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Page 2
Whats His Name
Is Running Again...
It is another election year in the
city of Albany and with the sureness
of death and taxes, a man named
Erastus Corning is on the Democratic
ticket for the post of mayor.
One election year in Albany seems
much like another. In the past 28
years, the administration under Corn-
ing has been proposing the same old
promises in the pre-election campaign
that go unfulfilled in the years follow-
ing the November success.
Pleading "efficiency and economy"
in October of 1949, Corning told the
paid-off faithful at the Knights of
Columbus Hall on North Pearl Street
that 'We have made extensive plans
for the future. The programs will be
continued. "'
The promises continued in the
years that followed, but there were
never any significant programs. In
1957, Corning brushed off the dusty
idea of a Planning Board for the city
and fed it to the local newspapers as
part of the campaign platform. Three
men were named by the Mayor to
serve on the ''five member newly |
authorized Planning ° ‘Board: “which: will
prepare a comprehensive master plane
for development and improvement of
the city of Albany .... to work in
conjunction with the Federal subsi-
dized industrial sites."
As the years passed, these plans
for the city became such a public
joke that this summer when Corning
released his new, really NEW, super,
giant, plan for downtown Albany,
cartoonist Hy Rosen of the Times
Union, drew a picture that made fun of
, the mayor's lack of imagination. It
showed Corning as a fairy whose magic
wands of old "downtown plans" were all
broken failures, while all around the
mayor, Albany was falling to ruin.
For the downtown merchants whose
stores continue to close from problems
that the Democrats have ignored too
long, the cartoon depicted a bitter
lesson -- Corning's irresponsible admin-
istration wasn't worth the few political
payoffs that the businessmen had been
willing to accept for so long.
THE LIBERATOR is a non-profit
publication with a staff of volunteers
§ who are concerned about the problems
gs of the community, published at 170
North Pear! Street, Albany, N.Y. 12210.
Subscription rates are $5 per year for
a regular subscription; $15 per year for
a supporting subscription, and $25 per
year for a sustaining subscription.
Staff: Leon Van Dyke, Bill Blando,
Stanley Calhoun, LM. Champagne,
= Robert Gene Dobbs, Jean Dobbs, Rob-
ert Gates, Andy Gill, Peter Jones, Vere
Michelson, Ira Tobin, Ellen White.
Pte en n
It was back in 1957 corning thought-
to point out during his campaign kick-
off that "street paving and resurfacing
has gone steadily forward". this sum-
mer,1I2 years later, a few more of
almost impassable rough, rolling, old-
stone surfaced streets in the south end
were covered with a frosting of machada
which might last for a year or two, if
the winters are mild.
The administration continues to count
on the short menmories of the voters
when it throws a little money around
during the election year. One of the
basic philosophies of the O'Connell
machine that has put men like Corning
in office since the machine came into
power, is that the people in the city
won!?t notice that the city is dying
around them as long as the taxes are
low. Corning once said"the philosophy
of the albany county democracy (sic)
is a careful balancing of the wish on
the part of our people for improve-
ments and new and expanded services,
with the ability to pay for those im-
provements. And as the people of Al-
bany supported the Democratic Sosked for
taxes, or fear, or for the now infam-
ous $5 pay-off for voting Democra-
tic.,the schools in the city taught the
voters children so badlyy that over the
years the poorly trained young adults
left these low standard schools, doomed
to a life time of near-poverty wages.
fhe inadequate school, low teaching salar
ies, and bad administration have in-
sured the poor of Albany that their
children will now€ climb out of tne-
ghetto conditions by the way od coll-
ege and better jobs. The challenge-
to the Corning machine has never been
very strong. The organization of the
city wards and the power of the in-
grown corrution,tampering with the vo-
ting processjhave been almost beyond
the imagination and courage of a first
rate candidate to challange.
This year Al Hartheimer has been
supplied with enough money and sup-
port from the county republican ma-
chine to force the Democratic admin-
istration to appear more concern than
ever. But the hope for change and-
significant programs from the Hart-
hiemer bid has dwindled almost from
the day that his candidacy was announced
The few programs that Hartheimer
has mentioned that have to do with -
dealing with the great sickness in the
Albany scene have been weak, unimag-
inative and completely overshadwed by
his "nightstick campaign."
It is Hartheimers empasis on the
police that is the key to his failure.
He does not zero in on the primary
need for a study of the police depart-
ment or for the developement of new
standards for traing the men. He in-
~
«
Oe a nT EN ag
dulges in number counts and budget-
figures. The underlying philosophy of the
function of the police in the society-
either doesn?t concern Hartheimer or
he chooses not to strain the minds of
the voters with the problem.
And if he would allow his campaign to
play to the fears of the citizens rather
than to appeal tothe spirit of justice and
the intelligence needed to fight the causes
of a sick society, he seems less then
the ideal man to be trusted with run-
ning a city. The lesser of two evils
philosophy, which has put many a
hartheimer in office in America, sho-
uld not be the short term policy of the
poor and middle class voters in Albany.
Hartheimer campaign is a bad example
of how to fight the Corning kind of bad
goverment. and giving any encourage-
ment to the Al Hartheimers who run for
office is a notice to any future canidates
like Mike sate atrostel” mos ean
and''flowerpots in the ghettos}'will
substitute for thé serious needs, the
desperate educational situation, the bug
and rat infested slums, the unemployment
that faces the porlytrained victims of
35 years of the Democratic machine that
has failed the people.
When the citizens have suffered so long
the inadequate offeringsof Hartheimers
cannot be permitted. The only path open
to those who do not want to encourage a
police campaign by Hartheimer or an
empty promise campaign in the 28 year
style of Corning, is a PROTEST VOTE.
A protest is a way of holding out for a
really meaningful change next year
in Albany.
One way of protesting is voting by
write in for Albany's political prisoner,
Sam McDowell--- a man who had been
working for all the people in the commun-
ity befare the system caught him and gave
him an exeessive prison term.
Methods for either voiding your vote or
writing in for McDowell are explained on
page six in this issue of The Liberator.
But whatever method is used the citizens
of Albany must tell the candidates that
they have failed to serve the democratic
system in a responsible manner.
Photos in this issue by the following:
Page One, L.M. Champagne
Page Two, R. Dobbs
Page Four and Five, B. Blando, R. Dabs,
L. M. Champagne.
CESK a Ei Soe Saeed ike ee
Pus m ao PGF SFO 2. — oinatt - oe - E
William Lefever is the equal opportuni-
ty hiring agent for the Northeastern Con-
struction Contractors. Last week a mem-
ber of The Liberator staff went out to ask
people about Lefever's statement that
"Black men are all mouth and no action."
Hesaid it'd be easier for him to get women
to work than black males. The responses
to Lefever and his statement are printed
below.
'Jonn Foulkes: Lefever is the biggest Uncle
Tom in Albany.
Z al
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Emmett Tune: Cold Blooded Tom, he is all:
for the white man.
la
Ronald Stratton:As far as I am concerned
Lefever is a political puppet. His contri-
bution to the Biack community is as mi-
nute as a flee.
‘Bill Bradley: Lefever has did nothing for
me. Lefever thinks like the man, the white
man. He told me if you fuck up, I will fire
you. He's not there to help the Black man,
he js there to oppress them.
Norman McConney:From what I under-
stand, he doesn't know how many Blacks
work construction. The only one that is
supposed to know is Austin Crawford.
Story and Photos By Robert Gene Dobbs
AL RISE TIS SE LOL TIRE Le
ITS STAIN-RESISTAN
SOIL-PROOF, SHRINK-PROOF,
COLOR-FAST, WARM IN
WINTER, COOL IN SUMMER
AND APPROPRIATE FOR
CHURCH, SCHOOL, AND
FOOTBALL GAMES.
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DENNIS HARPER :
The policy of The Liberator is to speak out wherever we find
incompetence or corruption in officials, dishonesty or discrim-
ination in business and union practices, or whenever there
are sensitive issues that need to be explored.
Our past, from participating in boycotts in area neighbor-
hoods to support Chevez’s union to the boycott of the local
Schaefer breweries, has limited The Liberator’s appeal to a
host of potential advertisers.
Our subscribers are asked to share the responsibility of our
effort to serve the inner-city victims of long standing and
inhuman oppressions of the body, mind and spirit.
One dollar, five dollar,
or ten dollar monthly pledges
are needed.
1957;....''we are selling neignpors to
neighbors,..products that have "the good
house keeping stamp of approval".
1949; ''twe have made extensive plans"
1953; "I am happy and pleased that the
people of Albany have seen fit to elect
me..........for anckher four years".
K. HARTHEIMERS SOLUTIONS
Down town must be safe again
More flower pots and more play grounds
Page 6
It Could Be
Plan ‘Your’
A VOTE FOR 9AM
OR (A) VID VOTE
Beautiful
Health Center;
Malcoim A. Dobbs.
Born, 9/5/69
CAN WE AFFORD TO LEAVE Ths
BABY IN THE HANULS OF CITY LACK
IES?
By Vera Michelson
If you are a resident of the inner
city in Albany, you are probably a vic-
tim of overcrowded conditions, sub-
standard housing, underemployement
and poor health. We all know that
poor folks need comprehensive health
care desperately. And doesn't it
seem that for those who need it the
most, it is the least available? How
many of us can afford good medical
treatment these days? When is the
last time you have waited for help for
hours in the emergency rooms of our
city hospitals? How long have you
had that medical bill that you just
can't seem to pay off? Can you
afford $10 or SL5 just to find out what
is wrong with ya?
Albany Medical College has sent
in a grant to the federal government
for funds for a Community Health
Center to be located in Albany's North
End. Imagine having a place to go
(not too far away) where you could
have all your health needs taken care
of, under one roof and at any time of
Attend The Nov. 5 Meeting
will be realized in the form of a Com-
munity Health Association. This
health association will deal with such
things as:
1. Deciding who will be employed
in the center and at what capacity
2. Babysitting services
3. Transportation
4. Policies of training and recruit-
ing staff
5. Deciding who gets the building
contracts and pressuring for black
construction workers
6. Deciding on general policy of the
center------ and more.
So you see that the Health Associ-
ation can be very important and very
powerful. We must be careful and we
must be aware. We really cannot be
concerned enough. The lives of our
children, family, and friends are at
stake here. We must be sure that
those people who sit on the Community
Health Association truely represent
the people. We cannot afford to have
this baby in the hands of city lackies.
Nor can we afford to lose this one
either by the will of the'professionals"
or by our own apathy. We must get
involved. Maybe this is one time we
can really get our heads together. |
But time is slipping by. Already
To write in Sam McDowell's name in
for Mayor;you must pull down the lever
that is at the top of the voting booth
at your extreme left, while simultaneous-
ly sliding back the slot adjacent to the
row that says Mayor.
To void your vote all you need to do is
pull the lever to open the curtain. simply
do not pull down the keys for any can-
ditates for the position. you may vote
for other candidates by pulling the keys
while leaving the Mayor line alone.
the temporary council, which has met
several times, is making some de-
cisions and we are not quite sure
whether or not the people on the tem-
porary council represent you. Asa
matter of fact, we know that they do
not represent you because some of
the council members happen to be
the city's favorite ''TOMS".
The next meeting of the ''tempor-
Most people who wish to be informed
about the problems of the inner-city
subscribe to papers such as The
arv health council’ is on Nov. 5th at
8:00 P.M. at Clinton Sq. Neighbor-
hood House. The center is not a
gift to the people. It is being con-
ceived with $5 million worth of tax
money, so it rightfully belongs to the
people anyway.
We know that you are concerned with
the health of your "folk and kin" so
don't let this pass you by--make it
right from the git go--make it yours.
See you Nov. 5th at Clinton House.
RIGHT ON!
Liberator. This man doesn't. How
about you!
day or night. It could be beautiful.
Center Objectives
The grant application lists sev-
eral objectives of the Health Center.
Some of the objectives are:
1. To improve the physical and
mental health and influence favorably
the social and economic status of 6,000
North End residents in one year and
24,000 residents within three years.
Maximum annual net cost of this ser-
vice would be $60 per person.
2. To increase community con-
trol of institutional health in the North
End and to provice a health center as
it would be envisioned by the consumers.
3. To demonstrate a primary health
care model which will triple the effi-
ciency of physicians in the field of adult
medicine, pediatrics, obsterics, gyn-
ecology and prenatal care without de-
creasing the patients satisfaction with
the services.
Key To Center
The key word in ''Community Health
Center" is community. In the planning
~-- stages and once the center becomes a
reality, participation of the community
is essential. Community participation The
Subsevibe
New
CLIP THIS COUPON
| want to subscribe to
The Albany Liberator
For further information contact: NAME
North End
Mrs. Jean Dobbs 434-7312
ADDRESS
CITY
South End
Mrs. Ann Childress 465-6717
Mrs. Dorcas Bond 463-7459
Miss Vera Michelson 463-3837
ZIP
Sustaining Subscription ($25)
Supporting Subscription ($15)
_______ $5 Subscription
‘Men are whipped oftenest,
who are whipped easiest."
---Frederick Douglass
Subscribe To
Libeator
Send checks to "The Albany
Liberator,'' 172 North Pearl
St., Albany, N.Y. 12207.
page 7
Local, State Governments
Discriminate,
State and local government has
been accused of "consciously and
overtly'"' discriminating against
minority members in its hiring and
job promotion practices.
Who's doing the accusing? The
Brothers? The Panthers? Well,
they have said that for years. But,
the latest finger belongs to a Federal
agency and a highly respected one at
that.
The U.S. Commission of Civil
Rights has stated that: 'Not only do
state and local government consciously
and overtly discriminate in hiring and
promoting minority group members,
but they do not foster positive programs
to deal with discriminatory treatment
on the job."
The Commission's findings are
noted in a report, entitled, ''For All
the People, By All the People, A
Report on Equal Opportunity in State
and Local Government.'' You can buy
it from the Superintendent of Documents,
Washington, D.C., for $1.50.
The findings are the result of a
survey the Commission made in seven
urban areas: San Francisco-Oakland,
Philadelphia, Detroit, Atlanta, Houston,
Memphis and Baton Rouge.
The report includes all sorts of
statistics involving not only black
peoples, but Oriental-Americans and
Spanish Americans, too, to support
its findings. The statistics showed
that while Spanish-American and
Oriental-Americans fared better than
Afro-Americans, no minority group
came close to comparing with white
Euro-Americans.
Such comments as these are noted:
---"the basic finding of this report is
that the state and local governments
have failed to fulfill their obligations
to assure equal job opportunity."
---"in many localities minority group
members are denied equal access to
responsible government jobs at the
state and local level and often are
totally excluded from employment
except in the most menial capacities.''
Say Feds
---'""in many areas of government,
minority group members are ex-
cluded almost entirely from decision-
making poitions."
---"when recruiting programs do exist
(which is not often, says the report),
minority group applicants frequently
are subject to a variety of screening
and selection devices which bear little
if any relation to the needs of the job,
but which place them at a disadvantage
in their effort to secure government
employment."
And, the study points out that "the
federal government has established no
effective requirements for equal op-
‘portunities in state and local govern-
ment employment, and no effective
standards and guides to correct past
discriminatory practices and to in-
crease job opportunities for minority
groups."
Just what do you suppose the
Federal government is waiting for?
MIGRANTS
AGAIN
"That's the way it's-always been," was
the reply to one of The Liberator staff
when a migrant worker was asked if she
thought it was fair to get paid 30 cents to
pick a bushel of apples that sell for $4.50
at the farmer's stand.
Riding back from Columbia County where
the migrants were picking apples,the three
of us in the car discussed the different
conversations that we had with the migrant
workers. We all agreed that this was the
best paying camp (Charles Collier Or-
chards)that any of us had visited. We also
agreed that even at that, the best was bad.
One picker told me that he could make
$200 a week. And that's a seven day week,
maybe eight to ten hours a day. The length
of the day that a migrant apple picker can
work depends on how dry the day is, for
even the moisture of the dew has to be off
the apples before picking to prevent rot-
ting. .
Mth
re
OFF OF THAT LAST HIRED FIRST FIRED BUNCH!
Mr. Charlie is even liked by his pickers.
Said a woman in her fifties, 'In the house
that I live in, we have hot and cold water!"
For some reason when I go to the migrant
camps Iam always reminded of James
Baldwin's book,''Blues for Mr. Charlie."
"They're responsible for all the misery
I've ever seen''the young Richard said
of the whites.
Another migrant worker said, ''Things
ain't so good for me but they're going to
be good for my grands.'' Somewhere in
fifty odd years on this earth, she had not
only lost hope for herself but also for the
generation that was between her and her
"erands,"
Realizing that as long as there are
Nixms, Cornings, the C.I.A.,
George Wallace, Hoover, General
Electric, Roy Wilkins, and capital-
ism, either black or white, I felt
that her grands had as much chance
for making it as a man going through
hell with gasoline draws on.
You want to say to this woman, as
Richard said to his father in Blues
for Mr. Charlie,'' Papa, white men
have been lynching us, burning us,
and castrating usand raping oury.o
women and robbing us of everything
that makes a man a man.... ana they
have been doing this because people
like you and the generation before
you have taken their shit. Well,
Papa, I'm not taking their shit.
I'm going totreat every one of them
as though they Were responsible for
all the crimes that ever happened in
the world, "'
You want to say samething like this
to her but you don't and she must gues
have read your mind because she said, :
'' IT guess that's why they're rioting.
That's prdably the only way we ever
will get anything."
Riding back to Albany, you look at
the colonial, the ranch style or split
level homes , the signs of apple cider
for sale‘:s.75 for a gallon, apples at
$4.50 a bushel, apple blossom honey
at $. 40:a pound....<. you're reminded
of the motto that is probably on the walls
of every court house or city hall in any
small town in America...." With liberty
and justice for all"..... I felt that
everyone in the car was committed a
little bit more in getting it......
No slave
should die
a natural
death.
— H. Rap Brown
Sci NORE ANC {meme TT
3
2?
d Editorial ‘
to et ight
estima yey eae a hime ot Mla AR PRRT AA RDM
Why Sam? Why Not! Look
At The Alternatives, Brother
Maybe you didn't know it until now,
but there's a third candidate in the
Albany Mayoralty race. His name is
Sam McDowell, but you won't find his
name on any of the ballots. You see,
Sam, who used to be our neighbor, is
now in jail. He made the mistake of
getting involved in an argument witha
gas station attendant, then compounded
tat mistake by trying to defend himself
when the other man came at Sam with a
monkey wrench. All that happened on
a cold morning last winter. It was the
excuse the politicians needed to get rid
of Sam. They don't like Sam because
Sam used to say horrible things about
them---things like the truth. And,
that's the one thing politicians can't
combat. Anyway, they sent Sam up the
river and it looks like he will be there
along time. But, Sam's a big man,
with a big voice. And, from that prison,
he's running for Mayor.
Meanwhile, back in Albany, the pol-
iticians are going through their game of
city sweepstakes, which they play every
fourth November. This year, as every
year, whoever wins and whoever loses,
the politicians all win anyway.
In past Novembers, the Democrats
have emerged with contfol of the city
while discreetly permitting the Repub-
—leans to-hold gash in eho Acasa Ss
: suburbs tien ~
Dem ‘Machine Fighters
This year, we're told, the Repub-
licans are shooting for the whole ball
of wax because they figure that the
Democratic machine has rusted. The
Democrats have countered by knocking
on doors in suburbia to grab a seat or
two.
With understandable reluctance, the
Republicans named a glib bungler in
Al Hartheimer--to lead the charge on
city hall in an effort to dethrone our
super-Mayor and supreme con artist,
Erastus Corning.
Mayor Corning, they tell us, is
running hard to keep his unbeaten, un-
tied record intact. He has spiced his
“What werries me, senator, is that they're getting - inte pear
campaign with more promises than
usual for better housing, improved
schools. And, he has provided even
more detailed plans, maps and sketches
showing how all there promises will
come about. He has even consented to a
series of debates with his opponent.
More astonding, Uncle Dan O'Connell,
that super-Democrat, has come out of
his tomb to talk to the electorate, so
they tell us.
Can Mr. Hartheimer be the reason
for all this concern by the Democrats ?
No, Brothers and Sisters. Democratic
fear comes from the knowledge that
years of neglect, years of vague prom-
ises---always forgotten after each
election---have caught up with the
machine. Mayor Corning is struggl-
ing.
But. the Mayor's struggle is not due
to Mr. Hartheimer or his cronies.
The problems of the city have produced
Mr. Corning's dilemma. Problems
produced by the need for better housing
conditions, for new schools, quality
medical services for all, equal em-
ployement opportunities for all. Needs-
that have been neglected and now they're
all coming home to roost.
Are these the issues Mr. Hart
heimer has addressed himself to?
Fraid not, boys and girls.::. Mro- os:
Hartheimer's cure-~all.is a law and sere:
order prescription. | His. whole. cam-_
paign revolves around that one issue. =
Strangely enough, it is the one
theme Mayor Corning can point to with
a certain amoung of pride. ''Crime,'"'
Mr. Corning can say with vigor, "is no
worse in Albany than any other city."
Flowerpot Plot
Mr. Hartheimer solves the plight
of blighted housing by suggesting that
everyone stick a flower in every pot.
So that's our choice, if you want
it. You can choose between the Dem-
ocrats and more unkept promises, but
at least you will have an architect's
sketch. Or, you can pick the flower-
pot noliev of the Republicans, who do
have another interesting record, if
you want to examine it. We mean >
"open housing. "'
Have you ever been out to Repub-
lican country? It's just a few miles
outside our slum.
Have you noticed how nice and
lilly-white it all is in Colonie and
Bethlehem and Guilderland? That's
how the Republicans live up to the
fair housing code.
Do you know what happens when
someone has the audacity to mention
low or even middle income housing in
Republican country? Well, every-
body gets up and starts screaming,
''No! We don't want that element here."
Do you know who they mean by that
element? Why, poor boy, that's you.
That's who Mr. Hartheimer rep-
resents.
So, what difference does it make
wasn tee
—
Least of All The Evils
Once again the uptown politicians
are trving to sell the downtown ghetto
dwellers with the very tired slogan:
"At least we're the lesser of the two
evils."" And, on that theory, the GOP
is trying to sell their man, Albert
Hartheimer, as the best man in the
mayoralty race.
And, we say, "No, we won't buy
it this time."" Pvuor people and black
people have been buying this political
crap because it seemed to make
sense, and it seemed to make sense
because that's all we heard. Why
must we always choose between de-
grees of evil?
Four years ago, this philosophy
gave us Lyndon Johnson and last
November, Tricky Dick Nixon won on
pretty much the same platform. In
Albany, the Republicians scored a
near-Ssweep on a campaign that they
were the lesser evil. They even
told us they were the friend
of the poor man. And, ‘at the first
chance to prove their friendship, GOP
State Legislators Fred Field, Walter
Langley and Ray Skuse voted for wel-
fare cuts.
This year these super-salesmen
are peddling the same bullshit, and
this time we're going to try something
new. We won't buy. Vote for Sam
McDowell, a good man.
=Liberator: A
Financial Problem
A note to our friends and all others,
but especin!lly to our friends: The last
edition of “he Liberator came out in
January and we apologize for the gap
between editions.
Maybe we better offer a brief ex-
planation.
The Liberator was born to speak out
against the many injustices committed
against the poor--i.e.,housing, employ-
ment, welfare shortcomings, education,
taxes, poor wages, high prices.
Because of this policy, The Liberator
has become controversial, and at times,
has even offended potential advertisers
and subscribers. Subsequently, we have
found it difficult to raise money from
these sources to pay our bills,bills in-
curred from printing costs ($155 per
issue), rent ($40 per month), telephone
(about $25 per month), postage ($50 per
issue) and other operating expenses
(about $50 per month. )
Monthly pledges from those of you who [
would like to see The Liberator continue
is a must. The Liberator cannot survive
without you.
We must have your support.
whether it's Corning or Hartheimer
that wins or loses?. Down here, we lose.
. Unless we do something.
What we're going to do is vote for
Sam, or we're sure as hell going to try.
We urge you to do the same.
And as you walk out, take a long
look at the people at the registration
table and above all, don't forget to
SMILE?
—
a og
