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Title
Box 21, Folder 29, Document 4
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Text
ee
July 31, 1967 .
Senator Richard 8. Russel!
Senate Office Buliding
Washington, D. C.
Dear Dick:
Why Is it impossible to get anyone to discuss the true causes of
riots, civil! disturbances, disorders and racial probiems?
The actual facts are very simple, and have been developing over
@ long period of time.
These facts are:
2.
3.
4.
5.
Inflation, caused by top political leaders of both parties
for "vote getting" purposes.
Inflation has been caused by wililingness of top political
leaders to stand idie while unlons have pushed wage scales
to unreasonable helghts, and by political increase of
minimum wage levels.
Increased weges have forced al! employers to dispense with
most unski lied workers.
Unski | led workers have migrated to ereas especialiy cond! tloned
for polltical nursing, and vote control.
Nursing and Idieness become unacceptable and intolerable
for teens and adults, both bleck and white, after some
period of time. Different cities, or different geographical
areas, probably have different time periods of tolerance
In this respect.
Harry Hopkins announced this policy years ago as, "Spend and
elect, elect and tax, tax end spend".
Effective treatment for these probleme will be drastic, but until
something effective Is done there will only be continued deterjotation on our
netlonal scene. :
The most sensible and effective treatment would be:
ts
me
Elimination of the 20¢ per hour Increase In minimum wage
scale, scheduled to become effective February, i968. |
Absolute refusal of top political leaders end al! govéenment
agencies to senction wege Increases, both by unions and by
governmental employees.
cm a eh a a a
io
—-
———
:
Senstor Richerd B. Russel! j# |.© <a July 31, 1967
3. A freeze, or Gelling, of these policies for 5 or |0 years.
4. Excess Profits Tax for Business, Corporate & Personal for
this period.
5. Location of future housing projects tn rurai areas, with
some unlts speced te privide gregen areas, and some spec
to provide working ground erees. Removal of unskliled font
frem central elty arees to these rural srees.
6. Gradup! (mprovement of education at ail levels, with emphasis
> on trade schools ebove high school tevel. Forget about the
" hysterical epproach to education, such es now exists which »
is in effect calling for a “coliege degree for everyone". sai
The elfmination of the ainimum wage ecaldg Increases, and other wage =
increases, pius Imposition of excess profite taxes weuld permit our economy
to take @ breathing spell, with Ite primary purpese being to reduce the e
elimination ef Jobs for unskiiled workers. ; ‘=
There Is nothing dishonorable In being an unski lied worker. Only
when our netionel attitude reaches a condition of hysteria does this have
suthorative voice, end we ere now epperentiy in that state. | think It Is
time labor Is recognized for Its worth, beth unskilled and skilled.
It [s cartainiy much better for en unskilled person to be busy et
@ productive Job, than to be idle, on reilef, or rioting. Make it possible
for employers to provide unskilled Jobs, Instead of creeting a cilmate which
forces employers to eliminate unekilied jobs.
How can an effective group be put together, hopefully out of whieh
@ metione!l leader could emerge to "put the sell" on this type of @ natiensi —
program? is the country too a down the drain for the people to return te
Cemrae sense? ;
| am sending this same letter to Senator Teimedge, Congresamen Fiyat,
end Congresemaa Stephens.
With best wishes, | am, wy
Yours sincerely,
July 31, 1967 .
Senator Richard 8. Russel!
Senate Office Buliding
Washington, D. C.
Dear Dick:
Why Is it impossible to get anyone to discuss the true causes of
riots, civil! disturbances, disorders and racial probiems?
The actual facts are very simple, and have been developing over
@ long period of time.
These facts are:
2.
3.
4.
5.
Inflation, caused by top political leaders of both parties
for "vote getting" purposes.
Inflation has been caused by wililingness of top political
leaders to stand idie while unlons have pushed wage scales
to unreasonable helghts, and by political increase of
minimum wage levels.
Increased weges have forced al! employers to dispense with
most unski lied workers.
Unski | led workers have migrated to ereas especialiy cond! tloned
for polltical nursing, and vote control.
Nursing and Idieness become unacceptable and intolerable
for teens and adults, both bleck and white, after some
period of time. Different cities, or different geographical
areas, probably have different time periods of tolerance
In this respect.
Harry Hopkins announced this policy years ago as, "Spend and
elect, elect and tax, tax end spend".
Effective treatment for these probleme will be drastic, but until
something effective Is done there will only be continued deterjotation on our
netlonal scene. :
The most sensible and effective treatment would be:
ts
me
Elimination of the 20¢ per hour Increase In minimum wage
scale, scheduled to become effective February, i968. |
Absolute refusal of top political leaders end al! govéenment
agencies to senction wege Increases, both by unions and by
governmental employees.
cm a eh a a a
io
—-
———
:
Senstor Richerd B. Russel! j# |.© <a July 31, 1967
3. A freeze, or Gelling, of these policies for 5 or |0 years.
4. Excess Profits Tax for Business, Corporate & Personal for
this period.
5. Location of future housing projects tn rurai areas, with
some unlts speced te privide gregen areas, and some spec
to provide working ground erees. Removal of unskliled font
frem central elty arees to these rural srees.
6. Gradup! (mprovement of education at ail levels, with emphasis
> on trade schools ebove high school tevel. Forget about the
" hysterical epproach to education, such es now exists which »
is in effect calling for a “coliege degree for everyone". sai
The elfmination of the ainimum wage ecaldg Increases, and other wage =
increases, pius Imposition of excess profite taxes weuld permit our economy
to take @ breathing spell, with Ite primary purpese being to reduce the e
elimination ef Jobs for unskiiled workers. ; ‘=
There Is nothing dishonorable In being an unski lied worker. Only
when our netionel attitude reaches a condition of hysteria does this have
suthorative voice, end we ere now epperentiy in that state. | think It Is
time labor Is recognized for Its worth, beth unskilled and skilled.
It [s cartainiy much better for en unskilled person to be busy et
@ productive Job, than to be idle, on reilef, or rioting. Make it possible
for employers to provide unskilled Jobs, Instead of creeting a cilmate which
forces employers to eliminate unekilied jobs.
How can an effective group be put together, hopefully out of whieh
@ metione!l leader could emerge to "put the sell" on this type of @ natiensi —
program? is the country too a down the drain for the people to return te
Cemrae sense? ;
| am sending this same letter to Senator Teimedge, Congresamen Fiyat,
end Congresemaa Stephens.
With best wishes, | am, wy
Yours sincerely,
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