St. Paul recorder., 1963-12-26
Sfudeboker Shutdown
In South Bend Hit
$500 NEGRO Workers

bISSS hNS1HS NNSu NSl ,
South Bend, Ind. (ANP) - The
shutdown of this city's Studebaker
plant will throw close to 1900 Ne
gToes out of work in one fell
swoop, and their chances of new
employment are slim, according to
William J. Brown, executive direc-
tor of this cfty's Urban League.
The Studebaker shutdown, which
left some 5000 residents of this
city without a job, especially
brought hardship and tragedy to
South Bends Negroes. Although
Negroes make up less than eight
per cent of the population here, at
least rs per cent of the Studebaker
production line was made up of
Negroes, Brown reported.
The shutdown win throw more
than one out of six South Bend
Negroes out of work. South Bend,
has a total Negro population of
about $4,000 and an overall popul-
alton of 1860.
Even prior to the shutdown, Ne
groes filled close to 80 per cent of
the city's relief rolls, Brown said.
That percentage is now expected
to go even higher.
Apprentice programs, according
to Brown, are almost impossible
for Negroes to enter due to union
and management "hesitancy."
And the approximately 1900 Ne
groes thrown out of work in De-
cember are not the only ones. Only
the previous month, Studebaker
laid off about 1890 employees with
five or less years seniority.
There Is grave concern for the
Negroes position as a result of the
announcement of the Studebaker
shutdown" Brown said.
There already was large prob
lem Of Negro unemployment in
South Bend" he went on. Although
didn't have precise figures, Brown
estimated the Negro unemploy-
ment rate in South Bend - prior
to the Studebaker layoH - as
nearly as high as Clicago's. In Chi
cago, close to one out Of every
four Negroes cannot get a job.
Brown said there was "dismay
and concern" over the job situa-
ton in South Bend for Negroes,
especially in view of the fact that
there was maximum employment
in South Bend for Negroes before
the shutdown, leaving little oppor-
tunity for increased employment
afterward."
Township relief programs are
getting ready for action. And the
Urban League in South Bend it.
self will put extra chairs in its
outer office in anticipation of the
influx of Negroes seeking en-
ployment counseling from the Ne
gro defense organization.
OF the 1900 Negroes employed
at Studebaker, practically all were
assembly line workers, Brown said
Only a few were salaried per-
sonnel
Was this because of ani-Negru
discrimination at Studebaker
Brown described Studebaker as
fair" on Negroes, but hinted that
Negroes might have Jared greater
difficulties obtaining higher posi-
ton with StudebaEer than whites
with similar qualifications.
But all is not hopeless in South
Bend. Studebal1er was not the only
industry in town.
The Bendix Corporation still en-
ploys a considerable number Of
Negroes in Its South Bend aero
space, missile, engineering, and
mechanical divisions.
Negroes are being enrolled In
the city's Manpower Development
Training Program.
And we're trying to get federal
approval on a pilot program for
persons with job slIills, but hack.
ing in the threer's sl1ills."
There's still a future for the
Negro In South Bend" said Brown.
Other companies have left South
Bend, but stin we survived"
Nevertheless, thousands Of this
c1ty's Negroes can look forward
to a winter marked by personal
hardship.
For many, 1t will mean the end
Of a hfetHme dream Of a college
education for their children.
For a few, II win mean near
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