in 1956, Congres
sional Quarterly found that a
majority of Democrats agreed
with a majority of Republicans
on 102, or half of the time.
Not all of these bipartisan roll
calls were of equal significance.
For example, the Senate agreed
to the ratification of six routine
treaties in all but one instance
by a unanimous vote. But well
over half of the bipartisan roll
calls involved substantial policy
matters, several of which may
become campaign issues.
In Gas Bill
In the Senate, for example, a
bipartisan majority defeated
four separate attempts to free
natural gas producers from fed
eral utility regulation. This was
the bill which President Eisen
hower later vetoed when Sen.
Francis Case (R-S.D.) revealed
that oil and gas interests had of
fered him a campaign contribu
tion. A majority of Democratic and
Republican Senators turned back
three efforts to make drastic
changes in the electoral college
system, then agreed on a com
promise reform plan. Even that
proposed change died, however,
for lack of the two-thirds vote
required for Constitutional
amendments.
Although both parties Jointly
expressed their increasing con
cern over foreign aid" by cutting
more than $1 billion from the
President's requests, a bipartisan
majority voted down a flock of
restrictive amendments, includ
ing proposals to suspend aid to
countries trading with the Soviet
bloc, to limit cotton imports, to
require the executive branch to
furnish any information request
ed by Congress," and to cut aid
to India. However, a majority
of Democrats agreed with a ma
jority of Republicans to limit
military aid to Yugoslavia to
maintenance of equipment al-
Bipartisan Support
By Oregonians in
Congress Reported
Washington (CQ) Two Re
publican Representatives John
F. Baldwin Jr. (Calif.) and John
M. Robsion Jr. (Ky.) shared a
unique legislative distinction in
1956, according to Congressional
Quarterly's study of bipartisan
voting.
They were the only members
of Congress who voted with the
majority each time a majority of
Democrats and a majority of Re
publicans agreed on 41 roll
calls in the House and 61 in the
Senate. Each thus scored 100 per
cent in "bipartisan support."
Top honors for bipartisan op
position also went to a Republi
can Sen. William Langer
(N.D.). He voted with the minor
ity on 48 per cent of the Senate's
61 bipartisan roll calls. Highest
opposition scorer among Demo
crats was Rep. Brady Gentry
(Texas), who voted with the mi
nority 39 per cent of the time.
Oregon's Representatives
Rep. Harris Ellsworth (R)
scored 85 per cent for bipartisan
support and 15 per cent for bi
partisan opposition in 1956. His
scores for the two sessions of the
84th Congress were, respective
ly, 83 per cent and 9 per cent.
Sen. Wayne Morse (D) voted
with the bipartisan majority 61
per cent of the time in 1956.
against it 26 per cent. His scores
for the 84th Congress were 66
per cent and 24 per cent.
Sen. Richard L. Neuberger (D)
had a 1956 bipartisan support
score of 72 per cent, a bipartisan
opposition score of 28 per cent
His scores for the 84th Congress
were 76 per cent and 20 per cent.
(Copyright 1956, Congressional
Quarterly)
Population of Australia was
9.3 million at the end of 1955.
Ends Any
Cyprus Settlement
Abdel Nasser's seizure of the
canal ended that hope.
Hence the prospect is that vio
lence will continue and that
Field Marshal Sir John Hard
ing, governor and commander in
chief, will concentrate on stamp
ing it out. British relations with
Greece, which wants Cyprus will
remain correspondingly bad.
Stiffens Terms
Britain stiffened its terms for
a Cyprus solution last week.
Alan Lennox-Boyd, colonial
secretary, said in the House of
Commons that Nasser's action
had strengthened the govern
ment's determination to keep
full sovereignty over the island.
He said:
"All the government thinking
has led to the inescapable con-
ready furnished.
Other Roll Calls
Other important bipartisan
roll calls in the Senate included
confirmation of two Presidential
nominations Simon Sobeloff
and Paul Hoffman both of
which were strongly opposed by
some members of both parties.
Two key amendments to the
Social Security Act an in
crease in the federal share of
old-age assistance and the re
duction -Of the retirement age
for women to 62 likewise were
agreed to by bipartisan major
ities.
In the House, a majority of
Democrats and Republicans
agreed to the Upper Colorado
River project, federal highway
and soil bank programs, exten
sion of exercise and corporate
tax rates, a veterans' pension
measure and a civil rights bill.
All but the last two became law.
As in former years, both Sen
ate and House went on record as
unanimously opposed 86-0 and
391-0 to the seating of Commu
nist China in the United Nations.
(Copyright 195S,
Congressional Quarterly)
In The Day's
I reckon we'll have to talk
about Suez again. There is al
ways the possibility that this
Egyptian ruckus might end in
war and avoiding, war is the
GREAT problem of this genera
tion. Besides a red hot new pro
posal has been tossed into the
works.
rpHE PROPOSAL itself is bas
ically simple.
It calls for an association of
the principal governments whose
ships use the canal. This associa
tion would provide pilots (navi
gation of the canal is a compli
cated job requiring great skill)
and would collect tolls for the
ships. The tolls would be
SHARED with Egypt, whose
government would OWN and
maintain the canal itself.
The Western Big Three (Bri
tain, France and the U.S.) would
seek to line up 15 other coun
tries, all of whom want the canal
operated Internationally, to back
the proposal. Egypt would then
be asked for its prompt coopera
tion, without long diplomatic
negotiations.
SO MUCH for the proposal.
Here comes the BITE:
To test Egypt's attitude, a ship
from one of these countries
with a veteran Suez pilot on deck
would ask permission to enter
the canal. If Egypt refuses per
mission which she is expected
to do she would then be ac
cused of violating her pledge to
keep the waterway open at all
times to ships of every country.
THE PROPOSITION seems to
have considerable soap on it.
At any rate, it sent Man on
Horseback Nasser into an imme
diate conference with his hench
men in Cairo. The conference
lasted late into the night.
When it broke up, Nasser re
mained mum, but an Egyptian
"spokesman" branded it at once
as a "provocation leading to war
against Egypt." He said it seems
intended to PROVOKE EGYPT
TO FIGHT. Nehru, buddy of Rus
sia and Egypt, denounced the
plan.
All this indicates that the pro
posal is a smartie. If it had been
dumb. Nasser and his 'crowd
would have laughed it off scorn
fully. YOU WILL note, of course,
that we Joined with the Brit
ish and the French in making
the proposal.
Does that mean that if it,
should lead to war with Egypt
we would be dragged in?
SECRETARY DULLES (who is
generally credited with de
vising the scheme) told reporters
at a press conference held in
Washington the United States
has no intention of "shooting its
way through the Suez canal" in
the event Egypt should block the
passage of ships. He added that
in such an event the U. S. wou'.d
favor diverting its ships around
Chance
elusion that recent events in the
Middle East have underlined
what we have always said that
Cyprus is vital for the protec
tion of our strategic interests
and the strategic interests of the
free world.
Lennox-Boyd specified that
Britain must maintain full con
trol of internal security in Cy
prus, as well as control of for
eign affairs and defense.
Draws Up New Constitution
In mid-July, Prime Minister
Anthony Eden gave Lord Rad-
cliffe, a high-ranking judge, the
task of drawing up a "new, lib
eral constitution for Cyprus.
Under this constitution, Cypriots
would have been given internal
self-government. Radcliffe is still
drafting his report. But the Suez
dispute has made the question of
self-government one for the far
future.
"EOKA" the Greek Cyprlot
organization which is conduct
ing the campaign of violence in
Cyprus, demanding that the is
land be given to Greece, called
a truce on August 16. It suggest
ed new negotiations.
Harding's reply was to offer
the EOKA extremists a chance
to lay down their arms. He said
his offer would remain open for
three weeks. Under it, members
of the EOKA organization who
surrendered would be permitted
to go to Greece and become
Greek citizens.
Calls Off Truce
EOKA rejected this offer and
called off its truce. Violence was
resumed.
Harding's amnesty offer ex
pired on Sept. 12. He said that
he would intensify a drive to
stamp out violence. There would
be no new attempt at a political
solution of the Cyprus issue until
the drive succeeded, he said
Even before the harding offer
expired, the situation was com
plicated by a new development.
Britain charged it had evidence
that Greek Orthodox Church
Archbishop Makarios was the
real leader of the EOKA organ
ization. Makarios had led the
campaign for the union of Cy
prus with Greece. He Is in exile
on an Indian Ocean island.
As of now, the Cyprus situa
tion is farther than ever from a
solution.
News by
Frank Jenkins
Africa, regardless of the higher
cost that would be involved.
rIPLOMATIC informants" in
" Washington (meaning VIP's
who are in the know but decline
to be identified by name) say
the U. S. would be willing to ship
substantial quantities of Western
Hemisphere oil to Europe to off
set any temporary shortage cre
ated by the long haul around
Africa.
These sources add that dollar
loans to Britain, France and
other countries affected by the
longer, costlier oil haul from the
Middle East would be consid
ered by us to help meet the ad
ded cost of buying oil from dollar
areas.
T ET'S not kid ourselves.
In this cold war period,
shooting war can start at any
time when Russia feels that she
is ready for it.
But
In that event Russia won't
need any pretext. If she feels
that she is ready to start con
quering the world, she'll Just
start shooting. In the meantime,
however, capable negotiating is
IMMENSELY important.
If shooting war can be stalled
off long enough, it may never
come.
Congressional
Quiz'
'Copyright. 195
Congressional Quarterly)
Q The federal budget surplus
(income not spent) for the 1956
fiscal year was $1,754,000,000,
the Treasury estimates. Thus
fiscal 1956 was the fourth year
since 1930 that the government
has realized a surplus. How
many of the other three years
can you name?
A Fiscal 1951, when the
surplus was S3.5 billion; 1948,
S8.4 billion; and 1947, $754
million.
Q The 84th Congress this
this year set a higher limit on
the public debt than the per
manent statutory limit. It round
numbers, what is the total pub
lic debt: (a) $125 billion; (b) $275
billion; (c) $350 billion?
A (b). The debt was about
$275 billion as of Aug. 30.
1956, according io the Treas
ury Department. The debt
limit approved by Congress
in 1956 was $278 billion; the
permanent limit. $275 billion.
Q In 1913, after approval of
the 16th Amendment to the Con
stitution, the federal govern
ment was authorized to levy in
come taxes. Was the resulting
law the first time federal income
taxes had been imposed in the
U. S.?
A No? An income tax was
levied in 1861 during the Civil
War. It expired in 1872. The
Supreme Court ruled an 1894
income lax law unconstiiu- -tionaL
. ' .
Matter of Fact ey
HARLEM
Harlem, New York City The
big, asthmatic Negro woman
leant heavily against the door
of her cell-like
room on the
second floor
of a rickety
19th century
slum building.
Through thin
walls came the
sound of fur
ious argu
ment, follow-
Stewart auop ed by the thud
of something thrown, and sil
ence. A 40-watt bulb glowed
eerily down the long haU, bare
ly illuminating the scratched
and scabrous walls. A black cat
arched against the woman's leg.
looking up with blank, suspic
ious eyes at the unfamiliar white
faces.
"We live in these rat traps,"
the woman said dispassionately,
without rancor, gasping a little
for breath, "and nobody cares.
and there's no hope for us, at
least as far as I can see."
The big woman with the cat
represents one aspect of Harlem
Communications
Letter to the Editor must Deal
the name and address ot the write!
although under certain circum
stances the use ol a pen name or
initial for publication is pernus
sible The afflil Tribune reserves
the rtfcht to edit all Letters with an
eye to clarification and condensa
tion Letters submitted for publica
tion must not exceed 400 words.
Wayne Morse Was Right
To the Editor: Douglas McKay
remarked on a local television
program two weeks ago about
the several honest newspapers
in Oregon and mentioned among
others, The Eugene Register
Guard. It is not my intention to
dispute any degree of honesty
or dishonesty with these dailies,
for that is a matter left to their
political consciences and indi
vidual code of principles to de
cide. I do think, however, that
Mr. McKay could be courteous
enough to feel this way about
those that do not necessarily
agree with and support him
politically.
I am very happy to see that
our ex-Secretary of Interior
does agree that Morse Was
Right, for in the March 5, 1956,
edition of the Eugene Register
Guard, that was the exact head
for their editorial: "Morse Was
Right." It concerned the Sen
ate's seniority system in select
ing Sen. James Eastland to be
come the chairman of the Judi
ciary committee, to fill the va
cancy created by the death of
Sen. Harvey Kilgore. Only two
senators, Wayne Morse and
Herbert Lehman, were opposed
and pointed out that a man prej
udiced against the best interests
of the civil rights program, as
Mr. Eastland surely might well
be, would not therefore consti
tute a wise choice as chairman
of this very powerful commit
tee. Among other functions it
passes upon appointments to
the federal bench. Mr. Eastland
incidentally, is the Senator from
Mississippi.
The Register Guard concluded
this editorial by saying "This is
one time we are proud of his
(Wayne Morse's) stand and wish
there were 46 more like him
and Mr. Lehman."
Here is another example of
the courage and high degree of
principle that is so much a trade
mark of Senator Morse. Here
he voted against the majority of
both Democrats and Republicans
on an issue he knew was con
cerned with the highest moral
right, which of course it was.
Even the Eugene Register Guard
agreed in this particular matter
and so must Doug McKay, for as
everyone knows, honesty is
truth and he did say that this
paper was honest!
This instance is another trib
ute to the true statesmanship
and constitutional liberalism of
Wayne Morse. A constitutional
liberal seeks to put into legisla
tive practice the human rights
guarantees and the private prop
erty guarantees of the constitu
tion itself. What higher aspira
tions and practice could any
U.S. Senator have?
Ken Corliss,
1564 Myers Lane,
Medford, Ore.
August O&C Sales
Valued at $1,128,468
Portland (U.R) The Bureau
of Land Management reported
today that timber sales during
August on O&C and Coos Bay
Wagon Roads lands in Oregon
administered by BLM were val
ued at $1,128,468. bringing the
total for the first two, months
of the 1957 fiscal year to $2,336,
419. The Oregon State Supervisor
of BLM, Virgil T. Heath, said
36,110,000 board feet of timber
were sold during the month in
the five O&C districts.
Of that total, salvage timber
accounted for 11,455,000 board
feet. Sales from public domain
lands in Oregon totaled 3,279r
000 board feet with a value of
$159,955, Heath said.
All 48 of the states grant
some form of property tax ex
emption to institutions maintain
ed for educational, religious or
charitable purposes.
if ji
Stewart Alsop
nd no doubt of the Negro
sections of other big cities to
which sufferers from excessive
complacency ought to be ex
posed. The Harlem slums make
you wonder whether the North's
smug assumption that only the
backward South has failed to
solve the problem of the Negro
minority is soundly based. They
even make you wonder if all our
boasts about the American stand
ard of living are entirely Justi
fied. THE big woman's cat was not
a pet. It was a necessity. In
the slum apartments in Harlem,
you always find a cat or two,
for protection against the (warm
ing rats and mice, and usually
a dog, for protection against two
legged enemies. This is one of
the small discoveries made by
tnis reporter and Louis Harris,
the public opinion expert, in an
expedition of political Inquiry
in Harlem.
There are other discoveries
to be made. Most Americans go
through life without ever meet
ing an adult fellow American
who cannot read or write. But
in the Harlem slums, illiteracy
is not uncommon. One grizzled
old man, a recent arrival from
the South, said earnestly that
he wanted to vote before he died,
because "voting makes a man a
real citizen." He had tried, but
had been turned down because
he couldn't write his name but
now, he said, "I've learned to
print my name pretty good, and
do you think they'd take Just
printing?"
AS you talk to people in the
Old hltilHinfc In th rtnrlr nnl
littered hallways, you some
times hear a chance remark
which sheds a grim light on
Harlem slum life. There was the
high-strung, well-dressed man
on the fourth floor of a con
demned house. He said he had
to get out of there he Just
couldn't stand it any more. He
paid $50 a month for his mis
erable rooms, but that wasn't
the main reason. "All night long
they're running up and down the
stairs and fighting and jumping
from one roof to another."
Occasionally you come upon
grotesque, Hogarthian scenes.
There was the young girl lying
on a couch, her face to the wall,
her body oddly crumpled, whose
only response when we tried to
question her was to curse and
throw a pillow at a whimpering
child. More often, we were asked
hospitably to come in and have
a seat, and we saw around us a
pathetic attempt to live decently
under impossible conditions, to
rise above the grimness of the
surrounding poverty.
Fortunately, the Harlem slums
are only part of the Harlem
story. It is an extraordinary ex
perience to cross a street from a
slum area, and go into one of the
low income housing projects
precisely like moving out of the
dark into the light.
TN THE projects you find hard-
working and often intelligent
people living decently, in a kind
of colorful and noisy austerity,
in small, clean apartments. The
difference is not in Incomes
the project apartments are often
cheaper than the slum rooms. A
sailor- in a project explained:
"Housing changes people. In a
good place, everybody tries to
do a little better, like I tell my
son, even if you are a Negro, if
you want to do something, like
say you want to be a doctor, you
can do it."
Or go to a good private apart
ment house, like the Metropoli
tan Life Insurance Company's
Riverton Apartments, and you
find people living in consider
able elegance. You also find that
they are often far better inform
ed politically than their eco
nomic equivalents in a white
community, and remarkably ar
ticulate. There are political similarities
between the three categories of
Harlemites, the slum livers, the
project livers, and the small
upper class of Negro intellect
uals and opinion formers. Above
all, in all three categories there
is an amazingly large and solid
bloc of convinced Democratic
voters. But there are marked
political differences too, which
will be described in a second
report on Harlem, and which
could have real political mean
ing for the future.
Copyright 1956, New York
Herald Tribune Inc.
Mr. Insurance
FRtD
BRENNAN
Phona 2-4940
My father says you sell
Insurance for everything.
Now that he threatens to
break all my Elvis Pres
ley records can I have
them insured?
I'll sell my "hound dog"
to pay the premiums.
MEDFORD INSURANCE
AGENCY