- a -V
15-TKE CAROLINA TIMES SATURDAY, JULY 24, 18M
6acc Family Income f ' ; '
noriinoQ Wiimhfir Of Poor
: WASHINGTON
.The twin effects of infla
tion -and a depressed
economy resulted in a
decline, in black family
median income in 1981,
and an. increase in the
number of blacks below
the poverty level, accor
ding to a report from the
Commerce Department's
Census Bureau.
This marks the second
consecutive year in
which inflation coupled
with a recessionary
significant declines in
real family income and
increases in the poverty
population.
Median family income
for black families was
$13,270 compared with
$23,520 for white
families, and $16,400 for
Spanish-origin families.
After adjusting for infla
tion, black families ex
perienced a 5.2 per cent
decline in their real me
dian income. Real me
dian income for Spanish
oriiMi families remained
aboui the same.
The poverty threshold
in 1981 for a family of
four was $9,287; for
1980, it was $8,414.
The report shows that
median income for black
families was $16,590 in
the West and $12,280 in
the South. Overall, real
median family income
for all families fell in
three of the four regions
of the nation. The Nor
theast was the only,
region that did riot show
a decline in reai income.
Changes in "real" me
dian family income refer
to comparisons after'ad
justment for inflation, as
measured by the change
nd
reases
in the annual average
Consumer Price Index.
A downturn in
economic activity was a
contributing factor in the
number of persons who
fell below the povery
level in 1981. The
'million in 1980 to 12.3
million in 1981, and the
proportion Of children
below the poverty level
rose from 18.3 to "19.8
. per cent. , .'ri'--Between
1980 arid 1981,
the poverty rate rose,
from 13.2 to 14.0 per ;
cent and was highest
among blacks (34.2)
followed by persons of
Spanish origin (26.5)
and whites (11. l Vo).
The real median income
for families maintained
by women ($10,960) had increases of about
declined by 4.6, per cent, the same size (1 .2 million
Black wdmefi ( in the and - " 990,000
South, women under age respectively,) in the
25, and female private number of poor people
household workers ,, all , between 1980 and 1981.
experienced declines ' in ; jhe overall poverty rate
their real median " in- for metropolitan areas
f.-..rT t) or in lORt hut -
their central cities had a
Affirmative Action (continued from is.
and the Kemp-Garcia .
Bill, we may be witness-.
ing a significant tactical
or even strategic shift
on the part of the
trans-nationals.
Just as businessmen in
France, oilmen in Saudi '
Arabia and white South
African tycoons have
been investing legally in
this country because the
government is seen as
"stable" and the "in
vestment climate" as
"favorable", U.S.
business may be con-,
eluding that the kind of.
social unrest that has
curbed gross exploitation
abroad means that it
makes more sense to do
it at home.
From their point of
view, black and other
poor workers may not
work for 25t per hour
but, so far at least, they
don't envision them
rebelling and ex-,
propriating their capital
investment. .
. Reagan's program of
increasing . unemploy
ment dove-tails rieatly
with this gruesome
scenario. Competition
for a few jobs by many
workers drives down the
wage levels of the recent
contract negotiated by
the ! United - Auto,
Workers. , C
With cities and states
falling : all over
themselves to see who
can offer the most con
cessions for business7 in
vestment in their area
wages fall that much fur
ther. : ;
U.S. workers have not
been the hiehestoaid for
sometime now and with black tamuies oeiow tne
LAJIIIfa. '
Real median family in
come in 1981 was down :
3.5. On the average,
faimly purchasing power,
was about $2,150 below
1979 levels, the last year ,
An which increases .in
number of blacks below
the poverty line rose by
618,000, from about 8.6
million in 1980 to 9.2
million in, 1981. There
were 21.6 million whites
below the poverty level
in 1981. There were 21 .6
million whites below the
poverty level in 1981, up
1.5 million from ,1980.
About 70 of all.
tne enterprise zone con
cept sweepjnof the coun
try, it mayTnot be tool
long before wage levels
are "competitive" with
those of jfouth Africa.
Effectively, this would
"bring the Third World
home" and insure an
out-migration of blacks
from the urban centers
(where would they
move? Canada??).
Such is the grim script
that Reagan and Com
pany would wish to see
enacted in the ghettos
and barrios of this na
tion. But, just as Third
World rebellions have
forced the trans
nationals to look
homeward, ghetto
revolts will no doubt
cause them to look
elsewhere perhaps
outer space??
poverty level in lvst
were maintained by
women with no husband
present. There were 1.4
million poor black
families maintained by
women in 1981, about
the same as in 1980.
Other highlights:
In '1981, 31.8 million,
or one in seven
Americans were below
the poverty level, an in-,
crease of 2.2 million per
sons over the 1980 total
of 29.6.
The number of poor
children under 18 years
old rose from 11.5
family incomes kept pace
with inflation.
The increase in the
poverty population oc- 'j
curred in all major
geographic areas. ,
Metropolitan v and ,.
nonmetropolitan areas
rlrr ',;" F,"i I; " , ' J I I
-J. , , , W. J I , f,Jn v--- ytrr
"'' J V ' J ! k "
: V-
considerably higher rate
(18.0) and areas out
side central cities had a
lower rate (8.9) ; -.
I As in all sample
surveys, the data in this
report are subject to
sampling variability and
errors of response, in
cluding underreporting
and nonreporting. A
detailed explanation ap
pears in the report. .
The report also points
out. that the survey
results reflect only
money income and ex
clude noncash benefits
such as food stamps,
medicaid,,' etc. It also
cautions that the adjust
ment for inflation may
be overstated slightly for
the average household
because of. the treatment
of housing costs in the
calculation of the Con
sumer Price Index. , '
Copied of the? report ,
"Money Income and'
Poverty Status of
Families and Persons in'
th United States: 1981'
(Advance Data from the
Marcher 1982 Current
Population Survey),"
Series P-60, No. 134
(GPO Sfnrk No.
003-001-90720-8) are
available for $4.50 each
prepaid from the
Superintendent of
Documents, U.S.
Government Printing
Office, Washington,
D.C. 20402, or from the
Department of Com
merce offices
' DESTINED FOR SPACE John Allen, a stu
dent from Camden High School (Camden, N.J.),
prepares to re-assemble an experiment for an im
portant test before the canister, shown here, goes
into orbit aboard a future mission of the space shut
tle. Sponsored by RCA, the "Orbit '81" experi
ment is the focal point of an education program
designed to interest students from Camden and
Woodrow Wilson high schools in science and
engineering. The interior portfon of the cannister
contains a colony of carpenter ants (in box at bot
tom), along with video and movie cameras to record
how the ants react to the weightlessness of space.
! The ants and all the experiment's equipment
withstood the test, conducted recently at RCA's
Astro-Electronics plant in Princton, N.J., that
simulated the vibrations of space launch. The ex
periment should be aboard the shuttle later this
year, or early in 1983. .
STUDENTS LEAVE FOR NATIONAL STUDY ABROAD Students from Duke University, Meredith
College. North Carolina Central University, Shaw University and St. Augustine's College left on last week
for a study abroad to Canada: Faculty members from the Raleigh-Durham Consortium joined the students
in Hie national study abroad. Saint Augustine' College serves as the host institution for this three week
scholar trip. . . . ,!' '..'K''.' . ' v -,; d-. ;',
festering.' This attitude is wasting over
$5,000,000,000 per year in Israel alone. Blacks and
their unemployment the bid and the poor of
other minorities and Americans generally are suf
fering for this blatant intransigence as perpetrated,
by Israel. ,
' Yet- the propaganda campaign in behalf of Israel
grows in overkill by columnists, Zionist groups and
individuals and "Letters To The Editor" which
are the same orchestrated and monotonous.
Meanwhile, Dr. Jeanne Kirkpatrick, our one
track-minded U,S. Ambassador at the UN. eep?
going with her disdain for the UN. She recently con
fided with Patrick Buchanan, the conservative syn
dicated columnist, that the UN should be quartered
in Moscow, if not for good, at least six months a
year. Mrs; Kirkpatrick, when she should be min
ding the- sfore, has, gone; with some Republican
leaders' wives to meddle in Africa, This political
scientist who has cast more vetoes in behalf of Israel
than any other American having held this job, has
yet to appoint high ranking black Americans to our
U.S. Mission. ' , - : :
So, today at the Ul, the great "nose-thumbers"
who are by their actions create chaos are Great Bri
tain, Israel, South Africa v Russia and sadly the
United States of America. ' :
Possibly these culprits will realize the insensitivity
and ugliness of their ways and rejoin others in the
world for peace. "-'V' ;
Now with Secretary Alexander Haig resigned and
a new Secretary George Shultz awaiting confirma
tion, possibly Dr. Kirkpatrick can be reigned in or
sent back to some college away from her self
assumed and misguided project of condemning the
Third World and UN productivity which she has
helped to Curb. ;
The Mehdi Plan for the PLO
Dr. M.T. Mehdi, the distinguished American
who has long stood up for the Palestinians and
other causes affecting Arabs in the Middle East and
America has suggested to Yassar Arafat, Chairman
of the PLO, that he disband the Palestinian Army,
Instead, he should form a guerrilla force of 500
commandos for special projects and protection of
key centers of the Palestinian people. Dr. Mehdi
who edits the Action newspaper in New York, urges
that ' Chairman Arafat use $500,000,000 military
budget for information and communication in the
United NatiOnS (Continued from Page l4) ;
West and the United States.
In agreeing with Dr. Mehdi, as I have long urged
that the Arabs . and especially the PLO convince the
American; people who are fair minded that their
cause is just and urgent. As it is, the citizens of the
United States have been sold falsehoods and
stereotypes about the Palestinians and Arabs
generally and the PLO a terrorists.
. With the great UN support and with straighten-.
ing out America Mr. Arafat will some day take his
place along side the great .Kenyan Patriot Jomo
Kenyatta who led his people to independence.
People Have Faith In The UN
The some 750,000 people from all over the world
who journeyed to New York and the UN and
demonstrated for a freeze on the use of nuclear
weapons,, shows the hope and faith for the United
NatidnS.. " , ... : . ' .
I daresay the issue of the Falklands-Malvinas
quarrel between England and Argentina will be
realized through the UN. .
Afghanistan will one day regain its'sovereignty at
the UN. ' - ' v
The Iran-Iraq War will be reconciled, I predict,
by its UN block of nations The Islamic Con
ference, i ' '
Soiith Africa will lose Namibia to independence
.and apartheid will be erased by its black mrjty
all by the patience and vision of the UN.
As the special session on disarmament in the
General Assembly draws to an end possibly the cries
of nations targe and small will walk, sit, talk or
meditate in the halls and chambers of the UN.
You wish the Secretary-General Javier Perez de
Cuellar well. He needs a break a victory on settl
ing some of these disputes. Time in my estimation is
oahis side for he has the perseverance and the
diplomatic patience and ability to get on with his
jo. '
However, we must clear the atmosphere by ex
posing, cajoling and pleading with those members
here at the UN to do their share for peace instead of
stirring up havoc and hatred on something "called
pride" avarice and greed. '
For the UN needs to get on with its respon
sibilities of feeding the world, installing infrastruc
tures, sharing in natural resources and culture and a
litany of others urgent matters outside of war and
destruction " ,' . ,
V...
! SAVE j
25oo fff
ENTIRE STOCK Jk lJ
of Junior i I ) )
Dresses for F V
1 Baclc-to-School "k.
mm.
V W oooooo ooooo o.; I"
).:-. V V. .t""---..'
...... ' I J
You can't beat these savings
on our collection of dresses in
styles and fabrics to take you
from the first day of school,
right through fall. Junior sizes.
SAVE 35
Dsck-to-Csmpus
'Dressing
19"
. ITadUonat snipes and woven plaids,
updated with color-cued poplin
vests with backtie belts.
Polyester and rayon or poly
ester and cotton. Msses saw.
In Our Dm Oast
Ask about Saart CrwM flans
You ccn
count on
Sears
rDurham flslslgh 1 Gresnvllla iGoldsbcro
AMOCO.
Northgate Mall i Crabtnw 'Carolina 703 Berkley
Shop Monday thru Saturday ' Valley Mall , East Mall ' . . Road 4
9:30 A.M.-9 P.M. - - . - - ' ,
Phone 286-2951 i Phono' .. Phone --Phone; ;
' 78oo ; 756-9700 , Tjwaffl j