Oakland Tribune from Oakland, California • 38

fc- X. V- 'w- V- S' 'V tv V- to I 4 4 mm SUNDAY TRIBUNE 35 SUNDAY, AUGUST 1, 1963 HOME OWNED, CONTROLLED, EDITED EDITORIAL Anti-Poverty War Needs Tighter Control Shriver. to give up either his post as chief of the Office of Economic Opportunity (the top. job in the war on poverty) or his other position as direc-tor of the Peace Corps. If, as President Johnson so often declares, the war on poverty is such a hig job, if is too much for one man to oversee on a part-time Cer- tainly, the Peace Corps deserves to be administered by a director who can devote his full attention to its 'wide- spread activities.

Snafus within the war on poverty program have occurred so fast and on such a widespread bais that it is difficult to keep up with them. Oakland has had its share. A jurisdictional dispute between the Office of Economic Opportunity and the Department of Labor was blamed for delaying funds to provide summer jobs for, 157 youths at camps administered by six private agencies. The delay first threatened to cancel the entire project, but it ultimately was restored after locat officials first were told the money would not be provided. Result: the youths approved for these jobs lost two week's pay.

Another Oakland example spotlighted a situation that would be laughable, to any taxpayer except for the thought. -that he's paying for the program. One part of the yar on poverty provides, funds to pay university students and social workers to encourage the disadvantaged to develop a community spirit and learn how to organize to help The residents of the Lockwood Gardens Housing Project learned their lesson so well that they organized to fight another anti-poverty project. This latter program provided iunds to pay youths for summer jobs. The job they were given was to tear down backyard fences at Lockwood GariL dens" as part of a beautification pro- jectl But the beautification project incurred the wrath of the Lockwood Gardens residents, who threatened to form a Before Congress votes another penny for war on poverty program, there should be, a wholesale overhaul of its administration to make certain the officials authorized to spend, this money know just what they are doing.

Confusion petty bureaucratic squabbling for control, and an utter disregard for the most basic rules of administration been the most outstanding characteristics of the program so far. No one seems to know where the lines of authority start or stop. As Alameda County Supervisor Le-land 'Sweeney observed recently: 'Everybody's running'- to the money grab-bag." Despite this, the House has voted to double the funds aythorized for the anti-poverty program, to $1.9 billion. In sending the measure to the Senate, the House, not only failed to demand ad-: ministrative safeguards, it actually rejected proposals that represent at least a start toward reform. Ope of these would require Sargent human chain to block the demolition of the fences they had built to provide privacy and a place for their children to play.

There are scores of other examples from throughout the nation testifying to the urgent need for administrative re--form- of the war on poverty program. The Senate should hold up the new ap- propriation until the Johnson Administration clearly demonstrates that these reforms will be made. Francis Jeffrey, executive secretary of Alameda County's Economic Oppor- tunities Agency, has noted that five different ''community action groups" within the county are doing their own planning with no over-all agency super- vising or. coordinating the program. He plans to 'ask the state to request -that federal officials require such coordination in future antt poverty projects.

Certainly, that is a minimum Congress should demand before it authorizes any more, appropriations for the war on poverty. MAN EATER RAYMOND MOLEY Gun Law Needed Lobbyists Retain Major Influence SACRAMENTO Political 'innocents may think the era of special-interest power ended in Sacramento several years ago with the demise of Artie Samish, king of the lobbyists. who represented liquor interests, boldly instnicted lawmakers how to. vote on specific issues came onto the floor to make his feelihfs known. The legislative advocates of today are far.

more circumspect. They operate largely within the rules of decency, but nevertheless maintain a powerful hold over many bills working their way through the legislative process. Statistics gave an indication7 of lobbyist In some states, the entire legislature operates on less than $500,000 a yedr. Ip California this the top- lobbyists filed expense statements showing that they spent more than $600,000 during the 120-day regular session. And this does not include any expenditure under $25 or their salaries This means that, if weekends are excluded, more than $6,000 a day was being tossed about by lobbyists to influence the course of These funds were' aimed specifically at helping the oil companies, railroads, airlines, liquor dealers, race tracks, labor farm groups, educational associations, public-agencies, medical associations, banks, civil rights organizations; senior citizens, religious groups and others with advocates in Sac- -ramento.

Big Spenders Some lobbyists! areversatile. James D. Garibaldi, a former, judge and legislator, represents race tracks, "a trading stamp firm, an oil company, the California Association of Highway Patrolmen, the court reporters and other Garibaldi reported that during June his ex-, jenses totaled $4,530, and most of this was spent in hotels and restaurants. Another versatile performer is Gordon ft. Garland, one-time assembly speaker.

He listed almost $4,000 in expenses during June for such clients as the California Outdoor Advertising the California Water Assn. and the Golden Gate Bridge and Highway District. Other big spenders include Albert Schults, majoi oil companies; Elmer Bromely, utility; firms', William Barton, California Teachers Donald Geary, City and County of San Francisco; Kent H. Redwine, Association of Mption, Picture arid Jelevision Producers and others, and Coleman A. Blease, American Civil Liberties Union.

Lobbyists, itjmust be noted perform a vitar function in the legislative process. They bring forth arguments in favor and against measures, thus clarifying issues for the lawmakers. Some advocates appear in publid before committees to present their views on measures. But most of the powef is wielded behind the scenes jand in a. variety of ways.

How They "Operate Some lobbyists kill, bills simply by getting on especially good terms with a single committee chairman. A Others try to get the job done by working through the top leaders, such as Assembly Speaker Jesse M. Unruh or Senate President Pro Tern Hugh M. Burns. Some band together to throw regular par- ties for lawmakers.

Two of the best known luncheoji meetings in Sacramento are the Derby Club and Moose Milk, devices developed by advocates to woo legislators on a weekly basis; Some lobbyists shower, their affections on members of specific committees handling legislation dear to their clients v- Others work only'pne side of the rotunda the assembly or senate. Two lobbyists, Geary of San Francisco and William MacDougalls of the County Supervisors are said to "own the senate." Crime Combat To Noto The following views are those of the author and are presented here to give readers a variety of viewpoints. The Tribunes opixdmaxe erpess J. Edgar Hoover lsjst week released a document which should'arousei more concern for our national welfare than all the preachments about mpral decline that we have heard in years. It is "UnifQrm Crime Reports for the United States 1964," ra statistical compilation gathered from law enforcement agencies ly the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

The report for 1964 shows that crimes ot violence took a big jump over 1963 15 per cent Aggravated assault increased 17 per cent; forcible rape, 21 per cent; robbery, 12 per cent. That inevitable accomplice in most such crimes, automobile theft, went up 16 per cent Murder increased 8 per cent But that is not the most shocking part of the story. The greatest crime increase was in the teen-age part of our population 37 per cex of the serious crimes solved by the police were committed by persons under 18 years of age. The age group 10-17 years inclusive comprised only 15 per cent of the population in 1964. But they committed 43 per cent of the LETTERS TO THE FORUM Beck's Mistake EDITOR: Leon Beck made one great mistake; He "only applied for 'back pay.

for the 13 days he was held prisoner plus the 2 10 months, he was engaged in guerrilla warfare. And for this he received the Sleazy, wbo throws a whopping big party -'for the upper house each, year, more than off- munificent sum of $1,027 (a little sets the.exceptionally weak San Francisco 4ele-gation in the assembly. He contrasts sharply with the Alameda County advocate, William E. Carpenter, a low-pressure representative for the supervisors. "The Siipreme Court decision on reappor-tionment could play havoc with Geary's modus With the senate due for a massive change, gagsters in the- capitol claim Cleary has be.en king how to find -the assembly chamber.

property crimes. increase in criminality cannot all be blamed on the conditions of city life. Crime in the suburbs was up la per cent; in the cities, 11 per cent. And even rural areas contributed a 9 per cent rise. What To Dd Jow leaving aside the obvious responsibility of-the churches and, schools to labor against lawlessness, and leaving aside the sociologists' claim that is to Maine, let us ee what the Federal Government should do.

Firearms were used in 96 per cent of killings of police, with hapd guns predominating. Al- together, "guns were used in 5)90 killings, in 27,700 serious assaults and 63,700 armed robberies. "t)n March 8, President Johnson sent' a to Congress urging legislation to restrict -id control the sal? of firearms in interstate -commence. That followed more than two years of work by Sen. Thomas Dodd of Connecticut focus attention on the ease with which the to61s used in crime are' distributed and sold.

chairman of a subcommittee, of the Judiciary concerned with juyenfle delinquency. His original bill sought to prevent the acquisition of deadly weapons, such as ihpt bought and used by Oswald in the assassination of President Kennedy, through a num-, ef ofregulations. 1 -i 'Strict Regulation l- the President's proposals were' less sweep-V ing. He asked for legislation to, prohibit interstate shipment of arms except under license i by the Secretaiy: of the Treasury, to curb im-- ports of surplus military weapon's, to place stricter curbs on: gun sales by retail dealers an4 to raise licensing feesr Dodd then intro- duqed a bill cacrying out the President's proposal! 1 4 vThxs Jegislation, with some changes, is npw Before the Dodd subcommittee, and innumer- able: witnesses for and against it have been -heard. Dodd has said that the lobby against his legislation is one of tire, most formidable legislative history ordinarily sound and conscientioustem ators liave objected, largely because their states, want to encodfage hunting.

But the ar- regulation disregards. flot only the national interest and safety but. the fact tat killing this legislation would con- tribute to horodlumism and criminality. a part of the "Communist and therefore every revolution must be put down, no matter what the It is this attitude which has caused him to perpetuate the immoral war in Viet Nam. Fearing that the South Vietnamese people might choose communism if given a chance to decide democratically, Johnson has forsaken democracy in Viet Nam.

This display of hypocrisy is giving much of the world, which is dominantly to the left of our government politically, the impression that the United States is the most dangerously rightist state since fascist Germany, and leads to such incidents as Cambodia's breaking of relations "with us. DOUG COVER, Oakland. v- Defending U.S. EDITOR: The American servicemen are in Viet to defend their the United Statesagainst Communist aggression. This is the central fact that is un- recognized or ignored by so rpany participants in the debate that is presently raging concerning America's past, present, and future role in that war-torn country.

While the. American forces 'are helping to preserve the liberty of the people of South Viet Nam, including more than a million refugees Who have fled from the Communist terror' in the North; they' are also fighting 1o preserve the liberty of and their families 4 MELODY NICHOLS, Berkeley. Raps Rusk EDITOR: When one skips the front page and clips and studies the fine print, amazing (only to the uninformed) patterns readily appear. Take Secretary of State Dean Rusk for a prime example. 1.

Requests more military aid to be given Indonesia including atomic fuel fori a research reactor. 2. Opposed bombing raids on communication and storage targets in North Viet Nam. 3. Approved loans of $36.4 millions to Kenya despite warnings by U.S.

intelligence authorities. 4. Opposed an amendment to 'the foreign aid bill designed to help U.S. firms protect their investments abroad. 5.

Pressured Moise Tshombe to widen hisf government to include Congolese rebels. Communists.) 6. Opposed use of B-52 bombers for fear it might draw the Chinese air force into the war. Pressured leaders to avoid an open discussion of U.S. policy in the' 'Middle East and Africa.

'When are the' American; people going to wake up and demand ouster of makers like Rusk? W. D. FERGUSON, EI Cerrito. 4 U.S. Fascist? EDITOR: President Johnson's foreign policy is based on a paranoic.

-fear of communism, rather than a reasonable political or philosophical -approach to the problem which wiU, 'I'll is not changed; lead the United States td' defeat in Southeast "Asia and perhaps the world. Johnson sees every revolution as over $300 a year. Imagine our government subjected to the indignity of dealing with $1,027, when they only talk, and deal in billions! And yet never a word about the $11 billion we loaned Russia (or was it given). That point has never been clearly defined. Also the billions we've given Tito so that he can thumb his nose at us.

MRS. DON KROMER, Oakland. Justice Served EDITOR: The' West Point graduate from Milwaukee who refused to go into' battle in Viet Nam because he didn't; agree with ur would probably have been shot if the U.S. was in a "declared But justice was served when he was court-martialed out( of the. Arfrry.

point that I would like to make is that he hould- have decided he didn't agree with "our policy" before he volunteered for the Special Forces. 1 NowT he will come back to the U.S., and be exploited by the faint-hearted who don't' want anyone doing anything beastly to the Communist aggressors. RICIIARD CHEXOWETH, Oakland. "THIS ISTM IDA WKETOINteTO 6ET i.