WGBH Journal; Harvard And South African Investments, Brinks Robbery Film, Coalition Of Consumer Groups, Audio Tours In Museums

Good afternoon and welcome to GBH Journal. I'm Bill Gavin nice. The U-19 seventy eight on college campuses throughout the country may be remembered as a year of student activism. We'll open today's show with a piece on Harvard University and the controversy surrounding its South African investments. And we'll hear about the on location filming of a movie about one of the most famous robberies of all times. We'll also have a report on the uniting of consumer groups in Massachusetts for the purpose of lobbying for consumer legislation. And a close call. We'll hear about the ever growing popularity of museum audio tours. 1978 has been the year of student activism on college campuses across the country. The focus of activity has been universities investments in companies which do business and politically repressive societies such as South Africa. This South African connection

has been the source of demonstrations sit ins and vigils but point out to the public at large that certain questions do in fact motivate student bodies of the 1970s into political action. Harvard University has been the focus of much of this activity. With more on the situation of Harvard Here is reporter David teller. Harvard University has an endowment of 1.5 billion dollars about one third of that sum consists of investments in U.S. companies that do business in South Africa as are many other college campuses. There has been growing student demand at Harvard that the university reassess its relationship to these companies. Luther Reagan is a Harvard law school student. He is also a member of the United Front an amalgamation of the various student groups that have been raising the issue in mobilizing student opinion. He explains why there is such widespread concern. I think the primary reason is that South Africa is a very clear issue to most people. Systematic racial oppression. It is

not supported and in fact Borat to most American people. And that is particularly so given the experience that we ourselves in this country have had with racial discrimination and segregation. So these are very real tangible issues to us. Beyond that I think Harvard students recognize here that in a sense we are benefiting from apartheid. This university is through its investment structure investment policy receiving a premium of income essentially in the form of blood money from the oppression and exploitation of black colored Asian workers in South Africa. And I think that's something we feel is unconscionable and something we we're working again two weeks ago the Harvard Corporation released its long awaited report on its investments in companies that do business in South Africa. On the evening after the report was released 35 hundred angry students marched in a torchlight parade around the Harvard campus.

This was the largest demonstration at Harvard since the late 1960s. Students feel that the university failed to respond to what they consider to be moderate demands. They wanted the Harvard Corporation to initiate and support all shareholder resolutions requiring companies to withdraw their operations from South Africa divestiture of stock in such companies was to be used only after the failure of such resolutions to produce results. The central issue dividing the students and the Harvard Corporation concerns the role of U.S. corporations in South Africa. Underline student demand is the assumption that the U.S. corporate presence in South Africa is instrumental in strengthening the apartheid regime. You have to understand that most U.S. companies that are operating there most U.S. investment are in three fields automobile production computers and petroleum refining. Those are very very capital intensive high technology industries. They involve a heavy infusion of sophisticated technology for the South African government. They involve payment of substantial taxes to the South African regime. They involve

providing products and services to the South African regime that are used in turn to make the apartheid system more administratively of vision. The other is an indirect effect and that is by being there they are essentially signaling to the international investor community that South Africa is a good place to do business which encourages business confidence in South Africa which brings more capital into that country and which for all intents and purposes. Help the government by presenting a page to the world. South Africa is a good place to be. Luther Reagan the Harvard Corporation agrees that foreign corporations do contribute to the economic and political stability of the South African government. It insists that through progressive labor practices some corporations can serve as agents of social and economic change. The Harvard Corporation intends to examine on a case by case basis the role in South Africa of each company in its investment portfolio. If it decides that a company

does more to ameliorate apartheid than it contributes to the strength of the regime it will oppose shareholder resolutions to withdraw. If on the other hand a company appears to provide assistance to the government to a greater extent than it can improve the lot of the black workers the corporation will approve resolutions for withdrawal. The corporations report requests companies to implement the so-called Sullivan principles. These are a set of progressive labor practices that over 50 U.S. corporations have subscribed to. Harvard University president Eric Bach describe some of these principles. Well I think the. Kinds of programs we're talking about are the payment of adequate wages. The provision of more training and educational opportunities for the rights the overcoming of job restrictions that bar higher more responsible positions to whites introducing whites into those after suitable training. All of those methods I think

are part of a complex of reforms which can help overcome some of the more objectionable features of apartheid. I think there I think the test of these principles these have to be seen against whether people are saying other people are saying give us more jobs promote has to managerial positions give lines equal pay no. We are saying get the hell out. Christopher entender is a member of the African National Congress a Black Caucus organization he points out that all major black organizations in South Africa have called upon foreign investors to withdraw their operations. The Sullivan principles he says are mainly cosmetic changes that do not go far enough. Times have changed. There would have been a time in South Africa when where some of these principles would have been found useful and contributing to change. But then events have moved. We are now talking about posts away to Europe and

the mood in South Africa of blacks is that they're not going to accept anything short of taking over power in that country. Therefore gazed I gainst the aspirations. And the dreams of the people the black people in South Africa. Those principles far far far too too short. They are too little too late. Christopher and Tara are proponents of complete withdrawal point out that corporations exist to maximize their profits and have shown little inclination in the past to introduce progressive labor practices. Yet student leaders stressed that even if U.S. corporations in South Africa did so now they employ only point 4 percent of the black workforce. Therefore any possible improvements in working conditions would have no impact on the rest of the black population. Improved employment practices would also do nothing to alter the overall structure of the apartheid system. President Park agrees that companies remaining in South Africa can have little direct impact.

He stresses that they can set an example that other foreign investors might follow. Park also points out that because U.S. corporations play only a small role in the South African economy their withdrawal from South Africa would also have little effect. But Christopher and Ted insists that to minimize the role of U.S. corporations is to bypass the moral issues involved. Too big to be little influence. I think it's wrong. It doesn't matter what percentage of business you're doing it doesn't matter what volume of business you're doing as long as you agree that that is immoral in the legalities are wrong. You pull out and you don't say out loud when I'm there you know side inside to President Christopher entered the Harvard Corporation maintains that should U.S. corporations withdraw they would simply be replaced by other foreign investors. Yet student leaders disagree. They insist that the symbolic

act of a general U.S. movement towards withdrawal would force other foreign investors to rethink their position. Many Harvard students feel that the Harvard Corporation betrayed its obligation to take a clear public stand against U.S. corporate involvement in South Africa. They maintain that although the corporation's report condemns apartheid it provides no definite guidelines or timetable for immediate action. President Park insists that the report is not a delaying tactic. He says that the corporation will be prepared to vote on shareholder resolutions by next spring. He insists however that students are oversimplifying an extremely complex issue. He feels that even after a close examination of the situation it is impossible to know what should be done. One thing we do try to do is to be very honest about the extent of our own ignorance. We cannot tell how effective the example of progressive labor practices will be. We cannot really tell how effective withdrawal will be under those circumstances. The difficult test that we have is how do you try

to do to take an ethically responsible course in the face of a very substantial degree of ignorance and predicting the future with respect to South Africa. It has become a popular pastime to start off any statement and have a university does with it needs their. Report. Latest report. You start off by condemning a battery as being morally indefensible and and this and the other thing by then you go on. To take no action to destroy that day you know in what old regime. So this whole mouthing off there I dicked use in condemning about the doesn't impress us. What impresses lies is action because a sly mind has said what you are and what you do. Bandit so loudly in my years that I feel it here what your fake Harvard University president Derek Bok and Christian French head of the African National Congress for GBH

Journal this is David Tyler. On January 17th 1950 perhaps the most famous robbery in history took place on Prince Street in the north end section of Boston the group of men got away with two million dollars from the Brinks armored payroll company. The robbery was insatiable and without violence and it was also the biggest robbery to date. At that time. Does this sound like perfect Hollywood material to you. In fact the filming of a motion picture is currently taking place on location in Boston. With more on the actual filming than done with such an invasion from Hollywood can do to a neighborhood.

Here's a report from John Morgan. What memories was that happens I'm Rob. It was good would it be bad for the people in the area because they were boarded by all kind of law asking questions everybody was assassin. I mean all of this I mean it was not in then it was troubled and now it's all a lot of fun and then when the great Brinks robbery now part fact part fiction was pulled on Prince Street in Boston's North End January 17th 1950 and now Hollywood and all its glitter has come to Boston's Little Italy to make a feature film of the 2 million dollar heist. Sixty five locations in and around the Boston area are being dressed up or rather dressed down for the occasion. Mary Galloway one of the film's area locations coordinators outlines the transformational process of reverting parts of Boston 978 back to Boston 1950. We're shooting the years between 1938.

Up to 1973 in a lot of the locations there if you're doing exterior in particular it's complicated to have that that setting look exact. What do you actually do. There's a very large production department a production design department in our department that in some areas in particular brings area they want to have that area look exactly as it did January 17th 1050 when the Brinks robbery took place watched it was you know at the time when it happened and I was yeah you don't distort the guy's Pepe's variety store owned by Pip because Allah sits right across the street from where the Brinks robbery took place. My store was mentioned a few times in a book and that's why they came here so I want to change it on the front of the store to parents was modern and they put a bag to kneel. Before you can replace a trolley tracks or

tracks or buildings that have been torn down. But you can have. A lot of the area for instance the streetlamps duplicate the street lamps as they were back in the 40s or take down certain signs that look to contemporary paint certain facades or remove certain items. Storm windows TV antennas air conditioners that wouldn't have been around it at say in the early 40s. I'm very moving the parking meters as that the noise out there. That's right. They're removing the parking meters for the film for the film. We're working very closely with the city for instance with the parking meters Obviously you have to work with the city with the street lights. They're being very accommodating. Many North End residents are happy about the film they're being hired to do the transforming of the store front street lights and parking meters. They've even removed a playground from Prince Street because it wasn't their 950 and other North and natives mostly all pure Italian stock have been cast for small parts as extras in the film itself.

I thought OK well I'm interested in knowing how I feel about the movie being made in the north and first of all I think it's great. Give me a film. Right well. Are any of you going to be extras or get a part of the movie. I was called when I went to Florida so I missed you sorry about that. I'm going to call them Are you sure you said that you're going to be in the film. Right. What are you going to be doing an extra probably in the Prince. Do you think just about everybody in the north end sent a picture you have up front of you. They call you go for an interview and they call you up and taken off for cash to take measurements and tell you what you know they paid $50 for an extra $50 per day just to stay in the room. But some of the North End residents don't like Italians being portrayed as crooks in yet another film.

Mary Galloway however thinks the Italians portrayed in the upcoming Brink's film don't reflect negatively on the general Italian population at all. After Godfather 1 in 2. This is the way all battalions are portrayed but I don't think it is these particular guys probably came from a certain whatever socio economic background at the at the period when crime was one direction to go for a livelihood. Do you think it reinforces the whole idea that every Italians in the Mafia and every sub to the person to think that way people are ignorant think that way. Yeah I know. And I think a lot of people in the area whether it's in the Irish neighborhoods or an Italian neighborhood. Remember these guys and you know I remember where I was when when the Brinks robbery. It's sort of almost the local boys make good

anything actually objections to the film a minimal. In fact the majority of people in North End are excited and enthusiastic. They like to publicize the end the jobs and are eager to be included in the process of changing a local crime into a national box office attraction for GBH Journal. This is Joan Morgan. They consumer movement in Massachusetts has taken a step towards unity recently as a new coalition for consumer legislation that's been forming. This coalition is made up of 18 consumer law labor and government agencies for the purpose of endorsing consumer legislation in the state. Reporter Leslie Clipper's spoke with Bill Scher a representative of this coalition.

Brought to the states different consumer organizations in the first place. Well I think part of the problem has been in the past that various consumer groups have had their own interests they've had their own desires and they've gone into the legislature independently and tried to get pieces of legislation through we felt that we were losing a lot of pieces of legislation that way and that if we could determine what pieces we felt most important the groups of consumer groups could get together and sit down and decide at least some piece of legislation we all could support that we'd have more power within the legislature in terms of getting some legislation through who belongs to the coalition. There are 18 or thereabouts consumer groups which are made up of a variety from local consumer groups such as our own the Consumer Protection Coalition was to the Boston consumers Council the Berkshires County consumers Council. And then there is the attorney general's office their consumer protection division as representative of the Massachusetts consumers Council and the Executive Office of Consumer Affairs the state Labor Council the

Council on older Americans there is a number of mass purging mass fish share for example are also participants. And as a script about 18 different groups that have in the past supported consumer legislation have and an interest in consumer affairs generally. Have you found that by forming a coalition you're having an easier time pushing consumer legislation through. Well I'm not sure that we're having an easier time I think though that we are at least able to be assured of getting a hearing on the particular bills that we're going to be able to deal with the legislative committees directly. And I think they have been willing to give us a full response than they have been in the past. What are the issues that you are working on. Well there are five bills that the coalition is supporting as a whole. These bills have all been endorsed by most of the members of the coalition and we're trying to get through the legislature the bills cover a wide range of things one is a bill supporting local consumer groups so that there is complaint mediation service throughout the

state on consumer problems. Another bill involves the electronic funds transfer systems that are now being put into place by banks and looking for some consumer protections involved in how those systems are put into effect. There is the telecom proposal which is a proposal to give some consumer representation in telephone company affairs to get some sort of greater representation for consumers when dealing with a telephone company. And the fourth bill that's proposed is what is known as an amendment to the Consumer Protection Act it's pretty much a technical sort of bill the lawyers bill designed to make the consumer protection statute available to people. As a defense statute in the district courts and so forth and the final bill that the coalition is supporting deals with automobile warranties it's a attempt to get some sort of self help so that if a person has a warranty violation instead of forcing the consumer to sue the dealer of the merchant for whom he has bought the automobile it would put

the burden on the merchant to sue the consumer should he not think that the keeping payments credit payments to consumers under this bill would have a right to keep. If he does not think that is fair he would have to sue the consumers what reverses the normal train of things. Consumer groups have denied it. How effective has this been. Well this is the first year we've attempted and I think we've been fairly successful. We have received substantial support of the attorney general. France bloddy on four out of the five bills he's agreed to support. We have had the opportunity to discuss the bills with the speaker of the House and the Senate president has expressed his interest and so that we've gotten a little further into the legislative process and with some hopefully we will end up with some greater results than has happened in the past. We have scheduled this coming Monday the governor has asked us to meet with him and discuss the issues that we've raised. So I think that in terms of legislative ability to

get these bills through that we've come a little further we don't expect great results on the first year but I think that by establishing these forms of communication and being able to speak directly to the both the legislative leadership in the executive leadership that we're going to be able to not only have some success this year but hopefully have greatest success in the future. Museum going has traditionally been considered a visual experience but anyone who has visited a major exhibit in a large museum recently is probably aware of the addition of another sensory experience in the form of audio tours. Many museums with popular exhibits on display but guides of the exhibits on cassettes which people then

read out to accompany them on their tours. Live in Dukat visited the Pompei exhibit on display at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts and talked with some people about their use of audio tours. Roman portraiture was extremely accomplished in painting as well as in bronze. And just to the right of the statue is one of the most beautiful painted portraits we have from Pompei. It was taken from the wall of a house and shows a husband and wife portrayed as studious diligent people. The husband touches a scroll pensively to his chin and the wife holds waxed habits for chopping down notes with the stylus which he touches to her lips. These were probably quite ordinary middle class people but here they seem to have a special beauty and dignity. The cases at the end of this gallery hold some fascinating fanciful somewhat grotesque figurines and some very beautiful jewelry which I hope you'll examine on your own. Then when you hear the signal turn off your acoustic guide until you're just inside the next gallery which is

dedicated to the garden. You've just joined the thousands of visitors who take the guided tour of the Pompei exhibit currently at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts. In case you haven't been to any big museums lately what you've missed besides a number of good exhibits is the chance to see art lovers and other interested visitors walking through the galleries while hooked up to cassette machines. Americans are learning to hear art not just view it. A particularly interesting social dynamic that can be observed is the interaction between couples at the exhibit. They generally tend to share their audio guides though sometimes they will travel independently of one another. They often share at least some of their reactions to the experience both through the exhibit into the audio tour. We decided because we thought it would be more meaningful perhaps to take the audio tour that we might exhibit if we did

this museum of Earth. I knew it was here and I wanted to see it because I'm interested here. I mean want me just to be civil. Well I felt like I wanted a private instruction with my husband we raced over that without any explanations. My wife and I shared it for half the way and she gave it to me so we both got about half of it. What do you think. I think it helped considerably I'm looking forward to our discussing it afterward. Tell me about things I didn't hear your voice going all the time when you were. Yes I was glad to give it up to

you. As I turned it turned it off when I wanted to study a particular piece of art and then turned back when I could do so. One woman visiting Boston from Florida was walking around the museum without the company of her husband. But she said The tour made her feel as if she was indeed sharing the exhibit with him. I find it I find it much easier. I travel. My husband is the type of person who tells me everything that I think. So I'm used to someone telling me all the time and I do find it easier than reading the signs. And what about the Pompei shows Wizard of Oz curator John Herman the man behind the voice on the audio tour. What does he feel like being the companion to so many thousands. Well I'm a bit embarrassed by how I'm I'm I'm rather reticent. It's just that. The fact that people enjoy these things and the museum administration asked me to do it and you have to do your

duty for the show. But I find it personally rather embarrassing that that thousands of people are listening to these tapes and thinking Heaven knows what what about it in reacting many of them surely you react hostilely to it as well as favorably so it makes me nervous. John Hermann assistant curator of classical art at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts and owner of the a mission for ice on the Pompei audio tour for GBH Journal this is Vivienne ducat. Thought Thursday the eleventh day of May 1978. That's to be a journal a regional news

magazine heard Monday through Friday at 4:30. Producer and editor for the journalist Masha Hertz today's engineer miles SIEGEL And I'm Bill galvanise. Have a thought provoking Thursday.