Mississippi Press Conference

<v Speaker 1>Conference length 58:28, date 8/28/73. <v Speaker 1>Director Harris. <v Jack Schweitzer>Mississippi press conference. <v Jack Schweitzer>Live from the studios of the Mississippi Center for Educational <v Jack Schweitzer>Television in Jackson. <v Jack Schweitzer>An in-depth discussion with 10 international journalists questioning six <v Jack Schweitzer>Mississippi citizens from various backgrounds and professions about <v Jack Schweitzer>life at Mississippi past, present and future. <v Jack Schweitzer>I'm Jack Schweitzer, moderator for the program. <v Jack Schweitzer>We invite you to watch and listen to this very unique press conference as these <v Jack Schweitzer>10 foreign journalists from nine different countries of the world delve into the history <v Jack Schweitzer>of Mississippi. By putting questions to these six Mississippi citizens

<v Jack Schweitzer>of various experiences and professional backgrounds. <v Jack Schweitzer>Before I give a brief background on how and why this conference is taking place, let's <v Jack Schweitzer>first introduce our guests. <v Jack Schweitzer>The foreign journalists are Mr. Guillermo Piernes from the Latin Muse <v Jack Schweitzer>in Argentina. <v Jack Schweitzer>Mr. Jacob K.J. Ma from the United Daily and the Republic of China. <v Jack Schweitzer>Miss Marie Blanc from ?Provance Saon? <v Jack Schweitzer>in France. <v Jack Schweitzer>Mr. Alberto Pazzolini Zeneli from the ?inaudible? <v Jack Schweitzer>in Italy. <v Jack Schweitzer>Mr. Shozo Takera from the Nhung Karzai in Japan. <v Jack Schweitzer>Mrs. Betty Yalkovich from The Daily Telegraph in Great Britain. <v Jack Schweitzer>Mr. Yutaka Matsumoto from the Fuji Telecasting Company in Japan. <v Jack Schweitzer>Mr Rafique Malouf from the Annahar in Lebanon. <v Jack Schweitzer>Mr. Andre Neff from the Tribune de Geneve in Switzerland. <v Jack Schweitzer>And Mr Hans Christofferson from Norway represents the Nordic Muse Agencies.

<v Jack Schweitzer>Our Mississipi panelists. <v Jack Schweitzer>Dr. John Peoples, president of Jackson State College. <v Jack Schweitzer>Mr. Jim Rundles, special assistant to Governor Bill Wahler for Minority Affairs. <v Jack Schweitzer>Dr. Clyde Muse Meridian Public School System. <v Jack Schweitzer>Mr. Charles Evers, mayor of Fayette, Mississippi. <v Jack Schweitzer>Mr. Bob Pittman, general manager of Mississippi Economic Council. <v Jack Schweitzer>And Mr. Bert Case, news director for television station WAPT <v Jack Schweitzer>Channel 16 in Jackson. <v Jack Schweitzer>This conference is taking place as part of an expanding program of the United <v Jack Schweitzer>States Information Agency. <v Jack Schweitzer>Whereby foreign correspondents may have the opportunity to travel through various sectors <v Jack Schweitzer>of the United States in an effort to gain a broader and <v Jack Schweitzer>a deeper understanding of the many different aspects of American life.

<v Jack Schweitzer>The great variety of thought. <v Jack Schweitzer>Opinion, culture and styles of living. <v Jack Schweitzer>We'll take our first question from Mr. Piernes. <v Guillermo Piernes>Thank you very much, Mr. Peoples. <v Guillermo Piernes>We heard a lot about social progress of black people in the south, <v Guillermo Piernes>especially in Mississippi. Can you compare the situation of black people <v Guillermo Piernes>10 years ago and now? <v John Peoples>Yes, I would say there is a very definite and measurable change <v John Peoples>between the status of black people in Mississippi and 10 years ago. <v John Peoples>I came to Mississippi, back to Mississippi 9 years ago. <v John Peoples>Having lived in Indiana for 13 years, <v John Peoples>the time I came to Mississippi, there was definite fear among black persons, <v John Peoples>particularly when it came to being involved in political affairs. <v John Peoples>When it came to going to integrated schools, there was <v John Peoples>a definite, I would say, poverty, which was

<v John Peoples>quite obvious. <v John Peoples>At this time, I believe that people tend to take for granted <v John Peoples>that one can participate in politics or that one <v John Peoples>might go to an integrated school. <v John Peoples>That one might have access to jobs which will at one time <v John Peoples>forbidden for blacks. <v John Peoples>So I would say that there has been a very definite change as compared to 10 years <v John Peoples>ago. But this is not to say we've reached the millennium. <v John Peoples>We still have a long ways to go, but just to make that comparison, yes. <v Jack Schweitzer>We have a question from Mr. Jacob Ma. <v Jacob Ma>Yes, Mr. Mayor. <v Jacob Ma>So far it has I have learned that the state of Mississippi <v Jacob Ma>had abundant energy resources such as oil production <v Jacob Ma>and natural gas. <v Jacob Ma>And only one year ago, according to a statistic, your

<v Jacob Ma>power supply succeeded, exceeded the deman- <v Jacob Ma>all the demands. But uh a- almost suddenly there is energy <v Jacob Ma>shortages here. So I want to you give me an <v Jacob Ma>explanation of all that. <v Charles Evers>The first thing I would say is I have to agree that we do have the sources that <v Charles Evers>you mentioned, but we may not have had all the technical skill to develop. <v Charles Evers>And I think because of the the lack of money and the lack of maybe <v Charles Evers>of training in the past, we didn't have the kind of skill that <v Charles Evers>it takes to to bring about all these natural resources. <v Charles Evers>But we are getting a nice development. <v Charles Evers>I think it would appear at time we're going to have them. We're going to get to getting <v Charles Evers>people to come into our state from other places we've had these these experiences <v Charles Evers>and who had this training and who have the knowhow. <v Charles Evers>And we're most of all, I think a citizen of the state are willing to learn. <v Charles Evers>I don't think anyone can sit and say that we have that we have reached our

<v Charles Evers>the ultimate freedom and ultimate success of all of our problem we've had <v Charles Evers>will be done to work on. That's the whole thing that we are proud of in the ?Civil War. <v Charles Evers>We begin to solve many of the problem too ?particular into <v Charles Evers>use and develop many of the things that we have enough that we haven't developed before. <v Charles Evers>And only because, as I said before, we we didn't have the understanding maybe we didn't <v Charles Evers>have the togetherness and we didn't have the skill to do it with <v Jack Schweitzer>A question from Ms. Marie Blanc <v Marie Blanc>Yes, I have a question for you, ?inaudible?. <v Marie Blanc>We have seen a film this morning and uh two films, and in all the <v Marie Blanc>films, we didn't find one time. <v Marie Blanc>I think just one time black people. <v Marie Blanc>It was a ?joystick? film. I want to know the reason. <v Marie Blanc>Because we wanted to be surprised [someone talking over] about Mississippi and the South. <v Charles Evers>Your question is why there were no black tube in the film, [interupted by Blanc] <v Marie Blanc>Yes, because I think it's about maybe 40 percent of the population. <v Charles Evers>Well, I think maybe it is hard to answer that. I think the answer is very simple, that

<v Charles Evers>there are very few blacks who go on tours. <v Charles Evers>Number one. Number two, that many of us don't have the money <v Charles Evers>to go on. And number two, then usually same as in the war, the somehow the <v Charles Evers>cameraman just sort of followed most of the white soldiers, you know, just so happened <v Charles Evers>that this is a natural thing, I think, because we just begin to get a few <v Charles Evers>black cameramen around and a few black camerawomen. <v Charles Evers>But that's changing, too. We do have a few blacks around. <v Charles Evers>I'm quite sure that that will continue. <v Charles Evers>I'm glad you brought that within Mississippi. You saw that? <v Marie Blanc>Yeah, absolutely ?inaudible? <v Charles Evers>?inaudible? <v Marie Blanc>Pardon? <v Charles Evers>Was it ?inaudible? and you saw that <v Marie Blanc>Yeah <v Charles Evers>It was? <v Charles Evers>Well, we we're gonna have to work on that. We make sure that the next time we show a <v Charles Evers>film, someone's going to be in there. We don't intend to have we intend to have a state <v Charles Evers>where we are all included and that go for black and white and rich and poor. <v Charles Evers>And we're working is not permanent. I don't know my time. <v Charles Evers>I think that Mississippi is 100 percent changed. <v Charles Evers>It has not. Nor has the country.

<v Charles Evers>But the thing of it, is that we're working on it <v Marie Blanc>I think so <v Jack Schweitzer>Ms. Blanc do you have anything further to say? <v Marie Blanc>No, it's alright. <v Jack Schweitzer>OK, Mr. Alberto Pazzolini Zeneli. <v Alberto Pazzolini Zeneli>Mayor I have a [interupted by Evers] <v Charles Evers>Ok now, don't team up on me ?inaudible? [laughter] <v Alberto Pazzolini Zeneli>I have a political question for a political man. <v Alberto Pazzolini Zeneli>You are a politician. [Laughter] <v Charles Evers>I don't know about that <v Alberto Pazzolini Zeneli>That is the newfound participation of the black people. <v Alberto Pazzolini Zeneli>And the politics of Mississippi is heading toward a 2 part <v Alberto Pazzolini Zeneli>participation in both political parties or just concentrating in the Democratic <v Alberto Pazzolini Zeneli>Party? <v Charles Evers>Well I hope, this is my own of personal view, I hope that we can have a strong two <v Charles Evers>party system. You see, I never believe in putting all my eggs in one basket <v Charles Evers>may, you may drop the basket and break them all. <v Charles Evers>So my whole thing is we need just like white people, we need blacks in the Republican <v Charles Evers>Party, we need blacks in the Democratic Party. <v Charles Evers>So whoever's in we got somebody in power we can go to. <v Charles Evers>I would hate to think that we now would be getting the right to vote. <v Charles Evers>And we've got the right to vote and get the right to register without too much

<v Charles Evers>intimidation that we said and wouldn't put all of us in the Democratic Party and all <v Charles Evers>in the Republican Party. And we're suddenly an all black party. <v Charles Evers>We've been, all black all our lives and had nothing. <v Charles Evers>And I don't want no parts of that. But I think we should beat into the mainstream. <v Charles Evers>I think it's what we do where we hit it. We do have some black Republicans and some that <v Charles Evers>we don't want to admit it. You know what? All the problem we have in the Republican Party <v Charles Evers>right now. But we've had the same problems. <v Charles Evers>Not as bad. We've have problem I guess in the Democratic party too, but to answer your <v Charles Evers>question, I hope we go in both parties. I would like to see it even worse. <v Charles Evers>I'd like to see 25 percent blacks in Republican Party, 25 percent black and <v Charles Evers>Democrat Party and 50 percent blacks independent. <v Charles Evers>Then we'd have some [Interupted] <v Jack Schweitzer>Mr. Shozo Takera <v Shozo Takera>Yeah, well, could some of the panelists. <v Shozo Takera>And could you elaborate on some just <v Shozo Takera>on a little more to your program to encourage <v Shozo Takera>the minority business ?inaudible? <v Shozo Takera>What are you making and what are you doing to

<v Shozo Takera>try and encourage black business? <v Jim Rundles>I might touch on that just briefly, sir, in working through the governor's office, I <v Jim Rundles>might say that the governor, as I pointed out in some notes to you there, encouraged <v Jim Rundles>minority business. The state affords a <v Jim Rundles>small business assistance loan <v Jim Rundles>through a legislative act of 1972 where any small <v Jim Rundles>minority person can borrow up to 33 thousand dollars to help him in business. <v Jim Rundles>Further, the governor has made a create a liaison between blacks <v Jim Rundles>had him in his office encouraging the establishment of banks, small <v Jim Rundles>businesses and this type thing. <v Jim Rundles>This is just one thing that many go on on. This is just one. <v Jack Schweitzer>Miss Betty Yalkovich <v Betty Yalkovich>Mr. Pittman, I think most of us work <v Betty Yalkovich>in Washington and have very much pull but I was wondering what help you <v Betty Yalkovich>would like from the federal government on your economic planning or if you have any

<v Betty Yalkovich>complaints about federal government economically speaking. <v Bob Pittman>Alright. Thank you. First, let me explain that the Mississippi Economic Council is a <v Bob Pittman>private, non-governmental organization. <v Bob Pittman>I think this is important. This is an organization of Mississippi's business <v Bob Pittman>and professional leadership with something like 3500 members throughout the state. <v Bob Pittman>So I want to clear that up. We are a private organization. <v Bob Pittman>No government funds at all. <v Bob Pittman>At the same time, we recognize the role of the government, both local, state and <v Bob Pittman>federal. In all the work that we are trying to do to encourage the economic development <v Bob Pittman>in Mississippi, we have. <v Bob Pittman>As a matter of policy by the council, recommended that the <v Bob Pittman>local governmental agencies and the state government look to the federal government <v Bob Pittman>for any help which may be available. <v Bob Pittman>We maintain a close liaison with our congressional delegation, <v Bob Pittman>with such even non-governmental organizations as the US Chamber of Commerce, <v Bob Pittman>Council of State, Chambers of Commerce, other organizations like this.

<v Bob Pittman>So a broad, general answer. <v Bob Pittman>We are encouraging the local communities, the local governments and the state government <v Bob Pittman>to participate in the federal program, which they believe to be a benefit to the local <v Bob Pittman>and state area. <v Jim Rundles>May I ask what if you had any preconceived ideas about the state <v Jim Rundles>of Mississippi before you came? If so, what were they? <v Andre Neff>We don't have [audio interference] <v Hans Kristofferson>Well, if I may answer that, maybe I should say <v Hans Kristofferson>that most people outside of Mississippi have preconceived ideas about Mississippi, <v Hans Kristofferson>especially I've been reading for over the years about them, <v Hans Kristofferson>about the conditions in the south and the struggles, the racial <v Hans Kristofferson>problems and all that. <v Hans Kristofferson>I think that, therefore, it's very important for us who are covering <v Hans Kristofferson>the United States from Washington to come down and see and especially personally, <v Hans Kristofferson>I think is very interesting, because I was down there first time in 1964

<v Hans Kristofferson>and I can see the changes that have occurred. <v Hans Kristofferson>I see the new buildings coming up. And of course, it's a superficial view we get, but at <v Hans Kristofferson>least it's. <v Hans Kristofferson>It backs up what you're saying that changes are coming. <v Hans Kristofferson>And I've been coming very fast. <v Hans Kristofferson>I think, yeah. Many people did not believe at that time <v Hans Kristofferson>that it would happen, you know, that fast. <v Hans Kristofferson>They thought this was a boom, you know, for a few years and then it would die down again. <v Jim Rundles>Preconceived might have been the wrong word. But could we get another answer in that <v Jim Rundles>vein? <v Alberto Pazzolini Zeneli>We had no hope for you because of <v Alberto Pazzolini Zeneli>what we read in the American media books, peoples <v Alberto Pazzolini Zeneli>television. I think it was a with good intention <v Alberto Pazzolini Zeneli>to have the civil rights to help to <v Alberto Pazzolini Zeneli>stop these wrongs made to black people.

<v Alberto Pazzolini Zeneli>But was the school's intention, the American media made some <v Alberto Pazzolini Zeneli>very bad propaganda for the state of Mississippi, not just to do the white, but to <v Alberto Pazzolini Zeneli>the black population. <v Charles Evers>I can't always agree. <v Charles Evers>I think we got to be ?inuadible? and fair. <v Charles Evers>But Mississippi has been just about as bad as you've read. <v Charles Evers>No one would be lying to you. I'm going to sit here and let you believe that we've been <v Charles Evers>saints all the time. It's been terrible. <v Charles Evers>It's been almost impossible to live here. <v Charles Evers>But things are changing. And I'm not going to tell you because, you know, 10 years ago, <v Charles Evers>there wouldn't a single black in a public school. <v Charles Evers>10 years ago, I went to say single black. <v Charles Evers>with the highway department. 10 years ago, there wasn't a single black <v Charles Evers>in the State Department. 10 years ago, there wasn't to single black, as I know of, elect <v Charles Evers>official nowhere in the state. Ten years ago, there wasn't but 28,000 blacks <v Charles Evers>registered in the whole state. So let's don't get the wrong impression. <v Charles Evers>We are changing, but it ain't been, you've been reading just about fair. <v Charles Evers>10 years ago, there were lynchings and there were mobs and there were killings.

<v Charles Evers>And 10 years ago that there was povero. <v Charles Evers>You could could it would have made you know, let's be fair enough or let's not start <v Charles Evers>painting the picture that we ain't had all these things- we did have them, but thank God <v Charles Evers>things are beginning to change and they're changing gradually. <v Charles Evers>We still have in this state the blacks, and that would find <v Charles Evers>a promise in cities. We still have in this state where blacks can't get out,? <v Charles Evers>I'm glad here, but just as long as an SBA loan? <v Charles Evers>assisted by the government. I don't know about this, we glad to have this. <v Charles Evers>But I think we got to be fair now and tell the truth. <v Charles Evers>That all the way down that Missippi ain't no bed of roses, there's still <v Charles Evers>a lot of problems. But as I said before, we were working on them and I think black and <v Charles Evers>white are being. We still have almost most of our white <v Charles Evers>students in these small areas in private, surrogated schools <v Charles Evers>and we were still have some of these problems, but its changing. <v Charles Evers>We do have a lot integration, but now we have been wholly accepted cause uh you just stay <v Charles Evers>around while you'll see there's a whole lot to be done in this state here, like all over

<v Charles Evers>this country, like New York, like Chicago, like Detroit. <v Charles Evers>I just love Denver, Colorado, to come back to get here. <v Charles Evers>You got to go after everything. We've we've black folk got to brake. <v Charles Evers>We are a heck of a lot better off in Mississippi with all of this problems then there are <v Charles Evers>in Denver, Colorado. I just left there. <v Charles Evers>So, I mean, I don't want you to think that America has gonna be the great land of freedom <v Charles Evers>and land of hosp- hosp- it's not that yet. <v Charles Evers>Nor is South Africa. You know and nor is certain parts of Europe where blacks <v Charles Evers>are denied and minorities. I think I just want to make sure that you don't think I won't <v Charles Evers>be a part of saying that is all roses, it's not. <v Charles Evers>It's but thank God we're working. <v Clyde Muse>May I respond? [Interupted by another speaker] I'd like to respond to one thing that I <v Clyde Muse>think the mayor was in error. <v Clyde Muse>He made the statement that 10 years ago there were no blacks in public schools. <v Clyde Muse>This is not true course our public school system was <v Clyde Muse>a segregated system. <v Clyde Muse>And I'm sure that's what he was referring to. <v Clyde Muse>Maybe no blacks. [People talking over] <v Charles Evers>That's what I meant, I'm sorry.

<v Clyde Muse>Integrated school. <v Charles Evers>I meant in integrated schools <v Clyde Muse>And uh let me refer to some statistics he was relating to the integration of the public <v Clyde Muse>schools in the state. Actually apparently now there is less than 7 percent <v Clyde Muse>of the total school population in private segregated academies <v Clyde Muse>in the state. So we need to get in focus of last year's enrollment of <v Clyde Muse>over 526,000 people <v Clyde Muse>enrolled in the public schools of the state. <v Clyde Muse>And of that percent, approximately 50 percent were black <v Clyde Muse>and approximately 50 percent were white. <v Clyde Muse>Admittedly, there are some areas of the state, as he indicated, that probably <v Clyde Muse>very high majority of the school populated with is black. <v Clyde Muse>But when you look at the state, you've got the most probably the most integrated school <v Clyde Muse>system in the United States in the state of Mississippi today. <v Jim Rundles>Mr. Muse, doesn't Jackson rate kind of high on the level of integration <v Jim Rundles>as far as schools are concerned, of cities across the country?

<v John Peoples>About 5th or 6th I think, Jackson, Mississippi, so. <v Jim Rundles>We're making breakthroughs, but as you see, it's not not all together. <v Jack Schweitzer>Any other further comments from the uh? <v John Peoples>I have a comment on that. I would amplify the statements regarding integration. <v John Peoples>But I do think we need to be aware that inspiration has brought his problems. <v John Peoples>Case in point of numerous black <v John Peoples>principals have been demoted and a lot of black teachers <v John Peoples>have lost their jobs. <v John Peoples>And so there are some misgivings among the <v John Peoples>blacks as to whether or not there's this integration <v John Peoples>is to their best benefit. <v John Peoples>And I think we have a similar concern among the black colleges as to whether or not <v John Peoples>integration will work to their demise. <v John Peoples>Where they will work to their future development. <v Jack Schweitzer>We have a question from Mr. Yutaka Matsumoto

<v Yutaka Matsumoto>During this trip, I have so <v Yutaka Matsumoto>many times about Japan. <v Yutaka Matsumoto>Some of them from Japan and some of them implies Japan. <v Yutaka Matsumoto>So I would like to ask, how <v Yutaka Matsumoto>is your impression of Japan or Japanese? <v Yutaka Matsumoto>And how are you expecting Japan to develop the <v Yutaka Matsumoto>South's? Specially in economic view. <v Jim Rundles>Well, I might just say, I don't know. <v Jim Rundles>I give a complete answer that I might just say that the governor's trip to Japan earlier <v Jim Rundles>this year might, in some respects, answer your question. <v Jim Rundles>Very, very high regard for Japanese culture, its trade, <v Jim Rundles>its people. And I think he's going back. <v Jim Rundles>That is a way he lives off a more business relationship between the two countries, <v Jim Rundles>specifically Mississippi and Japan, the state of Mississippi and

<v Jim Rundles>the Japanese country. <v Yutaka Matsumoto>May I ask to Mr. Pittman's the same question? <v Bob Pittman>Yes. And I would agree with what Francis just said. <v Bob Pittman>We look upon Japan as a prime target <v Bob Pittman>for trade in Mississippi. <v Bob Pittman>This is the reason for the governors trip. I was in the office of the marketing council <v Bob Pittman>yesterday discussing this, and they are very optimistic about the possibilities. <v Bob Pittman>So we admire the economic progress made there. <v Bob Pittman>And I say, look, on this as an area in which there may be a very significant <v Bob Pittman>exchange. [People talking over each other inaudibly] <v Bert Case>Question and comment [interrtupted by others]. <v Bert Case>I was in your country in 1969 for only 24 hours. <v Bert Case>I saw Tokyo, but I was amazed and impressed. <v Bert Case>I expected to see still ruins from World War Two and I saw none <v Bert Case>of that. You're modern facilities are amazing to someone from this part of the <v Bert Case>country to see to see how you you've reconstructed it. <v Bert Case>I've often thought that it would be an ideal union for Japan

<v Bert Case>and Mississippi here you've got technology and ability. <v Bert Case>And we've got land and resources, things you don't have. <v Bert Case>It seems to me that Japan would have unlimited opportunity <v Bert Case>and be using some of your foreign capital you have stored away there. <v Bert Case>Some of our money stored away there to bring it back and develop this this very <v Bert Case>poor state. <v Charles Evers>And I'd like to add to that. That that being the mayor of Fayette, we have an industrial <v Charles Evers>park.[Laughter] We always solicited the business. <v Charles Evers>And I want to know that we know no color, no race in Fayette. <v Charles Evers>We'd be glad to have you come down, we'll give you as much land as necessary <v Charles Evers>and we'll furnish you all of the labor long as you pay a decent wage and we'll be glad to <v Charles Evers>have ya. And so if you're thinking about coming to America and particular Mississippi, <v Charles Evers>think about Fayette first. We just did not ?inaudible? <v Charles Evers>The mayor always plugging for his own town. <v Charles Evers>And that's for the the state too, you know. <v John Peoples>Mr. Schweitzer could I comment [Interupted] <v Jack Schweitzer>Yes, certainly <v John Peoples>Not to distract this caught court note. But I think you should be aware that

<v John Peoples>there still is some latent prejudice against Japan. <v John Peoples>Many of us who were vets of World War Two. <v John Peoples>We still see the old propaganda movies out of the Americans <v John Peoples>against the Japanese. I believe that within the last two weeks <v John Peoples>that wasn't an editorial about papers which said that the Japanese economic <v John Peoples>invasion is doing what. What, they couldn't do it at Pearl Harbor. <v John Peoples>I believe you or someone you saw that. <v John Peoples>I believe that The Wall Street Journal is carried something about the great Japanese <v John Peoples>invasion. And we went abroad last year <v John Peoples>and we saw well, most of the people who were traveling were Americans, Japanese and <v John Peoples>Germans, who apparently were the ones who were the most affluent. <v John Peoples>But I'm pointing out that your questions seem to have been what do <v John Peoples>Americans think about Japanese? <v John Peoples>And I believe that we are gradually overcoming the <v John Peoples>propaganda that was put out regarding ?inaudible?

<v John Peoples>World War 2. But now there is a gradual <v John Peoples>reaction to your economic aggressiveness that you do need to be aware of. <v Jack Schweitzer>Could I help possibly to clear up, if there may be any doubt in Mr. Matsumoto's <v Jack Schweitzer>mind? I think he wa- he wanted to know if there specifically any serious <v Jack Schweitzer>anti Japanese feeling in the state of Mississippi. <v Jack Schweitzer>Any serious feeling? I would say no, ?inaudible? <v Bert Case>I would s- could I reply? <v Jack Schweitzer>Yes, certainly. <v Bert Case>From. From an electronics standpoint, being in the television business, sir. <v Bert Case>There's great respect within the broadcasting business in this country and in <v Bert Case>Mississippi. To your your fantastic innovation here. <v Bert Case>Your militarization of things. Your your Sony Trinitron picture tube for which there <v Bert Case>is no match. <v Jack Schweitzer>I think that about answers the question, Mr. Rafique Malouf. <v Rafique Malouf>I'm uh, I want to ask a question for Mr. Pittman and uh <v Rafique Malouf>any other want to response.

<v Rafique Malouf>The question is, what's the difficulties as a businessman man and <v Rafique Malouf>which the state of Mississippi is facing and have developed an economic <v Rafique Malouf>development and environmental problems? <v Bob Pittman>That may be two questions. <v Bob Pittman>One, the most difficult problem we're facing and then you mentioned environmental. <v Bob Pittman>Let me start as a general statement, say that it appears that the most difficult problem <v Bob Pittman>we're having is something that the mayor has already mentioned. <v Bob Pittman>This is the education, the people of Mississippi, largely unskilled <v Bob Pittman>labor. We're moving in the direction of trying to upgrade our labor <v Bob Pittman>force. So this is a tremendous problem in Mississippi. <v Bob Pittman>But we're overcoming it now specifically in the field of the environmental problem. <v Bob Pittman>I would say at this point, at some of these gentlemen may disagree with me that <v Bob Pittman>Mississippi is very fortunate in that perhaps we are behind some of the other states in <v Bob Pittman>our economic or industrial development because we do not have these <v Bob Pittman>significant environmental problems that some of the other states have.

<v Bob Pittman>We do have some problems. We have some problems along the Gulf Coast <v Bob Pittman>with the the sewage facilities along the Gulf Coast, <v Bob Pittman>the the the treatment of raw sewage systems, treatment of waste, this type thing <v Bob Pittman>within the local communities. <v Bob Pittman>There are some problems on a limited basis, I would think, as to the the <v Bob Pittman>the discharge of waste material for manufacturing plants and open streams <v Bob Pittman>we have on Air and Water Pollution Control Commission in Mississippi, which seems to be <v Bob Pittman>making some progress in this field. <v Bob Pittman>Then at the local level, local government levels, problems of waste treatment, <v Bob Pittman>this type thing. That is responsibility of the local government. <v Bob Pittman>Again, moving into this field, perhaps not as fast as we would like, <v Bob Pittman>but certainly recognize that we do have some problems. <v Bob Pittman>In general, we are making some strides. <v Bob Pittman>We don't have the problem some other states have, and we're fortunate in this respect, I <v Bob Pittman>think. <v Clyde Muse>Let me respond a little further on the idea of a vocational technical

<v Clyde Muse>education. Since 1963, our <v Clyde Muse>state is undergoing tremendous expansion in this area. <v Clyde Muse>And the beginning was in our junior college development of a vocational <v Clyde Muse>technical skilled in the upper 13th and 14th year rather <v Clyde Muse>than freshman and sophomore year of college. <v Clyde Muse>Then following on end this year, the high school <v Clyde Muse>has expanded its vocational technical training programs to the point <v Clyde Muse>that almost now every community you have vocational technical centers <v Clyde Muse>that are available. So you have a development now of career education <v Clyde Muse>in our state that is expanding to that idea that to train <v Clyde Muse>individuals to go into the area of work that they desire. <v Clyde Muse>So I think this is real significant, this expansion in this area. <v Jack Schweitzer>Mr. Andre Neff. <v Andre Neff>Mr. Mayor. Last Sunday in New York, Time magazine. <v Andre Neff>It wasn't a long article by a black writer living here, Jackson, Mrs.

<v Andre Neff>Alice Walker. And she said that if Martin Luther King would <v Andre Neff>j- come back to the Mississippi, you would be appalled by the lack of radicalism <v Andre Neff>in the black middle class. <v Andre Neff>And I find finding that turns are more interested in car and other consumer <v Andre Neff>goods than in giving money to a civil rights or poor people organization <v Andre Neff>like the the SCLC. <v Andre Neff>I'm wondering if you would care to comment on that or anybody else also? <v Charles Evers>Well, number one, I think she has a right to write what she wants to. <v Charles Evers>I hope that ever black American is trying to become a middle class and upper class, that <v Charles Evers>we all live in the low class all our lives. <v Charles Evers>I certainly hope that the time has passed where we have to go out and contribute to <v Charles Evers>some other girl, said a lunch counter. Get a hamburger. <v Charles Evers>But I don't think she meant. I think that what Ms. Walker probably meant, was that the <v Charles Evers>middle class blacks are usually the ones who just take for granted <v Charles Evers>that someone else can do the job?

<v Charles Evers>And I don't know. Well, that's altogether true. <v Charles Evers>And that. But there's some validity in what she's saying. <v Charles Evers>I would like to think that most blacks as whites in this country <v Charles Evers>are looking for a good job, a good education and a good house, a good automobile. <v Charles Evers>That's a funny thing. Once you get those things, they're just not too concerned about <v Charles Evers>going any further and it's just a natural thing, I think Middle-Class Blacks are actually <v Charles Evers>different from middle-Class Whites or middle class Frenchmen, middle class Chinese and <v Charles Evers>Japanese or whatever I think when you once you reached the point of some sort of <v Charles Evers>security, you just don't push as hard. <v Charles Evers>Which is unfortunate for us because blacks haven't don't have that much leverage. <v Charles Evers>Or we can just relax. But we do. <v Charles Evers>We're no different from white people, from anybody else. <v Charles Evers>A bl- a black doctor, just about as is bourgeoisie as a white doctor. <v Charles Evers>He's just about a sensitive as a white doctor. <v Charles Evers>A black school teacher just about as sensitive a white school teacher. <v Charles Evers>That's why we having a problem now in our public schools where, as Dr. <v Charles Evers>Peoples said we've now begin to do to somehow degrade black principals

<v Charles Evers>by putting them as a system to the system. <v Charles Evers>That's to do nothing and may put them in the parking lot. <v Charles Evers>The ?walk to cause mart? that hurts him. <v Charles Evers>His morals and his his own prestige. <v Charles Evers>So I think that the answer to that's that is that the blacks are just people. <v Charles Evers>And we can never get folks to understand that, that we like the same thing anybody else <v Charles Evers>like. That we enjoy the same comfort everbody else enjoy. <v Charles Evers>And we want the same kind of life everybody else want and no different. <v Charles Evers>I think that's the only way I can answer that. And I think that Ms.Walker, my dear <v Charles Evers>friend. I went there, you know, to try cut her one way or the other cause she and I very <v Charles Evers>close. But I think in a way she has a point there, but she got to remember also that she <v Charles Evers>and all the rest of us are sort of middle class. <v Charles Evers>And we might not kick quite as hard right now as we used to kick and, because we may just <v Charles Evers>don't have to kick that hard. So but we need to keep kicking, you know, to keep getting <v Charles Evers>in because that's one thing our white brothers and sisters have taught us and other <v Charles Evers>groups of race have taught us that you got to keep pushing. <v Charles Evers>You've got to keep fighting. And I agree. <v Jack Schweitzer>Mr. Hans Kristofferson.

<v Hans Kristofferson>I have a question for Dr. News, is that correctly pronounced? <v Clyde Muse>Yes. <v Hans Kristofferson> Next Monday or Tuesday, I think schools are starting again. <v Clyde Muse>Started yesterday, most of em in the state. <v Hans Kristofferson>I see. My question concerns bussing. <v Hans Kristofferson>I understand that. And after what I read anyway, and some <v Hans Kristofferson>places in Mississippi, white parents have taken <v Hans Kristofferson>their children out of schools, public schools started private schools instead <v Hans Kristofferson>of allowing them to be bussed to integrated schools. <v Hans Kristofferson>Could you tell me a little bit about that problem and how you're solving it and what the <v Hans Kristofferson>situation is today? <v Clyde Muse>The idea of bussing really is <v Clyde Muse>misunderstood by a lot of people. In our state, <v Clyde Muse>every child that lives outside a municipality and over a mile from school <v Clyde Muse>is eligible for free bus transportation provided by the state of Mississippi. <v Clyde Muse>So you have a considerable amount of school busses in our state that transport

<v Clyde Muse>children to schools that they've been assigned, a vast <v Clyde Muse>majority of the school districts in the state are under the court orders that <v Clyde Muse>specifically designates certain schools with areas <v Clyde Muse>in attendance told that children will attend. <v Clyde Muse>So consequently, you do have a lot of transportation provided <v Clyde Muse>children, both black and white, to the various schools <v Clyde Muse>and in others students to to the various schools. <v Clyde Muse>Now there are to my knowledge, 3 cities that have been <v Clyde Muse>ordered by a federal court to bus inside the city limits, <v Clyde Muse>which is not provided by state law in the state. <v Clyde Muse>So there's considerable amount of transportation. <v Clyde Muse>But essentially 3 school districts, to my <v Clyde Muse>knowledge, that's been required to bus inside a city limit. <v Clyde Muse>Now, in regard to this other statistic that I mentioned earlier,

<v Clyde Muse>when you compare the state of Mississippi's public school enrollment to the <v Clyde Muse>percentage of pupils in other states of the union that enroll in the public <v Clyde Muse>school, we come out very high, as I mentioned, last year, there was <v Clyde Muse>approximately 89 percent of all <v Clyde Muse>the pupils in our state, in the public schools, in our state. <v Clyde Muse>And there were approximately seven percent that were <v Clyde Muse>in the what he referred to as private academies. <v Clyde Muse>This has developed since 1969, primarily when most <v Clyde Muse>of the desegregation began to take place in that state. <v Clyde Muse>And there has been in some area, some areas, some very good private schools that have <v Clyde Muse>developed. <v Clyde Muse>The rest of this population are students that were <v Clyde Muse>in parochial schools, religious schools, and the federal government provides <v Clyde Muse>Indian schools still in our state.

<v Clyde Muse>And that's where your other the percentage of this enrollment comes. <v Betty Yalkovich>I was going to ask Dr. Peoples what sort of jobs his graduates look for <v Betty Yalkovich>and if they were able to get jobs in management, say. <v John Peoples>Jackson State College is a, I would say, <v John Peoples>moderately comprehensive institution. <v John Peoples>So we do kind of run the gamut and say the various kinds <v John Peoples>of training that they can get. <v John Peoples>I was particularly intrigued with the discussion about <v John Peoples>a vocational technical training, because I think <v John Peoples>many of us, most of us are aware that that until recent years, <v John Peoples>the historically black institutions had little or no <v John Peoples>technology in their curriculums. <v John Peoples>And as a result, I do not think you will find blacks <v John Peoples>well represented in the technological jobs in the new industries.

<v John Peoples>Now, we are making up for this because in the last few years, I believe the junior <v John Peoples>colleges, as well as the senior colleges and in particular Jackson <v John Peoples>State, we have geared up to meet this need. <v John Peoples>But I do think that industry's coming to Mississippi should make a special effort <v John Peoples>to train blacks and to entice blacks to go into such training, <v John Peoples>because we do not have many models of blacks in such jobs to encourage <v John Peoples>youngsters to take this kind of training. <v John Peoples>They don't see examples of black engineers, black technologists <v John Peoples>whom they would want to emulate. <v John Peoples>So we have to make it very clear in the first place that they are <v John Peoples>wanted and needed in these jobs. <v John Peoples>We have to overcome the craft unions, opposition to admitting <v John Peoples>blacks to these high level positions. <v John Peoples>And this is a problem. You may train people to work, but they must also <v John Peoples>be able to get into the craft unions in order to work.

<v John Peoples>That's being that many people don't know. <v John Peoples>But we have a program, the Jackson State, which do train people <v John Peoples>to go into the managerial as well as take technological <v John Peoples>jobs. And we do have people at both levels in the industry coming to <v John Peoples>Mississippi. <v Jack Schweitzer>Mr. Andre Neff <v Andre Neff>Mr. Case there were a lot of discussion talk since last few years about <v Andre Neff>so-called Southern strategy of the Nixon administration, which consisted <v Andre Neff>if I'm right to regroup, a Republican Party <v Andre Neff>and the most conservative elements of the Democratic Party. <v Andre Neff>I wanted to ask you, how successful is this strategy in Mississippi? <v Bert Case>Well, President Nixon got a higher percentage of vote in Mississippi <v Bert Case>than any other state in the nation. I'd say he was very successful. <v Bert Case>What else would you like to know about it? <v Andre Neff>What about th- the future? What about the local election? <v Andre Neff>And since uh,

<v Bert Case>the Republican Party is is very conservative in Mississippi and it has been making great <v Bert Case>strides. For example, we have five congressman for Mississippi for <v Bert Case>the first time since reconstruction. We have two Republican congressmen elected in <v Bert Case>this past election. <v Bert Case>We have some some city officials have been elected here and here in Jackson. <v Bert Case>We have a twenty six year old single Republican city commissioner. <v Bert Case>There's certainly no two party system in this state at the present time. <v Bert Case>I would want to mis- mislead you at all on that. <v Bert Case>But they are making strides the Republican Party is gaining strength. <v Bert Case>It's well financed. It's well organized. <v Bert Case>The Democratic Party in this state has virtually no organization. <v Bert Case>There's no young candidate who's a Democrat who's trying to run for office. <v Bert Case>He gets no support from the local Democratic Party organization. <v Bert Case>But a young man who wants to run as a Republican can be assured that his campaign <v Bert Case>will be well financed and he will have an organized staff to help him any way he wants. <v Andre Neff>But is there a definite ?inaudible? <v Andre Neff>to attract a conservative Democrat on the Republican side?

<v Bert Case>I think that's changing. I think that was their original strategy to try and try to get <v Bert Case>the Democrats to switch over. But this this young Republican city commissioner <v Bert Case>I mentioned, he made a speech recently saying this is not the direction we must go. <v Bert Case>We must be our own people. We must establish our own image. <v Bert Case>If they want to join us, fine. But we should not make any overt attempt to try to <v Bert Case>attract them. Let's build our own organization. <v Jack Schweitzer>Mr. Malouf <v Rafique Malouf>I would like to ask Mr. Case a question. <v Rafique Malouf>As a journalist, if you want to criticize the state government <v Rafique Malouf>in what field do you critcize it? <v Bert Case>Well, currently, the biggest criticism is of county government <v Bert Case>there are 82 counties in the state and each of those 82 counties. <v Bert Case>Well, with the exception of one, are divided into five supervisors <v Bert Case>districts. <v Bert Case>The big controversy in this state that you will see headlines on day after day, story <v Bert Case>after story and every television newscast is about the inefficiency of the system.

<v Bert Case>Of having five beats within each county and having five <v Bert Case>separate road maintenance crews. <v Bert Case>This is a very inefficient form of government. <v Bert Case>In this one county I mentioned, Coahoma County, Mississippi Delta unit ties. <v Bert Case>It has a unit system. It functions as one unit. <v Bert Case>This is the biggest criticism of inefficiency of county government at the present time. <v Hans Kristofferson>I liked to get back to something that up Dr. People's talked about earlier, <v Hans Kristofferson>that some black educators feel that the integration of the <v Hans Kristofferson>school system have some still have some flaws. <v Hans Kristofferson>You mentioned that black principal has been demoted and black teachers lost their jobs. <v Hans Kristofferson>What about the level of education? <v Hans Kristofferson>You feel it has hurt the level of education in formerly all black colleges <v Hans Kristofferson>and schools? <v John Peoples>Well, I didn't mean to to speak against integration as <v John Peoples>such. I do believe that that education should be <v John Peoples>integrated. But I am saying that means I'm saying the end

<v John Peoples>does not justify the means, as in the sense that that we should <v John Peoples>not have a ?inaudible? in which we dismiss like principals and <v John Peoples>dismiss teachers just to get integration. <v John Peoples>I believe that the black teachers who have over the years developed the expertize <v John Peoples>and understanding of working with black students should be recognized <v John Peoples>for this particular fact and should be used effectively in the antiquated system. <v John Peoples>And I said that many black educators <v John Peoples>have some misgivings about what will be the ultimate end <v John Peoples>of integration if these things are not taken into consideration. <v John Peoples>That's what I was trying to put up. <v Jack Schweitzer>Mr. Jacob Ma [Interrupted by Muse] <v Clyde Muse>I heard a lot of discussion about <v Jack Schweitzer>Oh, one more comment first. <v Clyde Muse>Yes, I've heard a lot of discussion about the demotion and dismissal of black <v Clyde Muse>principals and teachers. I've never seen any figures Dr. Peoples that indicates <v Clyde Muse>this mass amount taken place.

<v Clyde Muse>I know it hasn't in the Meridian school system. <v Clyde Muse>I think the emphasis we've got to place personally is on the quality of the individual <v Clyde Muse>as you mentioned, the individual being able to work with people, <v Clyde Muse>all people, the leadership, the qualities and all the other <v Clyde Muse>aspects of it. And I think that I believe honestly, we <v Clyde Muse>over we over the hill in this regard, in some of this might have taken place back <v Clyde Muse>earlier. But I think now the emphasis is on the quality of the individual <v Clyde Muse>and the performance of the individual in the job. <v Clyde Muse>[People talking over each other] <v John Peoples>I would agree- [Interupted by Muse] <v Clyde Muse>I get what it's got to be. <v John Peoples>I would agree with you on that. The only concern is that that these individuals had <v John Peoples>quality all the while until integration came, then all at once, they lost quality <v John Peoples>and they were there. They were dismissed. <v Rafique Malouf>I would like to ask you about other minority, quite forgotten <v Rafique Malouf>Latin America and quite forgotten states is the Indian community. <v Rafique Malouf>Can you refer to that situation of Indian population here?

<v John Peoples>I would like to say that Jackson State has made overtures to the Indian community, <v John Peoples>but in particular the Choctaw Nation, in regards to <v John Peoples>making scholarships available for them to come to Jackson State. <v John Peoples>They did express some concern that they did not have any other than <v John Peoples>white teachers in their schools. <v John Peoples>And we have offered our scholarship positions. <v John Peoples>As a matter of fact, we had, I believe, a couple of Indians come to Jackson State this <v John Peoples>summer. Now, we have not been overly successful because <v John Peoples>they have been going, I believe, to some of the other historically white <v John Peoples>institutions when they did go out of the state to believe an Indian oriented school <v John Peoples>someplace out west. But we have made overtures and we do believe that that <v John Peoples>there is a great potential for these Indians to come to Jackson State <v John Peoples>and to realize that their destiny along with us. <v Jack Schweitzer>Mr. Pazzolini Zeneli

<v Alberto Pazzolini Zeneli>[Audio problems] Question for the mayor [Men talking over each other inaudibly] You <v Alberto Pazzolini Zeneli>said ?unsuccessfully? <v Alberto Pazzolini Zeneli>it was a success, but <v Alberto Pazzolini Zeneli>did you get all the so-called black vote or <v Alberto Pazzolini Zeneli>black votes on this? And there was black voters who prefer <v Alberto Pazzolini Zeneli>another candidate? <v Charles Evers>See, you asked the same question in most whites ask. <v Charles Evers>And that is just because you're black, Charles, you're supposed to get all the black <v Charles Evers>folks, well black folks are different from white folks, black folks vote for who they <v Charles Evers>like, vote against who they don't like. Now, a lot of black folks don't like me in <v Charles Evers>?inuadible? So I didn't get all the black votes no more than the governor got all the <v Charles Evers>whites vote. I got a few white votes too. <v Alberto Pazzolini Zeneli>I understand [interrupted by Evers] <v Charles Evers>So we sort of mix it up when he got more. <v Charles Evers>[Laughter] But, I think it goes down that that people <v Charles Evers>vote for who they like and they vote against what they don't like, whether you, black and <v Charles Evers>white. So to answer your question, no I didn't get all the black votes. <v Shozo Takera>Let me, ask you, Mr. Pittman, what is uh? <v Shozo Takera>What is your a basic stragety for the economic development

<v Shozo Takera>of Mississippi? <v Bob Pittman>We have some long range objectives that we are trying to attain in order <v Bob Pittman>to produce an economy which would provide a better <v Bob Pittman>standard of living for all Mississippians, regardless of race, origin, et cetera. <v Bob Pittman>Several things that we're doing to try to to reach these goals. <v Bob Pittman>One, of course, is this area of education, which we've talked about for several minutes <v Bob Pittman>now, simply an effort to educate all Mississippians to the level necessary <v Bob Pittman>to to be technically skilled and trained for whatever job possibilities may <v Bob Pittman>develop in other areas which we've done a tremendous amount of work is this area of <v Bob Pittman>community development that is getting the local community ready for industrial <v Bob Pittman>development. We are finding over a period of some years now that <v Bob Pittman>communities at one time simply did not have the facilities necessary to attract <v Bob Pittman>industry through several specific community <v Bob Pittman>development programs. We have attempted to provide an incentive <v Bob Pittman>which would challenge communities to improve themselves: industrial parks

<v Bob Pittman>that we mentioned, zoning, education, health, <v Bob Pittman>sanitation facilities, hospital facilities, these things so that you are prepared to <v Bob Pittman>attract industry and you can, in fact, attract industry. <v Bob Pittman>Same time there is a holdover from the agricultural style of living <v Bob Pittman>in Mississippi that we think is a major attraction to industry and that is an <v Bob Pittman>individual's willingness to work. <v Bob Pittman>This is a perhaps a general statement, but the manufacturers who have moved into <v Bob Pittman>Mississippi have told us that they are finding here that <v Bob Pittman>Mississippians are willing to be trained if they are willing to work and take a great <v Bob Pittman>deal of pride in their accomplishments. We think this is a positive factor and we tried <v Bob Pittman>to export that factor. One thing I think needs to be said <v Bob Pittman>that is that perhaps we have painted a something of a <v Bob Pittman>bleak picture here. I would disagree with that picture. <v Bob Pittman>I think that Mississippi has made significant economic and social progress.

<v Bob Pittman>I think that we certainly would recognize that there have been some tragic errors in our <v Bob Pittman>past, but we are trying to start from from this point and move forward. <v Bob Pittman>Our business organization, for example, has just produced a bulletin <v Bob Pittman>based primarily on a request from some state of the Jackson State College Dr. People's <v Bob Pittman>college last year when we met with them, they said when we finish our work, we really <v Bob Pittman>don't know how to get into business if we want to start a business on our own. <v Bob Pittman>Our organization has now produced for example, a pamphlet. <v Bob Pittman>This is the way you start your own business made available for the schools and so on. <v Bob Pittman>Mississippi has outstripped the rest of the nation since World War Two and percentages of <v Bob Pittman>economic growth. We have had a sizable increase in per capita <v Bob Pittman>income on employment is lower than the national average personal income growth <v Bob Pittman>in 1972 was up over the national average. <v Bob Pittman>I think these are positive factors and I think they need to be pointed out. <v Jack Schweitzer>Mr. Ma. <v Jacob Ma>Yes, Mr. Pittman.

<v Jacob Ma>During my traveling here in the South, I have a strong impression that <v Jacob Ma>the present higher soaring process of the agriculture products <v Jacob Ma>are good for the farmers here, but may not be good for the textile <v Jacob Ma>industry because the higher raw material costs will increase the <v Jacob Ma>manufacturing cost. And what's your opinion about the present level of <v Jacob Ma>the price of agricultural products? <v Bob Pittman>I guess my opinion is colored by the fact that we're trying to improve Mississippi. <v Bob Pittman>You're aware that in the Delta area in the winter we had some tremendous <v Bob Pittman>flood problems. <v Bob Pittman>Our ag- our cotton crop is oh, probably 70 percent of what it should be. <v Bob Pittman>The price increase has given our farmers a tremendous boost. <v Bob Pittman>And from the standpoint of Mississippi, this has been an asset for <v Bob Pittman>us. <v Jack Schweitzer>We have a question from Hans Kristoffersson. <v Hans Kristofferson>Well, I'd like to ask Mr. Case a <v Hans Kristofferson>rather rhetorical question, but it's mentioned

<v Hans Kristofferson>here that the state of Mississippi has done has progressed <v Hans Kristofferson>greatly about social and economic. <v Hans Kristofferson>Do you see any parallel in this? <v Hans Kristofferson>Do you think one would be possible without the other? <v Hans Kristofferson>Or is one the result of the other? <v Bert Case>Definitely. I do not feel one can be possible without the other. <v Bert Case>They must come together. <v Bert Case>The problem in this state economically, in my judgment, is that we have kept the <v Bert Case>blacks down for all these years with the economic development has <v Bert Case>come in the white area, the blacks have been excluded. <v Bert Case>Now, for the first time, we're we're looking at it as one unit. <v Bert Case>We're looking at it as blacks and whites together must strive to improve their economic <v Bert Case>status. And that's only come the last, the last 10 years. <v Bert Case>But you've had a general recognition, I think, by everybody. <v Bert Case>A general recognition of the fact that we cannot do it alone <v Bert Case>as separate communities. This state must be developed as one. <v Bert Case>And we had a man run for governor on that platform in 1967.

<v Bert Case>He got clobbered. <v Bert Case>His name was Rubell Phillips. And that was his whole platform in 1967. <v Bert Case>A lot of people have said since that if we had listened to what he was saying, not <v Bert Case>necessarily have elected him, but had listened to his program, we'd be a lot <v Bert Case>further along at this point. <v Bert Case>I think that's the basic change that's occurred in Mississippi. <v Bert Case>For whatever reason, probably because of the federal courts, but it <v Bert Case>has occurred. There is a general recognition, I think, by everybody that we must <v Bert Case>progress together. <v Jack Schweitzer>We have a question from Rafique Malouf <v Rafique Malouf>It's for the mayor. I would like to know what was or what is the pilot <v Rafique Malouf>project you did to improve Fayette <v Rafique Malouf>during your period as a mayor <v Charles Evers>When I became mayor of Fayette, we had s- I was told the fourth poorest, <v Charles Evers>I guess, in the country. Now we have it was 65 percent, <v Charles Evers>the reports I got from somewhere I don't know where I got them from doc, were on on

<v Charles Evers>welfare or unemployed. Now we're down to 29 percent. <v Charles Evers>That was one plant, one plant, part time plant. <v Charles Evers>Now we have two and we have that employ <v Charles Evers>up to 160 women who own the welfare and get 35 dollars a month. <v Charles Evers>We had most of the blacks community was uh was run down. <v Charles Evers>Just so happened that the ?white? community had been kept up. <v Charles Evers>We now think we have streets in most of the black community, we have sewers in all of the <v Charles Evers>commun- we hope now. We have a multipurpose center building that <v Charles Evers>we're building there 400,000 dollar multipurpose center building, which will house a <v Charles Evers>daycare center. We have a 5 million dollar health clinic where before we <v Charles Evers>became mayor, there was a children county clinic we had all over Mississippi, but they <v Charles Evers>didn't deal in comprehensive health. And we have conference health clinic cleaning there <v Charles Evers>with 4 good doctors. <v Charles Evers>And just so happened that because of a strict system in America that we <v Charles Evers>have been able to get couple our doctors passed this test because they're foreign

<v Charles Evers>doctors. But other than that, we are in pretty good shape health-wise. <v Charles Evers>So we think, this is what we doing and we think that of all the towns in Mississippi, <v Charles Evers>Fayette is one of the best towns here, the safest anyway. <v Charles Evers>We gotta strict law and order. <v Jack Schweitzer>A question from Hans Christofferson <v Hans Kristofferson>I, uh, yesterday, we were told about plans for a big super port off the <v Hans Kristofferson>Gulf Coast, preferably from your point of view on <v Hans Kristofferson>the borderline between Mississippi and Alabama and being in a region that's of great <v Hans Kristofferson>interest to me because we have large tankers coming out, you know, I wonder, <v Hans Kristofferson>does the do you think that the private industry and the money <v Hans Kristofferson>people of Mississippi are willing to chip in to build a thing like that? <v Bob Pittman>Yes, I think the business community in Mississippi is interested in this, is aware of the <v Bob Pittman>the possibilities. And certainly aware of the advantages. <v Bob Pittman>When you say would they be willing to chip in? <v Bob Pittman>Of course they would be some point at which they would could not go, but <v Bob Pittman>the business community, through our organization and through other organizations, is

<v Bob Pittman>supporting this effort. I know that some testimony has been given <v Bob Pittman>in Washington already on this through governor's office, we have given the governor <v Bob Pittman>a list from our membership of the business man who would have a specific interest <v Bob Pittman>in the project. And so we have coordinated our efforts through the governor's office <v Bob Pittman>recognizing that it is a primary uh governmental project. <v Jack Schweitzer>Question from Mr. Neff <v Andre Neff>Yes, I wanted to know why th- the rate of unionization is so low in <v Andre Neff>Mississippi? And if you weren't having some sharp increase <v Andre Neff>in cost when the uh workers will be starting to be <v Andre Neff>organized? <v Bob Pittman>Alright, I would say that the rate is low, primarily because Mississippi <v Bob Pittman>historically is an agricultural state. <v Bob Pittman>There's been very little organizational effort in Mississippi and in the past, <v Bob Pittman>the the effort is increasing <v Bob Pittman>still in a number of manufacturing plants in Mississippi, the employees

<v Bob Pittman>on their own have made a decision that they prefer to not have union representation. <v Bob Pittman>The position of our organization is simply that the individual employees should have the <v Bob Pittman>right to choose. <v Bob Pittman>We certainly have not gone into any manufacturing plants and opposed <v Bob Pittman>that unionization. <v Bob Pittman>We do support in our organization was instrumental in inserting into our state <v Bob Pittman>constitution this right to work law, which provides that the individual <v Bob Pittman>does have the right to select for himself make the choice whether or not he prefers to <v Bob Pittman>join a union. But primarily I think it's because of the agricultural background <v Bob Pittman>and the fact that the Mississippi employee, in our opinion, by and <v Bob Pittman>large, has not preferred unionization. <v Jack Schweitzer>Mr. Piernes. <v Guillermo Piernes>Yes, Mr. Case. Um, I saw here in Mississippi, a <v Guillermo Piernes>great entity to get foreign investment. <v Guillermo Piernes>But don't you see a strong competition of the poorest country of Latin

<v Guillermo Piernes>America in that field? Because, for example, here, the big corporations <v Guillermo Piernes>will have to pay about 250 per hour million. <v Guillermo Piernes>While, for example, in Brazil, the same corporation will pay 20 cents per hour. <v Guillermo Piernes>And also, for example, in Brazil, there is no right to strike. <v Guillermo Piernes>So don't you see how competition with Latin American country? <v Guillermo Piernes>How do you see the arms of Mississippi to fight for <v Guillermo Piernes>that foreign investment? <v Bert Case>How do I see? <v Guillermo Piernes>The ways the method of Mississippi to fight <v Guillermo Piernes>to attract that investment? <v Bert Case>That's a strong argument you make. <v Bert Case>I'm not an expert in this field. You probably should ask that question of Mr. Pittman. <v John Peoples>I'd like to comment on that. I think one thing, Mississippi has going for it. <v John Peoples>It has a stable government and there is less chance of an interest <v John Peoples>being nationalized. [Interrupted by laughter] And it might happen. <v Guillermo Piernes>I pointed to the case in Brazil because 10 years with the same government and without

<v Guillermo Piernes>election that is more stable. <v Guillermo Piernes>But unfortunately <v John Peoples>You said Latin America? <v Guillermo Piernes>Yes. <v John Peoples>When you said Latin America I thought you meant the whole cadre of Latin America. <v John Peoples>Well, I what I'm saying in Latin America, that there is a pretty strong chance <v John Peoples>of an industry from America being nationalized over the long run. <v John Peoples>You see. In Mississippi, I don't think you'd get that. <v Guillermo Piernes>Well, the percentage it is an extremely low of nationalization <v Guillermo Piernes>and la- and that the most publicized cases ?guaranteed an icon in? <v Guillermo Piernes>Chile. In Latin America there are already a thousand [interrupted by Schweitzer] <v Jack Schweitzer>Would anybody like to comment really on possibly the advantages of locating Mississippi? <v Guillermo Piernes>That's what, I want that that <v Jack Schweitzer>The advantages of locating in Mississippi <v Guillermo Piernes>You gave me a good argument in saying ?stabilization? <v Guillermo Piernes>[Interupted by others] And I accepted it <v Charles Evers>[Men talking over each other, inaudibly] I say like to talk about us, no question. <v Charles Evers>But I think first made Mississippi we have the climate. <v Charles Evers>The climate is wealthiest is right. <v Charles Evers>That's number one. Number two, w- w- we're located to we're located between

<v Charles Evers>two great bodies in the Mississippi and the Gulf. <v Charles Evers>What we need is shipping. And we just near enough to do <v Charles Evers>uh to these areas to to get rapid deliveries. <v Charles Evers>Number three, you've got great potential. <v Charles Evers>You have plenty of land and you have flat land. <v Charles Evers>You have whatever you need to have a variety of land. <v Charles Evers>Our terrain it varies. <v Charles Evers>If you needed somewhere, that you need to go up in the hills. <v Charles Evers>We have that. If you need a flat surface, we have the delta. <v Charles Evers>If we needed a rough surface, we still have that and, but I think the most important <v Charles Evers>thing. You have the people here who needs to work and want to work. <v Charles Evers>I think that that's the best, most. And then I think our government in particular, the <v Charles Evers>one in Fayette, we have said we have facility, we have 250 acres <v Charles Evers>of industrial park and we will literally give you the land <v Charles Evers>to bring industry in there. And then we have what is known. <v Charles Evers>I don't want to take you up on them, but we have a tax exempt.

<v Charles Evers>We can give you 10 years of tax exempt, the uh state can do that can't they? <v Charles Evers>A state can and and we can give em all we want to, the city as long as you stay there you <v Charles Evers>pay our folks. So I think I think most towns have that. <v Charles Evers>So these are the kind of thing. And then as Dr. Peoples said, we're pretty stable. <v Jack Schweitzer>A question from Mr. Yutaka Matsumoto <v Yutaka Matsumoto>Yes, I think I have correspondents stationed there in Washington. <v Yutaka Matsumoto>I can not avoid this question concerning about the Watergate So <v Yutaka Matsumoto>Dr. Muse and Dr. Peoples would you tell me your feeling about the <v Yutaka Matsumoto>Watergate case. <v Jack Schweitzer>Ladies and gentlemen, I'm sorry [Laughter] we're all out of time. This <v Jack Schweitzer>has been Mississippi Press Conference. We sincerely hope that our visitors, through their <v Jack Schweitzer>trip and through this firsthand encounter with these Mississippians, will be able to take <v Jack Schweitzer>home to their prospective countries a better understanding and knowledge of Mississippi <v Jack Schweitzer>and the other states on their tour. Thank you very much. <v Jack Schweitzer>[Quiet chattering]