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The Augusta News-Review - October 4, 1973 - ■Walking I I With I ■Dignity by Al Irby JEEhBIIHJB |I r , 1! ARE THE MULTIPLICITIES OF PRESSURES CAUSING THE UNION OF SOUTH AMERICA TO LOOSEN ITS INVIDIOUS APARTHEID ? THERE ARE MOVEMENTS IN THE MAKING FOR BLACK PROGRESS IN SOUTH AFRICA, EVEN IT IS CERTAIN THAT ITS PACE WILL NOT SATISFY THE ORGANIZATIONS OF “BLACK LIBERATION” AROUND THE WORLD. If the preient trends are substanial, they certainly indicate gradual racial change. If there is not a radical change, some English observers are predicting open conflict between the races, about 1975. But first let us explore the positive eventualities in this rich and troubled country. A few months ago 25 Black workers, representatives at the Anglo-American Corp, of South Africa, met with ten company executives to air job grievances and to establish permanent industrial relation council for handling them. The Black members were elected in a free ballot by fellow Blacks among the 1200 African employees of the mining company’s headquarters in Johannesburg. Such labor action in he United States would seem commonplace, where workers are always at liberty to gripe to their heart’s content; but in South Africa where Blacks, heretofore, were expected to be seen (and that was only in certain places), but not heard, a Black voice at management level was unheard of a few years ago. But of late, Blacks are sitting across from whites, negotiating on tough labor issues, in scores of South African plants. Chief L.M. Mancope, chief minister of Bophuthatswana, one of the Black tribal states which South Africa is seeking to create as viable entities under its apartheid (separation of races) program. Today, the promotion of worker’s council is only one aspect of an accelerating evolutionary process of bettering the lot of Black workers. A recent survey covering about 2,000 companies throughout South Africa shows that Black wages have increased over 20% in the last year. Minimum pay for gold mine workers has increased over 50% in the last 18 months. WORLD OPINION-Many foreign countries, England, Germany, and America are trying hard to get from under the stigma of being international slave shop operators. Many other over-seas companies are getting their houses in order by up-grading wages for their Black employees. These companies are offering opportunities for on-the-job training to energetic Blacks. The South African Nationalist party is pushing a bill in Parliament which will give Blacks the all-out right to strike. Heretofore, strikes for Blacks were unthinkable, though at times they have occurred. Mr. Marais Viljoen, Minister of Labor in Prime Minister Vorster’s cabinet, made a statement that certainly sounded as if South African has made up its mind to change its racial views. The Labor Minister made this statement to a mix group of visiting English Soccer Players: “Fair wages and human treatment are basic requirements for a contented labor force.” The apparent converted Mr. Viljoen continued with his unbelievable rhetoric: “It is difficult to escape the impression that until now the tendency has been for employers, in the case of lower paid workers, to aim at the lowest possible increase in wages without seriously asking themsleves whether they cannot afford to pay more. It is past time for new thinking toward higher wages for all of our Black workers.” BLACK SOUTH AFRICAN MIDDLE-CLASS-A group of the visiting athletes, including some Black West Indians drove through the mile after mile of government housing project in Soweto, lohannesburg’s Black community. It was obvious that the South African urban Blacks were improving economicly. Homes were neat, and children were well dressed. Bicycles out-numbered automobiles, but there were a goodly number standing in the driveways. Many urban South African Blacks are steadily becoming lower middle-class. Many Black workers go to their jobs in their own cars. lan Hetherington, managing director of the Norton Co. PTY LTD., a subsidiary of the American Abrasives Co. He made this statement early in 1973: “Blacks at our firm got wage increases averaging 20% in the year ended March 31, with another 7% this June. Our company is a firm believer in training programs to upgrade Black employees. Included are literacy courses aimed at improving the reading and writing abilities of Africans, and budget planning dasses to help Black employees handle the rising volume of money coming into their hands.” South Africa is certainly a country of many social contrasts, and economic plateaus. For instance, there is Victor Nikani, a 46 year-old Black personnel officer at the brand new 30-story Carlton Hotel. Mr. Nikani is in the SSOO to S6OO a month salary bracket along with white executives doing the same type work, and receiving the same pay. Yet not-with-standing these rosy pictures of racial advancements in many areas of Black habitat, there is dire poverty. In the province of Transket, and elsewhere, there is overpopulation, and ignorance is prevalent. But conditions such as these cannot be held against this African Nation specifically, because many so-called advance nations have similar conditions glaringly existing. inspite ot the criticism that was heaped upon Roy Wilkins of die NAACP for visiting South Africa, and making the statement that the African Blacks were helped by the presence of American a.rd other foreign businesses. No doubt Mr. Wilkins was more perspicuous than the noisy “Black Liberation crowd”. The contrast of life-styles are vividly portrayed in two extreme cases. Joseph Ngoolu, a Xhosa, who farms a small plot of ground that hardly brings him in a $l5O in cash a year. While Victor Nikani, in his plush office suite, pulls down near SB,OOO per year. The South African Blacks are experiencing a population growth rate of 2.67% a year, and there are certainly more Ngoolus than Victor Nikanis; but the rising needs of South African industry will produce more and more Nikanis, if it will need the strong muscles of the many thousands of Ngoolus. Observers are pointing out that this small advancement by the South African government is too little and too late. The racial war is already taking place on the border of South Africa. The resistance movement is scoring victories. Africans, EuraHcans, and Asians are joining forces against the hated “race tax”, which the natives are paid less than the immigrant workers. White South Africa must change its racial attitudes in a hurry. The day of reckoning is looming menancingly. (Since this article was prepared, eleven Blacks were killed at a local gold mine, which is a bad omen for progressive Black-white relations.) SICKLE CELL ANEMIA TEST SICKLE CELL CENTER SCREENING CLINIC OPEN MONDAY - FRIDAY 8:00 AM • 6:00 PM SATURDAYS 9:00 AM - 1:00 PM 1526 GWINNETT STREET PHONE 724-0104 REGISTERED NURSE ON DUTY no Charge -no waiting Page 4 |[going If PLACES £■ I ■ I PHILIP WARING > 2,000 ATTEND U.S. CONGRESSIONAL BLACK CAUCUS DINNER With U.S. Senator Edward Brooke (Republican,Mass.) as chief speaker and recently elected Los Angeles Mayor Thomas Bradley honoree, the third annual Congressional Black Caucus dinner drew over 2,000 interracial government, business, entertainment, political and civic leaders from around the nation on September 29th at the Washington Hilton Hotel. Formed in 1970, it is a non-partisan coalition of the 16 Black members of the House of Representatives with a primary objective of utilizing the legislative process towards helping bring about full equality of opportunity in American Society. I understand that Congressman Andy Young, Vice Mayor Maynard Jackson and Senator Leroy Johnson led a large delegation up from Atlanta. Did we have any Augusta representatives at this program? MANY SOUTHERN BLACK ELECTED OFFICIALS AT POLITICAL WORKSHOP Several hundred Southern elected public officials were present for the one day political orientation workshop which preceded the Black Caucus dinner. It was sponsored by the Joint Center for Political Studies and the Black Caucus, and was designed to enrich the know-how and efficiency of Black elected political officials. As Blacks have been shut out of the American political process for so long, this orientation is a good deal for our Brothers and Sisters. SALUTE TO MRS. CARRIE MAYS! It was with deep pride that we note the selection of City Councilwoman Carrie Mays to serve as Acting Mayor during the absence of Mayor Newman. This was timely and brought great credit to the Augusta Community in general and its women and Black citizens in particular. I was hoping that this story would make the national Black press but it did not. On the other hand, the story of the Black Viet Nam veteran who maintained that he was slighted and not recognized by the city was given wide publicity in the national press as it probably should have been. AUGUSTA RECEIVED NATIONAL PUBLICITY VIA JAMES BROWN ON TELEVISION Some 20 million television viewers of Johnny Carson’s NBC “Tonight” Show on September 21 heard famed James Brown, “The God Father of Soul” describe his “Third World” Night Club and also Augusta, Ga., his hometown. (For the long or short of it hundreds of American cities would have loved this kind of national publicity). When visiting my hometown a few weeks ago I drove down for a look at the “Third World”. It was richly appointed, high class and with James Brown’s contacts and support it could well be one of the outstanding entertainment spots of its kind in the nation. The CSRA has some 270,000 persons, a huge military installation, medical complex, many visitors and is less than a two hour drive on excellent highways from both Columbia and Atlanta, which meahs that this entertainment center has the potential for great growth and service. While I’ve never personally met Mr. Brown, I think it’s dam good to sponsor this type of high class entertainment for the Augusta-area. This is big league town stuff as is the coliseum idea advanced by Commissioner Ed Mclntyre for conventions. LANEY/WALKER BLVD. IDEA BRINGS NATIONAL COMMENTS To those of you who don’t know it the Augusta NEWS—REVIEW has a good circulation and readership around the nation as witnessed by several letters and phone calls received by me from other cities on the Laney/Walker Blvd, proposal. As an example, just tonight my long-time friend, Willie Louis Reid, phoned me from Detroit where he and his wife Ann were very much interested in it. (Willie Louis Reid, oldest son of the late Mr. & Mrs. Freeman Reid and Anne Harper Reid, daughter of the late Mr. & Mrs. George Harper, both pioneer Augusta families, were seeped in Negro history and their achievements in the building of Augusta). Willie Louis, now retired, has lived in Detroit for many years and has a wide circle of friends there. Both he, Anne and their sister-in-law, Ellen Harper Campbell, are avid weekly readers of the NEWS-REVIEW. Willie Louis said that he was so interested in questions which we raised about the contributions of the late Judson Lyon, Treasurer of the United States and Alfred Wimberly, Collector of Revenue, that he has made special arrangements with the Detroit Public Library to gather information from Federal sources in Washington on both men. This is very good and shows what former Augustans can do towards helping gather this information because Augusta has produced many great Black men and women! ROOSEVELT GREEN, JR. HARD-HITTING COLUMNIST! So many persons have commented on fellow columnist, Roosevelt Green’s recent column on the Women’s Liberation Movement. We thoroughly enjoy Roosevelt week after week with his hard-hitting and very preceptive analysis of what’s happening around us, especially in race relations. With his permission, I’d like to share his August 30th column with friends in this area. Right On, Brother Green as you are unselfishly making a very significant contribution to progress in the CSRA and all others who read you. (You will recall of course that all of us write as a public service without remuneration. We .. 'ed teamwork and support because there is no progress without a good Black weekly newspaper). fc SUBSCRIBE f TODAY THE NEWS-REVIEW li PXLKXM3 AUGWTA. (30RGA 30903 B* Num K City MW One year (In county) |BXX) SLa Om yw (out of county) MOO TOBE fjjgfesJ EQUAL /fMBI BY VERNON E. JORDAN, JR. ■ j Ar er.sr.y MINIMUM WAGE VETO HURTS POOR The veto of a bill raising the minimum wage and the House of Representatives vote to sustain that veto amounts to a powerful one-two punch against poor people. The bill would have raised the minimum wage from the rediculously low $1.60 per hour to $2 now and $2.20 next year. It would have broadened coverage to include millions of people now excluded from federal minimum wage protection including domestic workers, government employees and wholesale and retail workers. The most abused sector of the labor force, farm workers, would also have gained added protection. Just to look at the low amounts the bill would have mandated is to understand the callousness of the decision to kill it. A worker who gets $1.60 an hour for a year of full-time work winds up with a yearly salary well below the poverty level. The present $1.60 was set back in 1968 and living costs have gone up to the point where a $2 minimum would still place the worker in a situation where his new wage would buy less than the old minimum did five years ago. He would still be poor. I simply cannot understand the reasoning that refuses to bring even this most elementary benefit to the poorest workers in the country. It has been charged that lifting the legal minimum would be inflationary and would throw people out of work. But that argument has been raised every single time the minimum wage has been reconsidered and it hasn’t happened yet. Cries of inflation fall on very cynical ears these days when prices are shooting into the stratosphere and unemployment and poverty are high. With all the phases and controls, this mismanaged economy has been caught in the noose of inflation anyway and helping the poorest segment of the working population isn’t going to have much effect on rising prices. A higher minimum and expanded coverage would have its greatest impact on the South, yet it was primarily southern votes tht sustained the veto. Every Congressman from Mississippi and Virginia voted against overriding the veto. Just who do these men represent? They can’t be thinking of themselves as representatives of the people of their districts, who rank among the poorest in the country. A lot of crocodile tears were shed over what would happen to workers if the minimum were raised and coverage expanded. Domestic workers, it was lamented, would be thrown out of work. Actually, what would hahappen is that domestic workers would no longer be as cruelly exploited as in the past. The same holds for farm workers and others. A sticking point that killed possible compromises was the Administration s insistence that teenagers get a lower minimum wage than older workers. This proposal has been kicking around for a long time and hasn’t gotten much support, primarily because it is easy to see that it raises more problems than it solves. Its supporters say it will encourage employers to hire teenagers and give them work experience. Common sense tells us that employers will fire fathers to hire sons and that the only work experience young people will get is the bitter feeling that they are being ripped off by doing the same work others do, but for less money. Labor is against it because it creates a two-wage system that will serve as a gaping loophole that violates the principle of equal pay for equal work, and Black peoples are wary that since our unemployment rates are higher than the average, someone’s going to come along and suggest more Blacks would be hired if Black wage rates were lowered too. 1 The only humane and sensible thing to do at this point is to ditch the teenage differential, raise the minimum wage for all, and have all opponents of a higher minimum wage live on $1.60 an hour until they change their minds. THE AUGUSTA NEWS-REVIEW PUBLISHED EVERY THURSDAY Mallory K. Midandar.Editor and Publisher Mailing Address: Box 063 Augusta, Ga. Phone 722-4656 Second Class Postage Paid Augusta, Ga. 30901 SUBSCRIPTION RATES Payable in Advance One Year in Richmond County $5.00 tax incl. H 6 Months , $2.50 tax ind. Ohe Year elsewheres6.oo tax ind. ADVERTISING DEPARTMENT Classified Advertising Deadline 12 noon on Tuesday I Display Advertising Deadline 12 noon On Tuesday News Items Printed Free IN HIS SECOND MESSAGE TO CONGRESS HE PLEDGED TO 'WOPK MTH THE i. L / , CONGRESS IN AN j/gt .kMJ EFFORT TO , pWJ Afc* ENACT LEGISLATION h</ WHICH WILL END IN— Ws VOLUNTARY BUSING Fi W FOR THE PURPOSES 4\, V v »7 MVaJMigM OF RACIAL fc\ flu/i i IQ o^ ,r N i JL 'Wr tfi /I f /W 5 \ *** / 'x 71 nO \ POLITICAL INCITEMENT... ? I NEED EXTRA COPIES 1 Below is a listing of some of the businesses in your j area carrying the News-Review. There is a discount'on : subscriptions purchased through these merchants. Broom** On* Stop 3333 Old Savannah Rd. Down B**t Grocery Skyview Package Stor* 177 Aragon Dr. r. 1718 Olive Rd. Progressive Grocery Store k Olive Rd. Laundromat 81 Car Wash 1223 Augusta Ave. 1730 Olive Rd. Barton Village Package Shop L Lomlnlcks Pharmacy Barton Chapel Rd. r 839 R Ichland Ava-Alkan, S.C. Whit* Horse Package Shop 81-Rlt* Food Store 497 Berkman Rd. Rt 3 Hwy 56-Mcßean, Ga. Oak Village Apts. The Corner Store 104 Capital St 336 Sand Bar Ferry Rd. Chestnut Mlnlt Market Brinson Curb Market 1601 Chestnut St 606 W. 6th St Hwy 56-Waynesboro, Ga. S & P Curb Market Delmac Mlnlt Market 8032 Dean* Bridge Rd. Hwy No. 1 601 E. 6th St-Waynesboro, Ga. Quick Shop Store Hildebrandt* Food Stor* 2877 Dean* Bridge Rd. 226 Sixth St Williams Quick Chek Super Mkt Tommie* Market 839 East Boundary 202 Telfair St Ashleys Church Supplies Strickland Grocery 1301 11th St 422)4 Third St Rubys Grocery Store Jones Variety Store No. 2 1029 11th St 1237 13th St One Hour Martinizlng Sanders Quality Signs 702 Ellis St 1139 12th St Larrys Market Plckneys Sales 81 Service 1670 15th St 1257 12th St Dal* Curb Market Sim* Cleaner* Golden Camp 81 Milledgeville Rd. 1514 12th St Elams Grocery 81 New* Stand Spur Ga* Station 1206 Gwinnett St 1127 Twiggs St Hanky Tonk Record 81 Boutique K St W Package St Dry Cleaners 859 Gwinnett St 1216 Twigg* St Hephzibah Pharmacy Walker Street Grocery Next to Post Office in Hephzibah 220 Walker St Floyd* Grocery Del Morocco Club 2066 Welnut St 302 Hwy 25, N. Augusta, S.C. Handyland Food Store Aiken Drug* Wheel*** & Milledgeville Rd. 101 Lauren* St S.W. Aiken, S.C. Tate*Grill Budget Food Inc. 2451 Wheeler Rd. Main St, Harlem, Ga. Hill* Food Store Cantrell* Grocery 1232 Wrightsboro Rd. 2507 Meadow Brook Dr. Mt Zion Apt-Office Pates Package Shop 2445 Amsterdem Dr. 2102 Milledgeville Rd. Trinity Manor Apt-Office Jim* Supermarket 2375 Barton Chapel Rd. 2056 Milledgeville Rd. Sarah'* Place w »ns Pood Store 1702 Broad St 2035 Milledgeville Rd. Mack'* Grocery Stor* Unity Supermarket Cherrykee St Thompaon, Ga 2301 Milledgeville Rd. Kentucky Fried Chicken Tuffey* Restaurant 425 E. Boundary 2061 Milledgeville Rd. Stop St Shop Package Store Onß Hour Martinizlng 1406 15th St at Wrlghtaboro Rd. 2305 Milledgeville Rd. Walker Grocery Store 1 ntimo Lounge St Package Shop 1708 15th St 1815 Milledgeville Rd. Fryer* Barber Shop Nu-U-Hopkin* Wig* 4 Beauty Salon 740 Gibson Dr. At Golden Camp Rd. 2138)4 Milledgeville Rd. Kwickie Food Store No. 38 Economy Rexall Drug* Golden Camp St Gip«on Rd. Milledgeville Rd.-Will iamsburg Plaza Greenway Curb Market Handyland Food Store 1889 Gordon Hwy. Milledgeville Rd.-Carmell Plaza Texaco 5 Minute Car Wa*h Sight* and Sound* 1639 Gordon Hwy. Milledgeville Rd.-Williamaburg Plaze Bennie Williams Shoa Shine Parlor Gin* Market 1019 Gwinnett St 1959 Milledgeville Rd. Gall*'* Sea Food Hurrican Grill 1398 Gwinnett St 1302 Mill* St Bi-Rite Food Store No. 4 Woodrus* Drug Store Main St Allendale S.C. Mitchel Shopping Center-Aiken, S.C. Werren's Drug* Inc. L St N Grocery Main St, R.R. Ave. Allen&el*, S.C. 602 Monte Sano Ave. Big-Q-Discount Brown Derby Bar 108 Main St Allendale, S.C. 502 Ninth St Brown's Grocery Esquire Package Shop Rt 1 Box 176A Evan*, Ga. 522 Ninth St Connor's Grocery C.W. Woo Grocery Stor* Rt 1 Evant Ga. 1001 Ninth St Community Groceries Ella* Beauty Salon Rt 1 Box 215 Appling, Ga. 1104 Ninth St Jim'* Save-A-Lot Grocery Leßas House of Fin* Millinery Rt 1 Box 44 Hwy 301 Sylvania, Ga. 217 Ninth St Wall's Minit Mart Turner* Wig Palace Rt 7 Box 1 Hwy 21 Sylvania, Ga. 211 Ninth St Young's Exxon Station 81 Grocery Turner* Boutique 81 Beauty Salon 1024 Sandbar Ferry Rd. Beech Island, S.C. 215 Ninth St O'Hara's Supermarket Palace Diner 3515 Walton Way 827 Ninth St MArt Minute Store Blaylock Food Store 3819 Washington Rd., Martinez, Ga. 1359 Ninth St F & P Curb Market Hill's Food Store 3109 Washington Rd. 848 9th St Variety Food Store Anderson* Clothing Store Wrigthsboro - Variety Plaza 1599 Old Savannah Rd. Culpepper Supermarket Robert* Grocery 8t Snack Bar Washington Hwy, Thompson, Ga. 2064 Old Savannah Rd. Jarell's Curb Market Tutt* Grocery Stor* Washington Rd. Across from J.B. White* 1614 Old Savannah Rd. Colonial Inn Van Package Shop 1341 Augusta Ave. 120 Sand Bar Ferry Rd. All Maiik Market* Williford Cleaners Throughout the Augusta Area 426-428 Eighth Street Clean-Rite Cleener* Newman's Garage 81 Grocery 833 East Boundary Hwy No. 1- Wrens, Ga. J 81 W - I GA Food Store Davis Case Hwy 88 Next to Post Office- Hephzibeh, Ga. Broad St. - Louisville, Ga. Ealy's Taxaco Station Davis Used Car* & Mobile Home* 2899 Deansbridge Rd. Hwy No. 1 Hwy No. IBy Pass- Louisville, Ga. No. 1 Package Shop Mayflower Restaurant 2856 Deansbridge Rd. Hwy No. 1 Main St, - Wrens, Ga. Kimberly Grocery High Hat Pacage Shop Hwy 25 - Hephzibah, Ga. 1601 Old Savannah Rd. Harley's Curb Market Hwy No. 1- Blythe, Ga. If your favorite store Isn't carrying The Newe-Revlew, a* th* manager W call us at 722-4555 and Ask ForJame* Stewart -