W git
' . .
1. 3 .
- SAT., OCTOBER 13, 1979
Fodcral
THE CAROLINA TIME&-V . r.
Judges Dolong To
SccrcoGJod, All-t'Jbiio Social Club
;J . Three out of five federal :
judges in the South and
probably a majority in the
nation belong to
segregated, all-white,
social clubs, according to
the report released today
by the Southern Regional
Council of Atlanta.
h In survey of the social
club memberships of
federal judges in eleven
Southern states and four
non-Southern cities, the
civil . rights-research
organization found that of
the 12? Southern federal
district judges, 58 percent
belong to a social club or
association that has never
had a black or other
minority as a member.
Southern federal circuit
court judges were even
more likely to have
segregated memberships.
Sixty-one per cent circuit
judges belong to all-white
clubs.
"A crisis of conscience
exists in the country's
federal judiciary," says.
Steve Suitts, SRC ex
ecutive director and
author of the report. 'The
prevalence of member
ships in segregated clubs
and associations among
federal judges endangers
the appearance of impar
tially and fairness of the
third branch of the
government."
Results of the survey,
undertaken over the past
nine months, show that
the pattern of segregated
associations is not confin
ed to the South. Federal
circuit and district court
judges in four non
Southern cities Los
Angeles St. Louis,
Chicago, and Baltimore
were only slightly less
likely to belong to all
white clubs. Fifty-one per
cent of tlic judges in these
citis hold such member
ships. In the Southern states,
Florida had a larger
percentage of judges with
exclusive club member
shipstharjiany;)tljerris.ue. The majority of federal
judges in ' every Southern
state except South
Carolina belonged to all
white clubs. The judges in
the district courthouse in
Birmingham, Houston,
Miami, and Dallas
represented the largest
numbers of judicial of
ficers with segregated
clubs memberships of any
Southern location in the
study.
One federal judge in
Miami, Florida, had
memberships in six
segregatged clubs. Most
judges belong to only one
such club.
The survey does not
identify by name in
dividual judges who
belong to all-white clubs.
"There is no attempt to
embarrass any individual.
The issue is whether any
judge can properly belong
to such clubs," says
Suitts, "and the problem
is that segregated clubs are
the preference of most
federal judges."
The report is based
upon information col
lected from published
sources, civil rights
organizations, lawyers,
and club members as of
January 1, 1979. No
judges appointed since
that time were included in
the study.
The issue of member
ship in segregated clubs
has been before the U.S.
Senate Judiciary Commit
tee recently when Mem
phis federal judge Bailey
Brown refused to resign
his membership in an all
white club in order to be
confirmed for a circuit
judgeship. After delaying
negotiations, Judge
Brown agreed to
"suspend" his member
ship last Monday and the
vote on his confirmation is
expected soon.
The SRC report also
cites an incident involving
federal district judge
David Belew who took of
fice in May. When asked
about the questioning
before the Senate
Judiciary by a local
reporter, Judge Belew
responded "that the ques
tionnaire about niggers
4id,,6omfc,ujhM .Sjpceiie
first iof the : yeay ,Auhe
Senate Judiciary Commit
tee has required all
nominees to the federal
bench to complete a ques
tionnaire that includes a
question about member-
ship in all-white clubs.
' "Our findings
demonstrate that the ques
tion of all-whtie club
memberships must be fac
ed and resolved by the en
tire federal court system,"
the SRC director stated.
"It is time for collective
soul-searching," he add
ed. The report calls for the
U.S. Judicial Conference,
the administraive arm of
the federal courts, or the
U.S. Supreme Court, to
consider the issue and
"the fundamental eroding
effect that such
widespread conduct by
judges has upon the foun
dation of the judiciary,"
The SRC recommends
that the Code of Judicial
conduct be interpreted to
prohibit judicial officers
from belonging to clubs
and associations that
never have had Black or
other minority members.
If the court fails to ad
dress the problem, Suitts
says that Congress and the
President should exert
"moral leadership to show
that public officials even
in the judicial branch
must avoid the appearance
of bias." The SRC sug
gests that Congress and
the President confer with
members of the federal
judiciary and "within the
limits" use constitutional
powers to require the
courts' judges to address
the issue.
Also, the report asks
that Congress and the
President set a firm policy
of refusing to nominate or
confirm anyone who
maintains membership in
all-white clubs or associa
tions. Referring to two other
recent SRC studies on the
federal judiciary, Suitts
noted that "today we have
a court system that has on
ly a handful of black
judges, maintains
discriminatory employ-
owe? ..ajwWiiWuJcL.'btf
permitted to have, and, as
we see now, has most of
its judges going to dinner
at segregated, all-white
clubs. The integrity of the
courts are in jeopardy,"
(
- -
X
Dr. Mary M. Townes,
professor and chairman of
the department of biology
at North Carolina Central
University, has been ap
pointed acting dean of the
Graduate School of Arts
and Sciences at NCC).
She is the second woman
and the first natural scien
tist to hold (he post. .She
has been a member of the
NCCU faculty since 1950
and has held the rank 6f
professor since 1968.
"Rocket"
Hair Dryers
Recalled
' Washington;
DC The U.S. Consumer
Product Safety Commis
sion and the manufacturer
of the "Rocket Blower",
a commercial hair dryer
used nationwide in beauty
salons patronized primari
ly by blacks, has announc
ed a voluntary program
for the removal and
replacement of asbestos
heat shields in the hair
dryers. The corection pro
gram has been accepted by
the Commission as 1 ade
quate. The manufacturer,
Bonat Inc. of West Pater
son, New Jersey, estimates
that since 1972, approx
imately 1,000 of Jhe
special purpose hair dryers
have vJteen! sold
distributors for 'resale to
beauty salons. The com
pany estimates -thai
perhaps 500 individual
beauty salons currently
may be using the "Rocket
Blower".
J
A Treasure Awaits vou
at ward's '26tft
Anniversary, eelelbrafcoon
tim wards Family ha served people's furniture needs in
the Triangle area for twenty years, wards Furniture Mart has
carried a tradition of service and affordable price since
18M.
To celebrate their 20 years of successful business, wards ft hav
ing a Treasure Chest Give-away, you could win up to MOO
worth of gift certificates to apply towards any item in the
store
Here s how the contest works: Stop by Wards now through
October 20th and register to win a chance to select one of
20 treasure chests, lach chest contains a gift certificate
with a valu j from $50 to $400. 10 names will be drawn from
the registration box on October 20th. if you are one of the
lucky winners, you will be notified by letter that you have won
ttie nnnnrtunlrv ta mm to Warric hv (Vtntw 51 rn cpierr
nni nf the rtuxft t
Ivtryone who is drawn from the registration box wins!
The gift certificates are worth thew face value in merchandise
fr . wards (no cash value) through December 15.
The value of the largest gift certificate will be donated to a
local charity If the chest with that certificate is not chosen. No
purchase Is necessary.
Ok V S
la-Z-Boy Rockers, Recilners Bedding
Bedroom Furniture Accessories
Dining Rooms & Dinettes couches
Sleepers Love Seats
Upholstered Furniture
Shuford
Hammary
Lane
waters
Stanley
Burlington House
Riverside
Dunning
Crestline
Trendiine
Liberty
American Drew
Dixie
Bassett
Kincaid
Lane
Hooker
Serta
westwood
Stylecraft
Temple
Klngsdown
Singer
Brandt
Seilg
Stonesviile
Daystrom
Blacksmith Shop
La-Z-Boy
Wilshire
Stylecraft
Chatham County
Maddox
During Wards 20th Anniversary celebration,
save an Extra 5 on items already on sa!e.
Discounts up to 55 now thru October 20th.
I; "Si li M Wihs
A fcfs Pus
km
Sale 9.60
20 off dress shirts.
Sale 9.60 Sale 10.40
Reg. SI 2. Satin Touch shirt is
polyesji 'cotton with semi
tapered lit. spread collar long
sleeved, sizes 14' ?-l7.
Short sleeved.
reg Sit Sale i.80
Reg. $13. Yarn dyed stripes
on polyester cotton broadcloth.
Full-cut fit. spread collar. Long
sleeved, sizes 14V17.
Short sleeved, reg $11. Sale 8.80
Reg. $12. Cool tone-on-tone
shadow stripes ot polyester
cotton. Full-cut fit. spread collar
Long sleeved, sizes 14'?-17.
Short sleeved, reg. $10. Sale $8
-it
J . -
20 off
vested
suits
Sale 2
Rtf. 1118. Our four
part Quad. Solid color
blazer and matching
trousers. Plus reversible
vest and patterned ;
slacks to coordinate.
Oacrori polyester,.
Regular, short and
long sizes.
i)
if
tyCPenney