Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

Page 4 -The Augusta N ews-Review-J an. 31, 1981 Augusta (USPS 887 820> Mallory K. Millender Editor-Publisher Paul D. Walker Special Assistant to the Publisher Ms. Fannie FlonoNews-Editor Rev. R.E. Donaldson ... -Religion Editor Ms. Maiye M. James Advertising Manager Harvey Ha/rison Sales Representative Mrs. Rhonda Brown Administrative Assistant Mrs. Maty Gordon .Administrative Assistant Mrs. Geneva Y. Gibson Church Coordinator Mrs. Fannie Johnson Aiken County Correspondent Mrs. Clara WestMcDuffie County Correspondent David Dupree . Sports Editor Mrs. Deen Buchanan Fashion & Beauty Editor Roosevelt Green Columnist Al IrbyColumnist Mrs. Marian Waring Columnist Philip Waring Columnist Grady Abrams .'Editorial Cartoonist, Columnist Roscoe Williams Photographer We cannot be responsible for unsolicited photos, manuscripts, and other materials. Mailing Address Box 953 (USPS 887 8201 • Augusta, Ga. Phone (404) 722-4555 Second Class Postage Paid Augusta, Ga. 30903 ■ w AMALOAMATIP Published Weekly (vlkM Jfc” ’ V FUNUAHDt*. INC. FV WM *fINNMO ■■l h a >*u TO BE EQUAL The New Regionalism By Vernon E .J ordan The ongoing war between the states the Sunbelt vs. Snowbelt -- got a boost several weeks ago when a draf report of a Presidential Commission leaked to the press with some controversial suggestions abmut shifting urban policies. The report suggested that instead of trying to stem the decline of older industrial cities, the government ought to assist people to leave them and look for jobs and opportunities in the Sunbelt. Cities grow and decline, the report implies, and you can't alter the process. But the drafters of that report overlook the reasons why cities grow and decline, and a major reason is federal policy. After World War II the government embarked on a number of vast programs, ranging from road building to subsidized home mortgages, that encouraged the flow of people and.jobs out of central cities. So it is absurd to simply assume that the decline of major industrial cities is the unhampered result of market forces alone. Nor can we accept the assumption that because some of the industries that are economically important to older cities are in decline, other industries cannot take their place. In a dynamic economy there ought to be enough economic growth and new job creation to satisfy the needs of people in all regions. Growth in one region should not mean decline in another. The new regionalism pits one region against the other, when we all should be pulling together for our m utual good. It would be economically disastrous to abandon our older cities. Aside from the human misery such a policy would engender, cities in the old industrial belt represent a massive investment in productive facilities and in an economic infrastructure that no society can afford towrite off. While there is nothing inherently wrong with policies that grant assistance to people to help them get i TONY BROWN’S JOURNAL American men rank a disgraceful 13th in world health and American women sixth. And these statistics could largely result from economic conflicts and self-serving interests--government corruption. “It represents one of the most scandalous conflicts of interest in the Federal Government,’’ said Sen. William Proxmire (D.Wis), a longtime advocate of good health. He was referring to the relationship of the Food and Nutrition Board and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the resulting FDA vitamin "standards” regulations. The Food and Nutrition Board, a group of scientists and experts who most recently gave us the controversial cholesterol go-ahead, was established as a part of the National Research Council of the National Academy of Sciences in 1940. It started issuing dietary “standards’’ shortly afterwards in 1943. The Board has also admitted that its recommendations are “value judgements,” which became very clear when it recently downplayed the impact of cholesterol on heart disease. But the Food and Drug Administration seems to regard this board as a safety bible. Although 'iMiac-ated by federal law to insure the iafuy of the public, the FDA established vitamin “standards” on new start in regions where jobs may be more plentiful, such policies do not constitute an urban policy. And we need an urban policy a lot more than weneedam igration policy. If we start with some basics -- that existing industrial cities represent many hundreds of billions of dollars of dixed investment; that theynvontinue to those millions of people who constitute a skilled and willing workforce, and that their decline is temporary -- we can go a long way toward developing rationaly policies. Cities can be recycled and economic decline can be replaced by fresh growth. Policies that are carefully designed and sharply targeted can result in balanced growth for all regions, and a more rational use of national resources. But it would be simplistic to asuume that the Sunbelt’s growth benefits all its inhabitants. The region's new growth has largely bypassed southern Blacks, as unguided potential future growth may bypass northern minorities. A Southern Regional Council study of racial economic differences in the South recently found that little has changed in the past thirty years. In 1950, black men in the region had an income only 58 percent of that for white men. But in 1975, the black median income figure had dropped to 57 percent of the white male income figure. The study found that although black family income rose from 56 percen* to 62 percent of white family income -- that gain amounts to less than a fourth of a percentage point each year. So those “rich" states are still marked by black -- and white poverty. Meanwhile, declining industrial states are marked by mass joblessness among minorities and growing numbers of urban poor. Blacks and poor people are getting the lion’s share of economic decline and are frozen out of new economic growth. Contirnation of unbalanced development and untargeted national resources will just make that situation worse. admittedly nondangerous vitamin amounts, based on Recommended Daily Allowances (RDA’s) developed by the Food and Nutrition Board. The regulation of vitamins and minerals by the federal government - in addition to being a grave threattothe health of the citizens -- may be a moral and legal scandal. Sen. Proxmire said, "The RDA standard is established by the Food and Nutrition Board..which is influenced, dominated, and financed in part by the food industry.. .It is the narrow economic interest of the industry to establish low official RDA's because the lower the RDA's the more nutritional their food products appear." Proxmire wants to overturn governmental restrictions on harmless vitamin and mineral supplements such as folic acid, a part of the “B” vitamin com plex. Folic acid has produced some quite remarkable results. It is known to lower blood cholesterol, reduce the pain in sickle cell anemia cases, reduce potentially damaging blood clotting, improve circulation, all of which reduce the chances our our number one killer heart attacks -- along with strokes and arteriosclerosis. As remarkable as folic acid has proven to be, it is the most common vitamin deficiency in the United States. And the FDA established RDA Walking With Dignity ARE CIVIL RIGHT ADVOCATES LIVING IN PAST? ... .Blacks are still not absolutely satisfied with the incoming Republicans: they seek access to and asurances from the skipper. Mr. Reagan. The President-elect offers an economic program that blacks can live with, say a number of cisil rights lea der s a ft er m eeting with the President-elect. But a great number of blacks still feel they need added assurance of "no backward steps" in fair housing, job opportunities, and voting rights. And they still are taking a wait-and-see attitudenon a Reagan promises of access to the White House in form ulating policy. Civil rights leaders who opposed Mr. Reagan almost unanimously offered him their cooperation and cautious support as they presented him a list of "key concern." They expressed interest in giving the Republicans a chance to prove themselves. These individuals stand in the middle as buffers between the neo-conservative blacks symbolized by Dr. Thomas Sowell of the Hoover Institute. closely identified with Reagan's economic views, and concern Democrats, typified by Ronald Brown. Brown resigned from a high post in the National Urban League to campaign for Senator Edward Kennedy <D> of Massachusetts in his unsuccessful attempt to win the Democratic presidential nomination. THE NAACP'SCALM VOICE .... More moderate in its approach than expected, a Black Leadership Forum delegation, led by Benjamin L. Hooks, offered Reagan the hand of cooperation with these words : ‘‘J ob creation to bging more blacks and other minorities into the work force; increases in the number and size of minority owned businesses; reinvigorated commercial activity in predominantly minority com m unities-- these are objectives we believe we can achieve together with a general policy of economic renewal.” Mr Hooks, executive director of the NAACP also had a good word for the GOP “enterprise zone” proposal for inner city economic, revival, unacceptable to black leaders in the past. Hooks Continues To Speak ...."That policy would especially encourage creation of the small businesses that generate most of the private sector jobs,” he said. Emphasizing the mood of forum members--including Vernon Jordan of the National Urban League, the Rev. Jesse L. J ackson of Operation Push, Dr. J oseph E. Lowery of SCLC M. Carl Holman of the National Urban Coalition, and Coretta Scott King, widow of Dr. Martin Luther King J r. - Hooks cautioned: “Even as we endorse some of the objectives you have espoused, we recognize that we may not always agree on the best m eansof achieving them .” Full employment in compliance with the Humphrey-Hawkins Act, maintenance of minimum wages for all workers including youth, federal funds for economic recovery, including public works and the Comprehensive Educational and Training Act (CETA) program. Civil-Rights- Extension of affirmative action, including set-asides for minority vendors, in all areas of spending federal funds; extension of voter rights beyond the South, and quality integrated education with Justice Department implementation of all laws. Blacks are listening and demanding appointment of blacks to policymaking posts and federal courts including the United States Supreme Court, rebuilding of cities, support of majority rule and end of apartheid in South Africa, and economic support for third world nations. These black guys, most all Democrats are not asking for much, why didn't they support President Carter, like they shouie, rather than nettling him his entire term. Os course Mr. Reagan made no commitments but he did promise that “someone high in the administration” would be available to meet with them. A more supportive view of the incoming GOP administration was offered by black Dr. Thomas Sowell who told a West Coast conference of black business people that R eagan looks to the future while most civil rights advocates “look tothe past.” much needed vitamin will an even more dangerously low level of consumption. Although a “healthy” adult needs a daily intake of from 2t05 mg. a day, the FDA’s is only 0.4 mg or 400 mcg., even though folic acid is safe in almost any amounts in the body. Considering that an elderly diabetic or an atherosclerotic patient or a gout prone arthritic needs from 40to80mg., it will take about 80pills a day at the 400 mcg. FDA regulated quantity. Research has shown that high doses of folic acid has reduced the lesions of atherosclerosis, a degeneration of the blood vessels associated with fatty-cholesterol plaque that leads to heart attack or stroke. Although there is no known toxicity from this vitamin, an excessive intake can hide a 812 deficiency which could lead to brain damage. That danger was cited by the FDA as the reason for banning the sale of folic acid supplements stronger than 0.4 mg. without a doctor’s prescription. One safeguard against this rare hazard is to get a blood count and a 812 level before using higher than re com m ended doses of folic acid. Another method, to go along with the former, is to use combination tablets of folic acid and 812. Although the threat of too much icid leading to a hidden 812 \1 Irbv American Men Rank 13th in Health deficiency is real, so is the number one killer, heart disease. Folic acid -- in large enough amounts -- can fight against it. But the RDA is "little more than subjective, off-the-cuff--- prejudiced values,” according to Sen. Proxmire. He continues: “With low RDA’s the food companies which advise the Food and Nutrition Board can then print tables on their food packages making their products appear to contain a higher level of nutrients than if higher or optimum levels were established. “The proposal to subject safe vitamins and minerals to regulation as drugs by the FDA if they are sold in quantities of 150 percent or more of the so-called RDA is a biased, unscientific, and capricious standard. AT best the RDA's are only a ‘recommended’ allowance at antediluvian levels designed to prevent some terrible disease. At worst they are based on the conflicts of interest and self-serving views of certain portions of the food industry. Almost never are they provided at levels to provide for optimum health and nutrition.” The Reagan Administration has a philosophy that says that the American people are overregulated by the central government. We are. And our poor health standing in the world community may have a lot to do with conflicts of interest and corruption. THE Ml DM ISK” I ' TRAIN TO a !S r,ght this a’ay, 'I si r ■: \ / l y. sfi brakidom k j P-l RESOURCES INC C j > '^l—--- A ' ; The January 21 editorial in the Augusta Chronicle about the negative roles or non-existence of blacks in military action during World War II has engendered alarm in the Augusta Black Community. Many veterans of that conflict, their relatives and friends, have expressed dismay, sshock and bitterness. Many have already written the Chronicle in protest. Blacks have always taken their parvicipation in national defense and military action in protection of this Republic with great care and pride. Now what did the Chronicle actually say that caused this feeling of insult and shock? First that paper described a forthcoming television docu-drama “Com-Tac 303." which highlights a black combat fighter unit during World War 11. The Chronicle said “there is no historical documentation that there were any black American pilots in combat during that conflict." Continuing, the same Chronicle editorial indicated that “Before the Truman administration blacks were segregated into the Quartermaster Corps and supply units." Its third contention was that the only time black troops were sent to the front for combat, they were routed in Italy by German counter attacks. These Chronicle assertions were not only false, but apparently filled with bias designed to again insult and degrade black people. Now let’s look into the facts, which are not only within dockments of all kind, but known to millions of Americans ‘hroughout our nation. Just a minimal bit of research or checking would have brought the Chronicle editorial writers the truth about blacks in the military. Now let’s examine this matter. First the entire world knows the saga of the 99th Pursuit Squadron which fought in Italy during 1943-45. It was later expanded into a much larger unit, the Going Pieces Chronicleinsults Black Service Personnel By Philip Waring famous 332 Fighter Group. S.B. Gandy, now executive director at our local Bethlehem Center, was with this group in combat there. Our own Lt. Henry Bohler was a combat pilot officer there. Flight Cadet James C. Ramsey crashed in 1945 in a plane accident. This aerial combat group received the Presidential Citation and many other awards for combat bravery from the American and British governments. Yet, the Chronicle said that this brave military unit of more than 5.1X16 brave men never existed! Blacks OUtsanding In Combat ....The Chronicle inferred that blacks only engaged in combat with the advent of the Truman administration. (Mr. Truman succeeded President Franklin Roosevelt in mid 1945 when World War 11 was 90 percent com pie ted). Blacks have been engaged in combat operations since the birth of our Republic. They were in the War of independence, War of 1812. and the Civil War. The 9th and 10th U.S. Calvary regiments opened up our West during 1866-1895. The gallant 24th and 25th U.S. Infantry regiments were with Teddy Roosevelt at San Juan Hill during the Spanish American War. Another reason black Augustans are so touchy with the Chronicle’s grand om mission is that Augustans Captain J ohn Oliver, and Army Surgeon George Stoney and Army Chaplain Rev. C.T. Walker served in the Spanish American War against our enemies. The 369 U.S. Infantry regiment fought in France during World War I, winning the Croix de Guerre award for outstanding combat bravery. In addition, thousands of black troops served in the engineers, artillery, quartermasters, armored tank batallions, U.S. Navy and other units either directly in combat or within combat zones. Hundreds of them won awards and battle stars on their cam paign ribbons. (Incidentally we have pictures of Dr. Robert Screen who was killed serving in World War II and also Flight Cadet James Ramsey. Our Screen-Ramsey Post 505 of the American legion was named for these two Augustans killed in 1945). Any information from News-Review readers will be appreciated. Letter To The Editor DISLIKES MEDIC’S LANGUAGE Dear Editor: ... .In response to Mar n E. Curry’s letter opposing ihe let ter written by Dr. Roger M. Smith, I say Thank You for doing something I had anticipated. I neglected to speak firsthandedly against the salacious terminology used by Dr. Smith, nevertheless I agree with you in that the people of Augusta should be astounded at his choice of words when referring to Black people. I personally abhor and express an extreme dislike for anyone, literally speaking, who feels he must resort to such language to communicate with black people or people of color. Persons with such a belief merely disassociate themselves from their daily walk of life, then step lower to a calibre of associations they believe will understand their philosophy. I hope these rebuttals to Dr. Smith’s choice of words will induce him to think twice before using such garbage in the future, be it in the presence of blacks, in the new media, or whatever. People of his calibre should be above such use of words, and we should attempt to educate those in our presence when they resort to same.