STATEMENT OF CHARLES GREEN, AREA REPRESENTATIVE, DUTCHESS COUNTY COMMITTEE FOR ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, INC., POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. Mr. GREEN. First, my name is Charles Green. I am an area representative of the OEO of Dutchess County Committee for Economic Opportunity. I have worked in labor organizations in the South as well as in New York State. My present work among the unemployed in Dutchess County has taught me that there is a great need for vocational training for the unskilled. I recently spent 3 days in Philadelphia observing the Opportunities Industrial Center program. I feel it is the best approach to the elimination of hard-core unemployment. The disad vantaged participated in every phase of the development of Opportu nities Industrial Center-their contributions set it on its feet; they have helped to set policy and participate in its day-to-day operation. I believe in training programs which are totally responsive to the needs of the people who are being trained. And that means that these people must be involved in every phase of its operations, not just as advisers, but as executives, teachers, office staff and so on. Opportunities Industrialization Center is the only vocational program I know of which has accomplished this. It seems to me that the most important thing that Opportunities Industrialization Center trainees get out of the program is not a skill, but a new feeling about themselves. I suppose in part it is just hope. They are no longer stuck in the swamp of the ghetto, with no skill, at the mercy of slumlords and slum employers. Opportunities Industrialization Center seems to help people to a new image of themselves, a new confidence and self-respect. I think that's the most important result of this program. And I think it comes because the program is run by the people who are being trained, because it is sustained in part by their nickels and dimes and quarters. Two other things impressed me during my visit to OIC in Philadelphia. One, the sincerity and abilities of Reverend Sullivan. It seemed to me that he was interested in only one thing: helping those who need help. And, too, that the program was totally integrated. It was founded by Negroes, but now the staff is integrated. Nobody cares about anything but helping to give the disadvantaged skills and a way out of hopelessness. Since I got back from Philadelphia, I've been talking about OIC with the people who would be enrolling in a training program. They don't want another dole. They want a skill, a good steady job so they can pay their own way. I don't see any reason why the Department of Labor, the Office of Economic Opportunity, and Opportunities Industrialization Center cannnot work together in attacking the problem of unemployment, which, after all, is the basic cause of poverty. To curtail OIC would be a tragic waste of an already existing program which, I think, could help the disadvantaged in Dutchess County. I feel strongly that we should do everything to expand and strengthen Opportunities Industrialization Center. Mr. KURMAN. Mr. Green, I gather your statement emphasizes the point made by other New York witnesses here, that you are for maintaining the community action program at the greatest possible level. Mr. GREEN. That is right. Mr. KURMAN. So, you would oppose the provisions in the House of Representatives bill, which would limit the community action program? Mr. GREEN. That is right. Mr. KURMAN. Can you tell us, sir, what the representation is on your board of the community in Dutchess County? Mr. GREEN. The representatives of our board in Dutchess County are working with the poor and in all other work we are working with the people, not only poor folks; we are working with the people in Dutchess County. We are working with them in trying to get better housing. We also are setting up youth programs. We also are setting up day-care centers, training people who don't keep their house clean, go in and help them out as much as possible. Senator CLARK. Thank you very much. Does that conclude your statement? Mr. GREEN. Yes, sir. Senator CLARK. Thank you very much. Senator Javits, do you have any questions? Senator JAVITS. Mr. Green, we are interested in your testimony because you come from a relatively rural area. Can you tell us anything about how the migratory worker programs are operating in your area? Mr. GREEN. The migratory program is operating on the same basis as the Poughkeepsie slums. In other words, the stuff they sleep on, they sleep on year in and year out. It is never changed. If you put a mattress in the room this year, that same mattress will be used for the next 10 years, along with the camp bedding. Senator JAVITS. Has any effort been made to get better housing or better conditions through this poverty program? Mr. GREEN. We are trying that now. What we are trying to do, we are trying to get the farmers to rent a house, to renovate a house that they can put the people in and it would be kept up. They would not have to worry about going out, coming in, and sleeping on the same linen day in and day out. What we want to do is to get the farmers to rent them a place and hire someone to keep this clean when the men and women are at work. Senator JAVITS. What kind of arrangement would that be done under, so far as the poverty program is concerned? Mr. GREEN. We are trying to set that up under the Migratory Labor Act. Senator JAVITS. That is, operate under that act rather than under the Antipoverty Act? Mr. GREEN. That is right. Senator JAVITS. Now do you run into any roadblocks on that? Any barrier to your doing it? Mr. GREEN. They are doing that now, that is operating under Mrs. Press Gebbie. She lives at New Paltz. Senator JAVITS. Have you asked for any poverty funds? Mr. GREEN. Have we asked for any poverty funds? Senator JAVITS. Yes. Mr. GREEN. No; we have not. Mr. GREEN. Not that I know of. Senator JAVITS. You don't know whether it would or would not be possibly funded under the poverty program? Mr. GREEN. I would not know that. Senator CLARK. At this point we will insert in the record the prepared statement of Mrs. Bourne, submitted to the subcommittee by Mr. Green. (The prepared statement of Mrs. Bourne follows:) PREPARED STATEMENT OF DOROTHY DULLES BOURNE, PRESIdent, Board of DIRECTORS, DUTCHESS COUNTY COMMITTEE FOR ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, INC., POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. I am speaking as president of a county Office for Economic Opportunity program based on community action, and I wish to address this statement to the possible action of your committee in regard to the function of Opportunities Industrialization Center as a part and factor in planning for the employment and manpower program. The Dutchess County Committee for Economic Opportunity has been in contact with the Opportunities Industrialization Center program and from discussion and observation has the highest respect for Opportunities Industrialization Center's method, spirit and practical accomplishment. In planning our local program, we are counting on advice and formal consultative services from Opportunities Industrialization Center. We offer ourselves as a sample of the way in which the experience of Opportunities Industrialization Center can be used in the development of local programs. Experimentation as exemplified by Opportunities Industrialization Center is essential if the purposes of the Economic Opportunities Act are to be achieved. The creation of methods which combine the experience and skills of federal and state agencies with imaginative adaptations to local needs is of vital importance if the war on poverty is to find new ways of dealing with an old unsolved problem. Opportunities Industralization Center is an example of such a development and an encouragement to local initiative. The extension of Opportunities Industrialization Center's programs and other similar programs can go beyond their usefulness to distinct communities and can supply data on a nation-wide scale for further research and study. The Office of Economic Opportunity through the variety and scope of its program has an obligation to contribute along these lines to the socio-economic thinking and planning for the future. This has great significance as a contribution to the solution of existing problems related to federal, state and local governmentai units; beyond that, in relationships between public and private sectors of our society. Opportunities Industrialization Center should be used to demonstrate the possibilities for growth along all these lines in the area of employment which is the heart of the anti-poverty program. Senator JAVITS. Mr. Chairman, I ask unanimous consent that a letter from Senator Cooper, of Kentucky, regarding housing of migratory workers be placed in the record. Senator CLARK. Without objection, that may be done. (The letter and attachment referred to follows:) Hon. JOSEPH CLARK, JUNE 22, 1966. Chairman, Subcommittee on Employment, Manpower and Poverty, Senate Committee on Labor and Public Welfare, Washington, D.C. DEAR SENATOR: I am enclosing a statement prepared by Mr. J. K. Smith, the Manager of the Kentucky Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation, in regard to the desire of his organization to see the Office of Economic Opportunity give direct attention to the provision of adequate housing for people who live in rural areas. I know the good work which this organization has done in my own State in many fields over many years. For this reason, I have been particularly inter ested in their own proposal to develop a demonstration program, which could provide experience to guide the Office of Economic Opportunity in meeting the needs in the field of housing in many areas around the country. Although I do not serve on the Labor and Public Welfare Committee, I know that members of both the full Committee and Subcommittee have expressed interest in giving attention to the housing needs in both rural and urban areas. And, from the meetings I have had with Mr. Smith and his staff, and from discussions I have had with Mr. Shriver, I know that there is interest in examining proposals that could improve housing conditions among people who live in rural areas. I am hopeful that in the consideration of amendments to the Economic Opportunity Act, the Committee will give attention to this important need. I will very much appreciate your including this statement, by Mr. J. K. Smith, in the record of testimony taken by the Committee on these amendments. With kind regards, I am Sincerely yours, (Enclosure.) JOHN SHERMAN COOPER. PREPARED STATEMENT OF J. K. SMITH, Manager, KENTUCKY RURAL ELECTRIC COOPERATIVE CORPORATION, LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY Chairman Lister Hill, Members of the Committee on Labor and Public Welfare, Senate of the United States: We should like to file a prepared statement in regard to the Office of Economic Opportunity program. With the Committee's permission, we would like to place our organization's interest and concern in the above matter on record. Kentucky Rural Electric Cooperative Corporation (the State association of rural electrics) is a service organization serving rural electric cooperatives in such areas of common interest as area development, group purchasing, central billing, public relations activities, and member service and job training. We strive to assist local rural electric cooperatives to better serve the rural areas. Considerable emphasis is placed upon total rural area development, including economic development. These rural electric cooperatives have brought electricity to almost everyone in these areas at parity rates. We introduced a credit plan for consumers in the rural areas in 1954. We conceived and developed a program designed to provide new electrical equipment to be used for instructional purposes in all high schools. This is a self-supporting service. We are presently participating in the development of rural water services. Recently we assisted with the formation of a State association of water districts, the Kentucky Association of Community Water Districts, Inc. Our involvment in these services has made us aware of many rural problems, including that of a lack of adequate housing. Adequate housing for the rural poor needs the consideration of this Committee. New programs need to be devised to meet this problem. There are today 15 to 20 million Americans, half of them rural, who live in substandard housing and have incomes at the poverty level. The magnitude of this problem indicates the necessity for the full mobilization of all agencies of government having any concern with the poor or with housing. New programs must be conceived. The entire housing industry, together with all the related industries and organizations should focus attention upon this problem. The problem has been developing faster than the limited action taken to meet it. Solutions must be found soon, or the taxpayers will be further burdened with the cost of corrective action. The Office of Economic Opportunity, charged with improving the opportunities of the low income groups, should study those factors contributing to the housing problem, both rural and urban and seek new techniques, ideas and proposals which have as their objectives better housing for the poor. Emphasis should be given to involvement of industry to augment the present programs. This would result in avoiding complete dependence upon federally appropriated funds, thereby: (1) providing decent housing for poor families at an earlier date, (2) stimulating involvement of private industry, and (3) avoiding heavy expenditures at some future date for the taxpayers. Small communities offer many advantages for new business ventures and industrial plant locations. However, lack of rural housing is one of the limiting factors which presently discourages the rural-urban industrial balance. Greater and greater population concentration in urban areas is expensive, and need not has inevitable. It makes for higher taxes and more government controls. This le not to disparage the big cities, but rather to indicate the importance of avoidIng further overcrowding and additional distortions in our already mammoth neban centers failure to provide jobs and housing in the rural areas for the ever Increasing numbers from these rural counties who will need non-farm jobs which will result in further overcrowding. Availability of decent housing enhances a community's opportunity to obtain new industries and to realize full economic development. The rural electric systems are dedicated to the full development of these areas. We would wel come the opportunity to direct, co-sponsor or assist in any way in those efforts which will lead to the achievement of these objectives. Thank you for the privilege of filing this statement. Senator JAVITS. Thank you very much, Mr. Green. We greatly appreciate your testimony. We have a good many witnesses this afternoon, Mr. Chairman. I wish to express my appreciation to the Chair and to offer to Chair the hearing this afternoon. Senator CLARK. I thank my friend from New York. This would be a real convenience. What time would the Senator like to convene? Senator Javrrs. One thirty. Sonator CLARK. The subcommittee will stand in recess until 1:30 p.m. this afternoon. (Whereupon at 12 noon, the subcommittee recessed to reconvene at 1:30 p.m. of the same day.) AFTERNOON SESSION Pinger: Song.ors Cark, Javits (presiding pro tempore), and Save on Jars presiding pro tempore). The subcommittee will #Cossos "be a panel consisting of Dr. Harold Haizlip, A Man's Job Corps Center, Huntington, W. Va.; James #Foton, Camp Breckinridge Job Corps Center, Morgan24 Ay, loss Barying H. Morrison, director, Los Angeles Job Co. Clasor for Women, and Robert J. Hadder, director, Camp Vorbury Job Corps Center, Edinburg. Ind. 11 STATEMENT OF DR. HAROLD HAIZLIP, DIRECTOR, WOMEN'S JOB CORPS CENTER, HUNTINGTON, W. VA.; JAMES R. FORNEAR, DIRECTOR, CAMP BRECKINRIDGE JOB CORPS CENTER, MORGANFIFID, KY.: MISS BARRYING H. MORRISON, DIRECTOR, LOS ANGELES JOB CORPS CENTER FOR WOMEN, AND ROBERT J. HADDEN, DIRECTOR, CAMP ATTERBURY JOB CORPS CENTER, EDINBURG, IND., COMPRISING A PANEL Senator JAVITS. I understand you have limited yourselves to 5 minutes each in your statements. Perhaps we can have the lady proceed first. Miss MORRISON. Senator Javits, gentlemen, I am honored and dehighted to have been asked to appear before the subcommittee today. To begin with. I would like to clarify my relationship to the Los Angeles Job Corps Training Center for Women. My official position |