WGBH Journal; Irish Politicians In Boston, Evacuation Day, Louis Lyons, Subway Musicians Playing Irish Music

Today is an Patrick's Day holiday of particular importance to the Irish population of the world. Here in Boston the holiday being celebrated as Evacuation Day. Good afternoon and welcome. This is GBH Journal and I'm Bill cavernous. I look at Irish politics in Boston based on the history of evacuation day commentary on the news from the airlines plus some Irish music recorded this morning as it was performed by Boston subway musicians. These are the features which make up today's edition of GBH Journal. Like many cities situated along the east coast Boston is a city comprising large

numbers of people of different ethnic backgrounds. And in the case of Boston the voice of the Irish is predominant. All one has to do is take a look at local political bodies to see that four of the five Boston School Committee members have Irish names. As do five of the nine members of the city council mayor Kevin White his Irish and almost all of the Boston mayors of recent history have been of Irish descent. So it's clear that the voice of the Irish in Boston gets heard. How do the local Irish politicians themselves perceive their power in the city. To find out reporter Alison Edis spoke with several Boston politicians of Irish background and has this report. Arash predominance in Boston city politics is an accepted fact of political life for many in Boston but there are some who dispute it. The politicians representing the Irish community are by no means convinced that the dictum holds true. William Bulger a Massachusetts senator from South Boston explains there's a certain evolution here where other people

are certainly having their say in the elections. And this is all to the good actually because everyone should be included. Whereas in the past elected people controlled a great deal away in a way one time when Curly and the machinary and others were in charge in the city. Why there wasn't even a civil service system which competed with them. They were able to give out the jobs maintain their power through patronage. Today I am today with civil service. Systems where it is fairer for people they don't have to rely personally on the elected officials of the Iraqi official doesn't have a stride or control anywhere. Ray Flynn an arch politician who serves on the city council and in the state House of Representatives points to the myth as he sees it of our predominance in the Massachusetts government.

Governor Dukakis is certainly not I wish. The majority to your overwhelming majority. People who work in his administration. Are not Irish. The overwhelming majority of appointments. There is some sort of appointments that he's made whether it be to the bench or the courts are whatever they are they have been anything but Irish. Flynn believes the Irish community is in South Boston Dorchester West Roxbury and Charles Town have suffered rather than prospered at the hands of political decision makers. I don't see those communities getting any kind of services at all I don't think there are. They are high on the list of governmental priorities in the city of Boston I see those same hardworking people. Who services. City services are not being provided for those areas. They're not getting any kind of governmental attention. As a matter of fact I think that.

I think that those areas have been severely neglected. The political grip of the Arash was weakened in the aftermath of passing. They lost the fight against the federal court and they lost a lot of control of education and housing policies. How have these developments affected the internal organization of the RS community. William Bulger. Fact. They have a procure school system in South Boston. It was the which gave them a place to. To go for example when their children were being uprooted and sent across the city when their ethnic identity and their cohesiveness as a community was being was under assault by federal courts recently. Why they were able to cling to their institutions and even though some of those institutions have been dismantled in the face of federal court orders. The fact is that they were able to maintain most of them and sufficiently so that they are

still there as a community just as the actions of the federal court as quote usurpation of the democratic rights of the people. Michael flatty chairman of the Judiciary Committee in the state House of Representatives believes this usurpation can go no further. I don't see it changing I see it stabilized there attacked everything that's dead it got to the housing it got to the neighborhoods it got to the schoolchildren. So there's not much more that they can interfere in the law. Battle of the busting has not led to a loss of faith in the political process. Although there is a feeling of frustration at minority quotas in for example the firefighters and police forces which many Arash believe discriminate directed against them there has been no retreat from political activity. Michael flatty if nothing else the Irish community especially the Arab community have recognized the value of the vote the strength to be able to elect a candidate of their choice and to put them into a place of power. Take my position for example I happen to be the chairman of the communities here which is probably the

second most important community in state government and I'm put here by the people of my community of South Boston and I think they recognize that if they if they figure well what's the sense why bother voting because the federal government's going to come in and they allow the suit to be taken by somebody outside of our community. That's a voice that they have lost an active voice in government spokesman for the community. And then a lot about that happened. Ray Flynn is alarmed by the distancing of government from the people. He feels politics are not like they were in the old days when there was a real rapport between our politicians and the community. When I was a kid growing up in South Boston. I can recall seeing Honey Fitz Jack Kennedy or Wright or any of those Jane James Michael Curley are really last people standing on street corners virtually addressing. Thousands of thousands of residents. That was before the television or. In Also in a

meaningful way before the influence of radio in newspapers. In the home of actions were one of those kind of. Meetings where people could judge prospective candidates for office. There is a strong consensus among our politicians that politics have changed. The US power is being removed from the people they want to see it given back events of the past few years do not make our politicians overly optimistic about future political developments but the outlook is not entirely Please Michael flatty. What we have seen in the city of Boston is a number of the people because of all of these things that have happened to have some of the younger people who dont want to be faced with their children. All the brothers and sisters go through so we find that the younger people are getting married and moving out to suburban communities and some of our older families are moving. So what you doing in a sense

is taking some very politically active knowledgeable people out of say the South Boston community in Dorchester community which rocks three communities in the city of Austin and you're sending them out to the suburbs and that's only going to help because they're going to be very much involved in town government and other elective opposite. And I see it in the census a resurgent if you want of the Irish politician so-called because they have a reputation of getting things done and working out of the job knows what Boston Irish politicians. Michael Well yeah I'm dry flint for GBH Journal. This is Allison E.D.. NAIA. Today is not just St. Patrick's Day in Boston schools banks and other public

offices are closed because it is the evacuation day. Evacuation Day commemorates the final departure of the British from Boston in 1776 during the American Revolutionary War. And as far as we know Boston and Somerville are the only cities in the area with a day off. REPORTER But he roars back. I spoke with Gus case o lawyer and state house librarian to find out more about the history of the day and the legislation which made the historical event into a legal local holiday. Thank you Wade. One day in 1776. In which the British. Were. In the town of Boston. Time. Volunteers. From Washington's Continental Army. Were able to afford a fine I guess the heights. Which were. Which was overlooking the. Harbor. In a sense really having command of the harbor. And they

fortified it and were able to helipad a brach really. And they fortified the. Digest the heights. And then the British were told that they were there and they could see they were there and they were told to either evacuated or have a fight on their hands. And actually it was the first military victory of the Revolutionary War. If you want to call it a victory without having a battle really. And the British decided that they would be. Allowed to leave the port of Boston. And they did leave on March 17. Never to return. To either Boston or Massachusetts again and therefore no other battles were ever fought during the Revolutionary War. In Massachusetts or Boston. I understand that it has been celebrated in South Boston. Since the turn of the century as a local holiday at the historic exercises take place on Chester heights. But it wasn't a legal

holiday until. 1941. And actually what happened was in nineteen. Thirty eight. The Legislature. Passed a law. In which the governor was asked to make a proclamation. On each much 17th commemorating the day and asking the citizens to observe the day Evacuation Day in Boston. It wasn't until 1941 as you say. That though it was made a legal holiday for the Suffolk County only. And that the public offices were to be closed in Suffolk County on that day in 1041. And since then of course bills have been filed to make it a full holiday throughout the commonwealth but have never there never been passed. Do you know anything about the events that led up to that initial legislation in 1938 or 1941. No we don't know. We can't cannot tell from a legislative record really

what the background of any legislation is. Simply because we don't have. The background information we don't have the verbatim account of the debates. In the hearings. What I did find when I look back. At those two chapters I found that various people file file build especially in 1041. Most of them were members of with Irish backgrounds. I do notice in subsequent years that the proclamations by Paul he states in one of his proclamation 1951. That in accord with the due significance of the sand. Verse rain Boston. The password of the victorious me on that day was Saint Patrick and he mentions that and and and other proclamations when while he was Governor why do you think there are all these legal holidays such as Well evacuation day Patriots Day. Bunker Hill day in addition to Independence Day.

Of course Patriots Day was the first battle that was. The start of the Revolutionary War and in that this country that liberated 13 colonies and it's a very significant day in that the. It was the first battle. It was a bloody battle then there was the. The beginning. Of the Revolutionary War in the States as far as evacuation is concerned. We're not so sure that it may not have been the dual significance of the day being a. St. Patrick's Day also it would seem to me that. Maybe some of the. Irish politicians in this commonwealth. Felt that. We should also somewhat celebrate St. Patrick's Day and that may have been the. The background but that's only speculation. We don't know that. You don't

get. The enemy to sneak up on you. Yet I did. We. Knew. This was a high drama and violence according to Lyons who is here with a rundown of some of this week's events. A week of high drama and much violence. The first of the Panama treaties passed 68 32 after crucial votes were wheedled from reluctant senators by

reservation another coal strike settlement was agreed to by the union council but by only 22 to 17 leaving some uncertain day where the defiant might as well ratify it next week. The president says coal production has increased and more miners are at work. Israel sees Europe bordering Lebanon territory on a full scale military movement puts the Bagan government into deeper conflict with Washington. Terrorist seizure of Italy's leading politician Bo morrow in a street ambush in Rome and the shooting death of all five of his bodyguards has been not only a sensation but a cause of consternation throughout Italy and a Boston University student outbreak that recalls the violence of the 60s. A trustee meeting mobbed in protest over a two Asian rise. And on Beacon Hill a legislative inquiry launched into the MBM contract scandal. Donald White former lieutenant governor testified he was not lobbied to choose the firm as construction consultants and he could

not remember what factors caused his decision for others. And at the United Nations an African resolution rejected the Rhodesian settlement between Ian Smith and domestic black leaders. The United States and Britain abstained from exercising the veto. This after trying to soften the resolution both governments had called the Rhodesian agreements on satisfactory as not including the militant black leaders outside the country who had denounced the agreement. London and Washington still hope to get the settlement expanded to reconcile all political elements. The excitement of suspense over the Panama canal boat held at the end of the Carter administration was bargaining for the last few uncommitted votes as the six weeks debate reached its final arguments. The packed Senate chamber was tense as the senators responded alphabetically to the call of the roll. Senator Byrd majority leader passed on his call to position himself at the end there to take the onus of

what might be the deciding vote. It was not the trade he had wanted to spare his West Virginia colleague Senator Randolph had also passed holding his vote in reserve for Byrd as their leader had to have it. But Randolph was released to vote no when the 67 vote for the treaty was cast by the freshman senator from Montana Paul Hatfield who had been a special target of treaty opponents and is up for election this year. How it feels is one of the final two votes are rescued by the administration's most reluctant yielding to a final reservation that even after the year 2000 the United States will have the right to send a military force into Panama to defend or reopen the canal if it should be threatened or seized in an internal political upheaval. The president himself had made this concession the day before to a demand by Arizona Senator DeConcini. But yesterday finding the Panama government unhappy over this. Mr. Carter asked the Arizona senator

to accept a less provocative reservation. DECONCINI refused his vote as things turned out was not needed but the concession had made it easier for Hathaway and doubtless also for Senator Brooke of Massachusetts who had sustained a conspicuously iffy posture to the last day. He also has been made a special target for the right for his reelection in November. So was Senator Howard Baker the Republican leader who joined Senator Byrd in support of the treaties. But Baker speaking in the final hour assured his colleagues that his own tests in Tennessee showed that the public opposition reported in earlier polls had greatly abated since the Carter administration and Panama had agreed on major amendments supported by the leadership with brought the New England support of the treaty was solid. Thirty two votes against 10 Democrats 22 Republicans. The Senate immediately turned to discuss a second treaty which would turn the canal over to Panama. Under the conventions just voted

in the first. Opponents say there continue to press opposition but the administration faces a second debate with more confidence in the treaty is meaningless without the other. Yesterday's success is seen as going far to restore the battered prestige of the president. Israel's reprisal to the raid by Palestinian terrorists was in a lightning attack a full scale military movement to seize a strip inside Lebanon for the full length of the boiler and announced it would hold this territory until a settlement should secure it from any threat of Palestinian rain. It's an area that's been a vacuum of any government control. A Syrian force of 30000 has exercised what control there is in Lebanon. It had avoided the provocation of occupying this border strip and the Syrians did not move against the Israeli troop action this week. The Israelis encountered minor opposition in their attacks under Sanders and Palestinians are reported still in control in some strongpoints

Lebanese villages in the area were bombed populations driven out. Where reportedly many casualties. President Sadat had denounced the Palestinian raid condemned also the Israeli invasion of Lebanon. Any prospect of an early resumption of negotiations appear to dissolve in the new Israeli campaign. After some delay the Carter administration deplored the Israeli action and informed Israel it expected withdrawal of its forces. The administration announced also that it's been proposing to the United Nations and other governments that the U.N. assume a peacekeeping role in the Lebanese strip upon Israel's withdrawal. The two Washington moves for Israel's withdrawal and the U.N. occupation were obviously linked to a U.N. occupancy of the area would meet any Israeli claim for the security of its borders. Washington declared that the territorial integrity of Lebanon is a fundamental

concern that any arrangements must be acceptable to the Lebanese government. The Syrian government called in diplomats of all member nations in the Security Council to say it counted on their nations to assume their responsibility to cope with the Israeli action. This appeared to relieve anxiety over a major military clash between Syrian and Israel forces. In Italy the kidnapping of Albemarle and the murder of his guides spread consternation and anger throughout the nation. Mass protest meetings have been held in nearly all Italian cities by union workers. One or two hundred thousand in Rome the Communist Party leader Baron Guy joined in announcing the crime kidnappings and murder become common instance in Italy but aims chiefly at business leaders. Moreover five times premier of Italy head of the Christian Democratic governments that ruled for 30 years he was widely looked to as a probable next president. SR came the first day of the new and Riady government that included the

Communist Party and its coalition the so-called Red Brigade terrorists have no relation to the Communist Party. The timing of the kidnapping of morrow is seen as incited by the communist action in joining the government. Mauro had strongly influenced the rightist parties to accept the communist terrorist demanded freeing of them members now in jail for earlier crimes under threat to kill Maro in 48 hours. Now 24 all party leaders were called in an emergency meeting on what one called a barbarous challenge to the state. Student violence at Boston University turned the clock back to the 60s but the issue was new. Last week the trustees announced a $400 increase in tuition hundred fifty arise and board in Room for next fall to bring total cost to six thousand two hundred eighty dollars a response to inflation that's reflected in the charges of all major colleges in the area. As the trustees met yesterday some 900 students assembled outside the building in shouting protest President sober agreed to

discuss with a few leaders their demand that the trustees meet with the student delegation over the cost issue a date for such a meeting had reportedly been agreed. When a wave of students forced their way into the building invaded the trustee meeting and broke it. They Brok trustees and presidents from leaving the building for half an hour until police arrived. Back in the Rye is a long series of controversies that have involved presidents with hostile student and faculty groups a charge this week by a student paper that the B.O. administration sells admissions was vehemently denies but President Silber said that B U does make a practice upon admission of a student of a wealthy family to solicit a contribution by the family which President Silber said supported scholarships for poor students. This disclosure appears to have added incitement to student hostility. The second round French election Sunday finds that his current government confident because the left coalition

fell so far below expectations in the polls last Sunday. A government official says the biggest losers Sunday were the Poles the socialist communist candidates will need fifty three point three percent to achieve a majority in parliament because the conservative rural districts are overrepresented in France just as in many American states were before our one man one vote. You're right I mean that completes this program in the series GBH Journal. Many thanks to my the leader in London rose language with an eye and I know I just didn't go before venturing into the subway with all that recording gear. Our producers Michael heard our engineer Perry Carter.

Have a frivolous Friday. Yet I didn't. Think. Of it. But I. Think. That's getting it done it was a good idea. I mean I you know like a mile. In my life I might get a. Little. Behind where I'm living my life I've been thinking and I think that me and the Chinese New Year.

Are probably you know they don't look a little I really love Let not the drug. World. And they cannot do anything to us.