Newspapers / The Carolina Times (Durham, … / July 3, 1971, edition 1 / Page 2
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2A -THE CABOUNA TBO9B SATURDAY. JULY 3, I*7l QnCai§i|a - EDIT ORIAL S A Champion Gets Hb INgMs Back The U. S. Supreme Court's reversal by an 8-0 vote of the lower Federal Court in Houston, Texas, which had convicted Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ab) of draft evasion and sentenced him to 5 years imprisonment and fines of 510.000.00 is regarded as a battle for freedom, black freedom. Immediately thereafter, both super and pseudo patriots, wrapped them selves in the flap and without compunc tion, prejudges the issue. The moguls of the Boxing industry, an industry with a limited reputation for virtue, lifted the championship from Ali, prior to final adjudication of the fundament al legal issues. To them, justice is not only blind, but hasty also. Many who hav lived through gang land killings, lynchings and assasina- Jobs are a real crisis today. A record breaking number of college graduates from all over are finding out this sum mer that what they had heard all spring is really true. The job market is un usually or unseasonably cold. The U. S. Bureau of Labor Statis tics reported that the civilian work force of persons 16 to 24 years of age will increase this July by one million over the previous July. A large propor tion of the increase was attributed to cutbacks in the size of the Armed Forces. Thus college graduates looking for jobs will compete with high school graduates, college students seeking summer positions, and Armed Forces veterans. A growing nymber also of the so called "Middle-class" are discovering that only the thickness of a regular pay check separates Middle America from the slums and ghettos. In the preoc cupation of the superfluous glitter of an affluent society, we have failed to discover that true affluence must be backed by ownership. So called Middle America does not hold title to its af fluence. Precarious status is usually purchased on time payments. Our most prized possessions become worn out and obsolete when title passes to us. The parasitic feeding on our earnings by the "affluent" consumer economy thrives on all of us. Frugalness nor in - dustrv seems to allow us to escape the clutches of this big bear. We see that more and more workers are becoming surplus and labor market reports substantiate these facts. Certain Ph.D. holders are more plentiful than job offers, if one notes the plight of Ph.D's in science programs. It seems that Doctoral candidates are affected even more by the job shortage. The higher the degree, the higher the salary they demand, and they're finding it difficult this year to even find jobs. Many business firms have now speci fied the B. S. degree in their recruit ment requests. On reports that black school grad uates are petting breaks in the job market, it was reported by some place ment directors that there wrc fewer jobs and the graduates with B. S. de grees appeared to be getting more money due to the reluctance to pay the higher salary of a Master's degree holder. Parkinson's law now seems to come to fore and it would appear that trivial, superfluous work expands as more and more people become avail able to do it. America has a dangerous problem of unemployment and it is rapidly grow ing. The highly visible presence of theoretically disenfranchised minorities is only the manifestation of fact. The U. S. has always had the" highest un employment rate in the western world. tions now ask how will the champion carry out his religious beliefs. We be lieve that it will not be in the "Gantry" style. But we would suggest that Ali will bring new luster to the Boxing game and will continue to inspire all the youth of the nation and the world. The superjustice of the Boxing in dustry will probably continue their un relenting search for the "great white hope." We only hope that in their un relenting search, which drove them to truncate on the fundamental consti tutional rights of all the people, will cause some serious soul searching. An 8-0 decision are unusual odds. Cassius Clay (Muhammad Ali) by his recent comments have already indi cated his religious tenets, - To err is human, but to forgive is divine. Food For Thought The population of America has in creased by 26,000,000 in the past de cade. Each day industry learns to pro duce more by using less people. This is the pressure that is being felt through out the working force. Among, and in cluded in, the rising work forces are women workers and the majority of them are indeed heads of the house hold. The number of working mothers has continued to increase at a particu larly rapid pace. So the real issue here is jobs. America must somehow really create new jobs for its spiralling population. Short term subsidized training does not always work to the benefit of people. Perhaps it will only temporarily re move them from the welfare rolls. It is apparent then that we must face the immediacy of the task before us at all levels, city, state and national. We must plan and think in terms of more creative solutions and or pro grams so that all people who desire to work will be able to perform at their highest capacity in our society. "VirHEN CHARLES E. SILBERMAN reported that the nation's schools are oppressive, grim and joy less (Crisis in the Classroom, Random House, $10.00), he opened a debate on the nature and purpose of edu cation which will grow in the years ahead. His concrete examples—from Britain and the United States—show ing students learning excitedly and effectively in informal settings may upset many teacher training colleges. In endorsing MR. SIL£ERMAN'S analysis of what is wrong with most of our schools, ALBERT SHANKER, president of the New York United Federation of Teachers, has written that the typical elementary class room is a "form of cruel and inhu man treatment of children." "If a parent sat her youngsters down at home and ordered them to be still and listen to a lecture for five hours," insists MR. SHANKER, "the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty t Children might well in tervene." Instead notes MR. SILBERMAN, in the infoimal classrooms, there is "great joy and spontaniety and ac tivity" coupled with "great self control and order." Shouldn't more of our schools try that approach? The end of the Saturday token sessions of the General Assembly marks the end of an era of sorts, the sort for cheers instead of tears. Saturday sessions became mpan ingless a number of years ago, as soon as transportation developed to the point that legislators could go home for weekends. The token sessions merely filled a con stitutional requirement. The state's new constitution does not require Saturday sessions, and so the token sessions are at an end. The riddance Is refreshing. Crisis In Classroom Good Riddance ROSEDALE, QVUHS, §§ MARKING PENCILS 'STAMP %£f! ftr WALLS OF THE HOUSE. ■ Death Penalty Key Ruling Coming The U.S. Supreme Court has moved nearer to a ruling on the key constitutional issue raised by opponents of the death penalty with its decision to consider for the first time, in cases called for argu ments in the fall, the cruel and unusual punishment aspect. From its docket of 150 petitions from death row inmates across the nation, the court will hear arguments in four cases limited to a single question: "Does the imposition and carrying out of the death penalty in this case constitute cruel and unusual punishment in violation of the Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments?" The court's answer to that question, the outstanding question concerning capital punishment, presumably will clear the fogged air from the death penalty issue. The 38 states with the death penalty on the books presumably will know how to proceed following several years of confusion. Assuming that the question is answered clearly, they either will be given the green light to proceed with executions from death rows crowded during the long mora torium or they will be told that executions are a thing of the past, that the Con stitution prohibits society from inflicting the cruel and unusual punishment that the death penalty is upon those who have com- Blooper Forces Tighter USIA Controls WASHINGTON - Belatedly and under irate congressional prodding, Frank Shakespeare, director of the United States In formation Agency, is tightening the controls over who talks under the auspices of his agency and what is said. Reason for the 'tardy reform is off-the-record remarks made Letter to the Editor Dear Women-In-Action for the Prevention of Violence and Its Causes, Inc. since its beginning in 1968, has been concerned about the problems of Public Housing, especially as they re late to the mounting tensions existing between the tenants and the Housing authority. We consider the presenta tion made by the tenants steer ing committee at your June 7 meeting fair and reasonable, and hope it will be given favorable consideration, bythe Council. We have studied carefuOy the suggestions made to the Council by the League of Women Voters on June 7. We believe this to be a well-con sidered and constructive ap proach toward solving some of the tenant-management pro blems, and we give our full support to this statement. Women-In-Action for the Prevention of Violence and It Causes, Inc. offers its assis tance to the Housing Authori ty, to the tenants, and to the City Council to help in any way, appropriate to the or ganization, that would be meaningful toward the solu tion of some of the problems that are causing continued tensions. Very Truly yours, Mrs. A.T. Spaulding President UGLY VOICE OF HATE to newsmen by Parker Hart, assistant secretary of state in the Johnson administration, in which he evinced pronounced pro-Arab bias. Among other things, Hart charged Israel with stalling on withdrawing from conquered territory in th» hope the Democrats will win the 1972 election. Hart, now head of the Middle East Institute, a privately financed strongly pro-Arab or ganization, voiced these dynamite-loaded views at a meeting in the Foreign Press Center in Washington. USIA operates such centers in the capital and New York for the background information of foreign newsmen. Hart spoke anonymously, but later was identified in press reports. Since then, embarrassed USIA and State Department of ficials, under sharp fire for the incident, have been disclaiming responsibility and giving as surances it won't happen again. Shakespeare disclosed the new tight regulations at a session of the House Ap propriations subcommittee in charge of the USIA budget, after being caustically taken over the coals for the Hart blooper. That the affair was a dis tressing mistake was readily admitted by Shakespeare. But he maintained forceful steps have been taken to "preclude this happening again." "We have seen to it," said Shakespeare, "that the sched uling of all speakers at the Foreign Press Centers in Wash ington and New York will be carefully screened by USIA au- €h* Carolina ©nurs ll* B. AUSTIN Editor-Publisher. 1927-1971 Published every Saturday at Durham. N. C. by United Publisher*, Inc. CLARENCE BONNETTE Burtnaii Manager 3. BLWOOD CARTER Advertising Manager Second Class Postage Paid at Durham, N. C. 27702 SUBSCRIPTION RATES United State* and Canada 1 Year >6.00 , United States and Canada 2 Years $ll.OO 1 Foreign Countries 1 Year $7.50 , Single Copy 20 Cents Principal Office Located at 436 East Pettigrew Street, Durham, North Carolina 27702 mitted certain crimes The court's decision will bring the long awaited showdown. Hopefully it will mean the end of capital punishment, a relic of the past that has no proper place in the present or the future. But if it doesn't, it at least will put the issue in better perspec tive by removing the cloud that has cast its shadow over capital punishment cases. In a ruling unrelated to the major issue to be decided later (except that it deals with an aspect of the death penalty), the court has reversed the death sentences (but not the convictions) of 35 persons on grounds that prospective jurors with reser vations about capital punishment were ex cluded from their trials. That action, in line with the court's ruling in the Witherspoon' case three years ago, effects six of the 14 persons under death sentences in North Carolina. While that action was a significant development in itself, it was greatly over shadowed by the announcement on the same day that the court has agreed to reyiew the larger challenge in cases scheduled for the fall. The fact that the court has agreed to review the major issue comes as a highly welcome development. The whole area of capital punishment has been in a state of confusion too long. thorities so that the best judgment will be exercised on who does speak. Secondly. I have issued explicit instructions that in all cases, no matter who appears, if he is a private citizen he must talk on the record and for attribution." Rep. John Rooney, D-N.Y., committee chairman, ques tioned Shakespeare sharply on whether these new rules are verbal or in written form. Caustically, Rooney reminded the USIA head of another snafu that had caused considerable embarrassment. KICKED UPSTAIRS - Shakespeare revealed, under questioning, that the USIA official credited with having invited Hart to talk "is in the process of being reassigned to an ove.seas post." "Is that the way you kick them upstairs for making a boo-boo like this?" asked Rooney. Shakespeare side stepped a direct answer. Rooney noted that Hart, in addition to heading the State Department "desk" on the Near East also had been am bassador to several Arab countries in the Johnson ad ministration. Asked Rooney, "Isn't it rather dangerous to invite someone who is very likely to take a position hostile to Israel to a meeting of this kind?. Shakespeare readily admit ted that. "There is no question this was a serious mistake," he said. "If Mr. Hart, or any private citizen, appears at a press background discussion under the auspices of USIA. it must be wholly on the record. It should navar be off the record. TAKIH6 A CLOSER LOOK By JOHN MYERS Georgy Dobrobolsky, Vladislav Bolkov, and Viktor Patsayev had spent 24 days, longer than any man on earth, in space. They were coming home. Their country awaited them with flags, parades, and guest appear ances. Their families anxiously awaited their return after almost a month's absence. Radio contact was perfect as the men made their re-entry into our atmos phere. Everything was going to plan. Landing rockets were fired slowing the ship for set down. After the landing rockets were fired, there was no further radio contact. Silence prevailed for the remainder of the landing procedure. With the observance of a successful soft-landing, the recovery vehicle sped to the ship to transport its heroes back to the space center. Upon opening the ship's hatch the three Cosmonauts, Debrobolsky, Bolkov, and Patsayev, were found dead in their seats. Their eountry mourns. What happened to these men? The world awaits. There has not been sufficient time to determine why these three men, who spent 24 days in space, died so close to home. It is a Russian tragedy, but it affects the entire world where ever there are pioneers or memories of pio neers. These men belong to the handful that have set out to conquer new frontiers. They belong to the few who valued their reason for life and its fulfillment over their deaths. Men such as these founded our present day world. They built it, preserved it, and spent their lives trying to better it. These three men belong to the world. Their deaths will have the greatest impact upon their home country and their families, but the world has lost. We all have lost three more valiant men of which there are so few. These three men knew the dangers of space explora tion, yet this was what they felt they had to do to make their lives meaningful to themselves and to the world. The United States also lost three men in our space project due to a fire on the launch pad. Our world is now missing six men who "ran where angels fear to tread." Probably, our major consolation is the knowledge that these men died in the performance of their lives. They lived for what they did, and they died for the way they lived. I don't believe a man can have a finer epitaph. In Russian sorrow and United States' tears, we salute you. To Be Equal Revenue Sharing By CERNORIA D. JOHNSON Director, Washington Bureau National Urban League EVER since the President revealed his plans for revenue sharing, writers have discussed the pros and cons of that issue from virtually every angle imaginable, with one exception. The one angle which has not received "equal time" in the Nation's mass media and in private conversa tions is the black angle. The proposal to spend sl6 billion in improving the plight of the states and local governments seems, or the surface at least, to be harmless enough. In a general way, even the "no strings" provisions can be explained with a minim am of effort. It sounds sensible enough to allow "local priorities to determine the ultimate allocation" of funds among varioua governmental programs. This is especially true when we are assured that no person will be "excluded from participation in ... or be subjected to discrimination on the basis of race, color, or national origin" under any program or activity financed with Federal funds. But on closer inspection one begins to feel that these a»- surances are not really enough. The facts presented in argu ing for unencumbered distribution of Federal funds to state* and political subdivisions simply do not tell the whole story. The black perspective has been completely overlooked. 'ldea' Whose Time Has Come On the other hand, black people cannot afford the luxury of summarily rejecting the concept of revenue shar ing, for it is surely one of those proverbial "ideas" whose time has come. The objections of key congressional figurea not withstanding, some form of revenue sharing program designed to pump Federal funds into our cities will be enact ed. If not in this Congress, then it will come in the next one— or the one after that. Revenue sharing, by whatever name it be called, will come because an increasing number of large cities are on the brink of bankruptcy and Congress simply cannot afford to let American cities decay. At the same time, many of these cities are becoming predominantly black. This means that black people must begin to argue for a program oi general fund sharing through which benefits will accrue to them. They must begin to form coalitions to join forces with other groups whose basic goals offer the greatest good. It goes without saying that many cities will try, in every way possible, to utilize Federal funds in ways which will not benefit black communities. One only needs to observe the frequency with which improved public thoroughfares end abruptly at the entrance to black neighborhoods to compre hend the seriousness of the problem. Public transportation systems often "turn around" at the edge of the minority community. Public parks and other recreational facilities are rarely planned and developed for non-white areas. 'Poor People's' Lobby Needed It is one thing to monitor legislation after it haa been enacted. It is quite another to help fashion legislation so that valuable time will not be wasted on endless enforcement activity. Black people need to initiate a national activity akin to a "poor people's" lobby. The choice lies between helping to shape "good" legislation and trying to deal with "bad"legislation after the fact. And "good" legislation invariably means laws that don't apply piecemeal solutions to wholesale problems; laws that set performance standards for governmental agencies; and laws that provide positive incentives for such agencies to do the right thing.
The Carolina Times (Durham, N.C.)
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July 3, 1971, edition 1
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