ustxtxb_obs_1966_09_30_50_00016-00000_000.pdf

Subscribe to the Observer Subscribe for a Friend The Observer “is the conscience of the political community” in Texas. Andrew Kopkind in the New Republic, Nov. 20, 1965. The Observer “has a stable of gifted writers and kindred spirits who contribute to its pages.””Copies find their way to the desks of the mighty and even into the White House.”St. Louis PostDispatch, July 25, 1965. “Despite its shortcomings, the Texas Observer is needed in Texas. Texans would miss its publication . . .”Texas AFL-CIO News, Nov. 15, 1965. “Although we disagree completely . . . we strongly recommend the Observer as one of the best sources of state political news available.” Official Publication of the Young Republican Clubs of Texas, 1965. The Observer “voices dissent to almost every power bloc or politician of consequence in the state, from far left to far right. . . . Time and again since its first appearance in 1954, the Observer has cracked stories ignored by the state’s big dailies, and has had the satisfaction of watching the papers follow its muckraking lead.”Newsweek, March 7, 1966. Send $6 for each year’s subscription to Sarah Payne, Business Manager, The Texas Observer, 504 W. 24th St., Austin, Texas. NAME ADDRESS CITY STATE Zip Code NAME ADDRESS CITY STATE Zip Code county official whose job may ‘be in jeopar Political Intelligence dy leaked the word to stir up public opin ion before the Research League had its public relations approach lined up. Secrecy in Austin Secrecy lin the state government is a topic of concern in Austin these days. Publications which support the Connally administration have criticized the recent incidents of behind-the-door dealings, such as the LBJ State Park matter, the firing of budget board director Vernon McGee, and the changing of executive directors in the Parks and Wildlife Department. The P.W.D. commissioners’ handling of LBJ Park funds was declared a private function, not an official one, in a ruling by Atty. of Gen. Waggoner Carr, “under the facts disclosed.” New P.W.D. director John Singleton was hired in an unpublicized ‘meeting; his predecessor, Weldon Watson, was dropped privately also. Singleton, a 19-year department employee, says he may suggest policy changes in oyster shell dredging, a topic of dispute since 1964. He didn’t ‘specify what changes he proposes. Meanwhile, McGee ‘has been hired by the Texas Research League, a private organization that’s financed by Texas business interests. He will prepare a report on future money requirements of the state. McGee had been blamed, by implication, for a shortage ‘in appropria tions for James Connally Technical Insti tute, Waco, but it since has developed that the appropriation is based on Gov. Con 16 The Texas Observer 5252525952525251 nally’s recommendation, not McGee’s. This revelation was publicized ‘in the Houston -Post, evidently put on the trail by Sen. Dorsey Hrdeman, Senate finance committee chairman, who has had a feud on with the governor since 1963. Connally and Barnes are ‘generally credited with getting rid ‘of McGee, a move that displeased Hardeman. goo A State AFL-CIO lawsuit to have the from the ‘November election ballot failed. The poll tax was outlawed by federal courts, but the real issue of No. 7 is the question of permanent voter registration. If the ‘amendment is passed, ‘its annual reg istration provision will become a part of the constitution. A Beaumont attorney, Edgar Berlin, has filed a suit in Jefferson County to keep No. 7 off the ballot there. V Somebody jumped the gun on the Texas Research League, which this week was to release a report. The Dallas Times Her ald Sept. 21 in a front page story said the report will propose “sweeping reorganiza tion of Texas county governments” to elim nate such offices as perhaps county treas urer, county and district clerk, tax collec tor, and possibly sheriff. The TRL issued a statement after the Times Herald story, neither confirming or denying its truth. The newspaper reported its ‘sources had read the report at the Dallas county court house. A good guess is that one or more Connally on Wages Gov. Connally, who refused to meet with Valley farm workers Labor Day, reportedly has met in secret with the Rev. Antonio Gonzales, a co-leader of the march to Austin, the San Antonio Express-News reports, to discuss the minimum wage goals of the group. “Obviously [a state minimum wage] is an issue,” the governor has said since. “None of us is happy with the low wages some people receive, and we are concerned about it.” Father Gonzales says the governor ‘indicated privately he favors a state minimum wage law, as well as some sort of law to help farmers, too. V A House sponsor of minimum wage legislation has been found for the corning legislative session, Lauro Cruz, state representative-elect of Houston. Joe Bernal of San Antonio will place a similar bill before the Senate, to which he is a nominee. V Senator Yarborough points out the new federal minimum wage law, which becomes effective next February, covers 39% of the nation’s farm workers \(on 1.6% of creasing by 15 cents each of the following two years. The measure, says Yarborough, is the greatest advance in minimum wage coverage since 1938. V Unions have won four of five represen tation elections in the Texas Rio Grande Valley since this ‘spring; 400 food processing plant workers have been unionized. Perhaps 14 other elections may be sought ‘by the AFL-CIO’s Industrial Union Department, which began an intensive organizing campaign this ‘spring in the Valley on behalf of the meat cutters, laborers, steelworkers, machinists, oil workers, and electricians. The United Farm Workers Organizing Committee, AFL-CIO, is working separately in the Valley. 1/ Cong. Henry B. Gonzalez has intro duced a bill to provide unemployment compensation for farm workers, a point he stressed while speaking at the Labor Day rally in Austin. V The Edinburg Daily Review reprinted the Observer’s transcript of the governor’s meeting with the Valley marchers near New Braunfels, but ‘snipped off the initials of the Observer editor. V Governor Connally will make the address when a Texas historical marker is dedicated at Woodville in October commemorating Allan Shivers’ governorship. . . . Connally has declined to campaign for Dallas News said. Brown wanted Connally to speak in conservative parts of California. V The water plan will be restudied, de ferring its adoption into 1967. Ideas suggested in 26 public hearings will be mulled, particularly some way to pump irrigation water to West Texas and the South Plains. V Four abuses suffered by money borrowers have been most commonly cited