St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1954-10-01
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 1, 1854
Glenwood Redevelopment Plans
Do Not Pro, ect MinOrities Rights


slble will be used 10 keep race and
religious discrimination at a min
imum. The catch however, Is that
the present authority may be
changed time and time again be-
fore the project Is completed and a
policy OF today may easily be
changed by change OF heart or OF
the membership Of the authority
ON the other hand, II the proper
non-dlAcriminatory safe guards
were made a part OF the plan sub.
mitted TO the federal government
they could not be changed by the
whims OF the authority no mat
ter whom It's members were.
Aldermen who would have Tx
ed 10 have gone along with the
human relations groups position
were in a quandary because of the
authority's position that delay
oeeasioned by the council action
returning the plans to the author.
lily would delay the program many
months. Actually the public hear
Ing was farce In 80 far as giving
opportunity to make changes In
the authority proposals. The coun-
ell was given no option IL either
had to approve the plan without
dotting an -" or crossing 70"
or be accused Of holding up the
whole redevelopment program,
which Minneapolis sorcly needed.
The Mayors Council on Human
Relations. the Urban League and
the NAACP had been trying to
obtain from the housing authority
for months assurances that min
critics would be protected in the
deeds The authority had heard
the groups plea only few days
before and had taken the position
that It's general policy statement
on o-discrimination was suffi-
cient
II would be interesting TO know
why the authority waited until a
few short days before the final
date Of submission to ask for q
public hearing on the plan which
II apparently expected the council
TO rubber stamp, One alderman
said the authority could have ask,
ed for a public hearing four weeks
ago, giving the citizens an oppor'
tunity to make suggestions 70,
changes,
As It was the city council was
opportuned that any changes
would be fatal 10 the entire pro.
gram. The Minneapolis Building
Trades Assembly Immediately
preasured the aldermen who might
have otherwise sent the matter
back 90 the authority for inser.
ton of the disputed sections As Il
was the council was given the al,
tentative of rubber stamping the
authority action or facing blame
for a long delay.
This newspaper honestly feels
that any delay on the matter
would have been of short duration
and that the authority director
and its attorney used the long de.
lay" excuse as strategy TO get Rp.
prevail without the strengthening
clauses. which the human relations
groups asked to have inserted for
protection OF all citizens
This paper congratuistes the
aldermen who voted 60 send the
matter back TO the authority
They were courageous under eS.
treme pressure. II commiscrates
with all OF the aldermen who then
voted a resolution ordering the
authority 10 ban discrimination
from housing on the one hand, and
then practically approved discrim'
ination in industrial and business
Development, Protecting minor.
ity members rights TO housing Is
important but protecting the
same individuals right TO pur,
chase business or industrial prop
erty is Just as important,
This newspaper believes II Is
Joined by many thousands OF ciu.
Gems, who are against using tax
funds TO discriminate against some
Americans, in expressing genuine
regret. first. for the housing au,
thority's position and secondly
for the position Of the seven alder,
men who voted against sending
the matter back TO the authority