Ask the Scholar

{
    "localId": "4526216",
    "label": "Dinner, Reelection Campaign of Mayor Gordon   Payrow, Bethlehem, PA, September 22, 1969",
    "core": "doc",
    "dtoType": "document",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/4526216"
}

{
    "id": "4526216",
    "sourceUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/4526216",
    "contentType": "document",
    "title": "Dinner, Reelection Campaign of Mayor Gordon   Payrow, Bethlehem, PA, September 22, 1969",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/4526216",
    "collections": [
        "Gerald R. Ford Congressional Papers",
        "Speeches"
    ],
    "subjects": [
        "Pennsylvania",
        "Local government"
    ],
    "iiifBase": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/ford/grf-0054/642080/4526216.pdf",
    "thumbnailUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/ford/grf-0054/642080/4526216.pdf",
    "largeImageUrl": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/ford/grf-0054/642080/4526216.pdf",
    "imageCount": 1,
    "hasImages": true,
    "source": "import",
    "hasTranscription": false
}

{
    "url": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/4526216",
    "naId": 4526216,
    "coverageEndDate": {
        "logicalDate": "1969-09-30",
        "month": 9,
        "year": 1969
    },
    "coverageStartDate": {
        "logicalDate": "1969-09-01",
        "month": 9,
        "year": 1969
    },
    "levelOfDescription": "fileUnit",
    "recordType": "description",
    "ocrSource": "nara-archive"
}

{
    "seq": 1,
    "pageIndex": 0,
    "type": "document",
    "url": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/ford/grf-0054/642080/4526216.pdf",
    "mediaId": "15c8bdebb540181b",
    "ocrText": "The original documents are located in Box D27, folder \"Dinner, Reelection Campaign of\nMayor Gordon Payrow, Bethlehem, PA, September 22, 1969\" of the Ford Congressional\nPapers: Press Secretary and Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.\nCopyright Notice\nThe copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of\nphotocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. The Council donated to the United\nStates of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.\nWorks prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public\ndomain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to\nremain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid\ncopyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library.\nDigitized from Box D27 of The Ford Congressional Papers: Press Secretary\nand Speech File at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library\n<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<\nFORD is LIBRARY 03480\nPeople and Payrow Dinner\nSEPTEMBER 22, 1969\n6:00 COCKTAILS\nPeople and Payrow Dinner Menu\n7:15 DINNER\nInvocation by DR. RAYMOND S. HAUPERT\nCHILLED MELON BALLS\nPresident Emeritus Moravian College\nRELISHES\nROLLS AND BUTTER\n8:30 PROGRAM\nToastmaster - FRANK R. BARNAKO\nROAST PRIME RIBS OF BEEF AU JUS\nSpeaker - THE HONORABLE GERALD R. FORD\nMinority Leader\nASPARAGUS POLONAISE\nSWEET POTATO A L'ORANGE\nof the House of Representatives\nRemarks - THE HONORABLE H. GORDON PAYROW\nLETTUCE AND TOMATO\nMayor\nCity of Bethlehem\nCHOICE OF DRESSING\nGLACE AUX CERISES\nDINNER MUSIC\nby\nMATT GILLESPIE\nBEVERAGE\nPeople and Payrow Dinner Committee\nMR. JOHN A. HESKE\nMR. JOHN F. NASH\nChairmen\nMR. ROBERT H. HOLLAND\nMR. AND MRS. LEON McGEADY\nMRS. BERNARD COHEN\nDR. AND MRS. F. F. MEILICKE\nMR. SAMUEL BLACK\nMR. FRANCIS B. GOODWIN\nMR. GORDON J. ALLAN\nMR. AND MRS. DOUGLAS C. PAUL\nMR. JAMES E. RAY\nMRS. RICHARD L. AMENT, JR.\nDR. AND MRS. JOSEPH N. CORRIERE\nMRS. FRED T. BEES\nMRS. WILLIAM H. MEUB\nMR. AND MRS. EDWARD A. GILBERT\nMR. AND MRS. THOMAS L. JACOB\nMR. AND MRS. THOMAS H. B. BOOTHE, JR.\nDINNER LAUNCHING THE REELECTION CAMPAIGN OF\nMAYOR GORDON PAYROW, AT 7 P.M., MONDAY, SEPT.\n22, 1969, AT THE HOTEL BETHLEHEM, BETHLEHEM,\nPA.\nHow. threat american Isle\nGOOD EVENING, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:\nI FEEL SO FLATTERED BY THAT MARVELOUS\nINTRODUCTION THAT I CAN HARDLY WAIT TO HEAR\nWHAT I AM GOING TO SAY.\nSERIOUSLY, IT'S WONDERFUL TO BE HERE.\nONE OF THE GREAT THINGS ABOUT A CITY THIS\nSIZE IS THAT YOU CAN DRIVE DOWNTOWN IN ABOUT\nFIVE MINUTES AND BACK HOME IN ABOUT THE SAME\nTIME.\nYOU KNOW, THEY TALK ABOUT LEISURE TIME\nTODAY AND WHAT A PROBLEM IT IS TO MAKE GOOD\nUSE OF IT. LEISURE TIME IS NO PROBLEM IN A\nMETROPOLITAN AREA LIKE WASHINGTON, D.C. IN\nWASHINGTON, WE USE IT ALL UP GETTING TO AND\nFROM WORK.\nWASHINGTON IS A UNIQUE CITY. IT'S THE\n-2-\nONLY CAPITAL IN THE WORLD WHERE A FELLOW\nMAKING $30,000 A YEAR AND SITTING IN A PLUSH\nOFFICE CAN PICK UP A RINGING TELEPHONE AND\nANSWER: \"POVERTY.. MAY I HELP YOU?\"\nMAYBE YOU' RE WONDERING WHAT CONGRESSMAN\nJERRY FORD IS DOING HERE HELPING TO KICK OFF\nMAYOR PAYROW'S CAMPAIGN FOR REELECTION.\nTHE ANSWER IS SIMPLE. I BELIEVE IN\nGOOD GOVERNMENT AND I BELIEVE GOOD GOVERNMENT\nBEGINS AT THE LOCAL LEVEL. I BELIEVE YOU'VE\nBEEN GETTING GOOD GOVERNMENT, AND I'D LIKE TO\nSEE THAT CONTINUE. I BELIEVE THAT STRONG\nLOCAL GOVERNMENT IS THE FOUNDATION OF A\nDYNAMIC FEDERAL SYSTEM. I BELIEVE THAT A\nNATION IS NO STRONGER THAN THE SUM TOTAL OF\nALL ITS PARTS -- THE SUM TOTAL OF ITS LOCAL\nGOVERNMENTS AND ALL ITS PEOPLE.\nFROM WHAT I HAVE LEARNED ABOUT GORDON\nPAYROW AND ABOUT BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA\nSINCE I BECAME DIRECTLY INTERESTED IN MAYOR\n-3-\nPAYROW'S REELECTION CAMPAIGN, THE PEOPLE OF\nBETHLEHEM ARE VERY FORTUNATE INDEED. IF\nEVERY COMMUNITY IN THE UNITED STATES HAD THE\nSTRENGTHS OF BETHLEHEM, PA. -- HAD THE KIND\nOF MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT AND THE KIND OF\nPROGRESS YOU HAVE ENJOYED UNDER THE\nLEADERSHIP OF GORDON PAYROW -- I WOULD HAVE\nNO FEARS FOR THE FUTURE OF AMERICA.\nNEARLY 10 MONTHS AGO, I ADDRESSED THE\nSTATE LEGISLATIVE LEADERS OF THE UNITED\nSTATES AT THEIR ANNUAL CONFERENCE IN HONOLULU.\nI TALKED WITH THEM ABOUT THE TERRIBLE COMPLEX\nOF PROBLEMS WHICH HAS COME TO BE DESCRIBED AS\nTHE URBAN CRISIS. I SPOKE OF THE PRESSING\nNEEDS THAT ARE CRUSHING AMERICAN CITIES, IN\nWHICH TWO-THIRDS OF ALL OUR CITIZENS LIVE.\nTONIGHT LET ME SAY THAT THE CHANCES OF\nSOLVING OUR URBAN PROBLEMS ARE FAR BETTER IN\nA SMALLER CITY LIKE BETHLEHEM, PENNSYLVANIA,\nTHAN IN A DECAYED METROPOLIS WHERE CONDITIONS\nHAVE SO DETERIORATED AS TO BE ALMOST BEYOND\n-4-\nREDEMPTION.\nI HAVE BEEN STUDYING YOUR CITY.\nI\nHAVE MADE IT A POINT TO LEARN EVERYTHING IT\nIS POSSIBLE FOR ME TO KNOW ABOUT YOUR\nCOMMUNITY. PERHAPS I SEE YOUR CITY EVEN BETTER\nTHAN SOME OF THE TOWNSPEOPLE, BECAUSE THEY\nARE TOO CLOSE TO IT.\nYOU OF COURSE HAVE PROBLEMS, MANY\nPROBLEMS, BUT YOU LIVE IN A FINE TOWN. TAKE\nA GOOD LOOK AT YOUR TOWN -- THE TOWN THAT\nGORDON PAYROW HAS BEEN RUNNING UNDER YOUR\nMAYOR-COUNCIL FORM OF GOVERNMENT SINCE 1962.\nYOU HAVE THE FASTEST GROWING CITY IN\nPENNSYLVANIA, THE INDUSTRIAL HUB OF THE\nLEHIGH VALLEY.\nYOUR PROPERTY TAX RATE OF 12 AND ONE-\nHALF MILLS IS THE LOWEST REAL ESTATE LEVY OF\nPENNSYLVANIA'S 52 CITIES. YOUR WATER RATE IS\nTHE SECOND LOWEST.\nBur. of 2nt. Rw. -\nI'll write any place 2 please\nYOUR PER CAPITA INCOME IS THE HIGHEST\n-5-\nAMONG PENNSYLVANIA 49 THIRD-CLASS CITIES.\nYOUR TOTAL PAYROLL LAST YEAR WAS $341\nMILLION.\nNEW CONSTRUCTION IN YOUR TOWN WAS THE\nTHIRD HIGHEST IN DOLLAR VALUE IN THE STATE IN\nTHREE OF THE LAST SIX YEARS.\nYOU'VE HAD VERY LITTLE RACIAL TROUBLE.\nUNDER GORDON PAYROW'S LEADERSHIP, YOU\nHAVE BUILT A NEW FOUR-BUILDING MUNICIPAL\nGOVERNMENT COMPLEX COSTING A TOTAL OF $11.5\nMILLION.\nYOUR SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE SECOND\nLARGEST IN THE STATE, BOASTS MANY MODERN\nFACILITIES, INCLUDING A RECENTLY BUILT SECOND\nHIGH SCHOOL.\nYOU HAVE A FINE PAROCHIAL SCHOOL\nSYSTEM, INCLUDING A HANDSOME NEW CATHOLIC\nHIGH SCHOOL.\nYOUR TOWN IS THE HOME OF THE WORLD-\nFAMOUS BETHLEHEM BACH CHOIR, OUTSTANDING\nINSTITUTIONS OF HIGHER LEARNING, TWO\n-6-\nHOSPITALS, THREE NEW LIBRARIES AND 81 CHURCHES.\nTHE AVERAGE VALUE OF SINGLE FAMILY\nHOMES IN YOUR TOWN IS THE HIGHEST IN\nPENNSYLVANIA.\nYOUR LOCAL REDEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IS A\nMODEL FOR THE STATE AND HAS ALREADY ELIMINATED\nTHE ONLY SUBSTANDARD HOUSING AREAS IN YOUR\nCITY.\nHISTORIC BETHLEHEM, INC. IS ABOUT TO\nBEGIN A MAMMOTH RESTORATION OF YOUR CITY'S\nRICH HISTORICAL RESOURCES.\nBETHLEHEM STEEL HAS MOVED ITS\ncorporate Nacis are localed\nin\nCORPORATION OFFICES TO YOUR TOWN AND SOME\nWEEKS AGO BEGAN CONSTRUCTING A NEW 23-STORY\nOFFICE BUILDING, WITH A TWIN FACILITY PLANNED\nFOR ABOUT 1975.\nUNDER WHOSE LEADERSHIP HAVE YOU\nEXPERIENCED ALL THIS PROGRESS? THAT'S RIGHT.\nMAYOR GORDON PAYROW'S. HE IS SYMBOLIC OF\nTHAT SPECIAL SPIRIT YOU HAVE HERE IN BETHLEHEM\n-7-\n-- THAT SPIRIT THAT SAYS, \"WE'LL MAKE IT\nWORK.\"\nMAYOR PAYROW IS THE EMBODIMENT OF THE\nSENSE OF COMMUNITY YOU HAVE HERE IN BETHLEHEM\n-- THE SPIRIT OF VOLUNTARISM THAT IS SO\nNECESSARY IF A COMMUNITY IS TO SOLVE ITS\nPROBLEMS.\nYOU HAVEN'T SOLVED ALL OF YOUR PROBLEMS.\nOF COURSE NOT. BUT YOU CAN POINT TO\nTREMENDOUS ACHIEVEMENTS IN BETHLEHEM, AND A\nLOOK AT MAYOR PAYROW'S RECORD OF PUBLIC\nSERVICE GIVES AN OUTSIDER LIKE ME PLENTY OF\nINSIGHT INTO WHY THOSE ACHIEVEMENTS WERE\nPOSSIBLE.\nMAYOR PAYROW HAS GIVEN THIS CITY HONEST\nGOVERNMENT, EFFICIENT GOVERNMENT, ECONOMICAL\nGOVERNMENT AND EXCELLENT SERVICE.\nECONOMY HAS BEEN THE WATCHWORD AS\nMUNICIPAL PURCHASING WAS CENTRALIZED, A COST\nRECORDING SYSTEM WAS ESTABLISHED FOR ALL CITY\n-8-\nDEPARTMENTS, AND A CENTRALIZED DUPLICATING\nBUREAU WAS ESTABLISHED.\nEFFICIENCY WAS THE AIM WHEN MAYOR\nPAYROW ESTABLISHED A PERPETUAL INVENTORY\nSYSTEM IN THE CITY STOREHOUSE.\nCONTINUED GOOD SERVICE RESULTED WHEN\nCITY EMPLOYES' MORALE WAS KEPT HIGH BY BASING\nALL CITY EMPLOYMENT AND PROMOTIONS ON MERIT,\nAND BY ESTABLISHING A JOB CLASSIFICATION AND\nINCREMENT PLAN FOR ALL CITY EMPLOYES. GOOD\nSERVICE ALSO FLOWED FROM MAYOR PAYROW'S EFFORTS\nTO UPGRADE CITY WORKERS THROUGH A VARIETY OF\nTRAINING PROGRAMS AND COURSES.\nEQUITY AND EFFICIENCY FOLLOWED FROM\nMAYOR PAYROW'S LEADERSHIP IN THE EQUALIZATION\nOF PROPERTY ASSESSMENTS AND CODIFICATION OF\nALL CITY ORDINANCES.\nYOUR CITY IS FINANCIALLY SOUND UNDER\nMAYOR PAYROW'S DIRECTION. MAYOR PAYROW HAS\nLED BETHLEHEM OUT OF A DEFICIT IN 1961 TO AN\nOPERATING SURPLUS OF $2 MILLION-PLUS FROM\n-9-\n1962 TO THE PRESENT. THAT'S THE REASON YOUR\nCITY HAS A VERY STRONG DOUBLE-A CREDIT RATING\nFROM STANDARD AND POOR'S AND AN \"A\" RATING\nFROM MOODY. THIS IS THE BEST CREDIT RATING\nBETHLEHEM HAS EVER ACHIEVED, AND IT CAME\nABOUT DURING MAYOR PAYROW'S ADMINISTRATION.\nYOUR CITY HAS GROWN UNDER MAYOR PAYROW.\nYOUR COMMUNITY HAS EXPANDED BY 1,229\nAPARTMENT UNITS SINCE 1962, AND HOMEOWNERS\nHAVE SPENT NEARLY $6 MILLION TO IMPROVE THEIR\nDWELLINGS HERE IN THE LAST DECADE.\nYOUR CITY HAS BENEFITED THROUGH\nIMPROVEMENTS IN YOUR PUBLIC WORKS, ELECTRICAL\nAND FIRE BUREAUS. CAPITAL EQUIPMENT ACQUIRED\nBY THOSE BUREAUS IN THE LAST SIX YEARS IS\nVALUED AT NEARLY $420,000.\nMAYOR PAYROW HAS BEEN DEEPLY CONCERNED\nABOUT THE HEALTH NEEDS OF BETHLEHEM'S\nCITIZENS. YOUR BI-CITY HEALTH BUREAU -- THE\nONLY ONE IN THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA--\n-10-\nIS SOLID PROOF OF THAT.\nMAYOR PAYROW HAS DEMONSTRATED HIS\nABILITY AND WILLINGNESS TO WORK WITH THE\nFEDERAL GOVERNMENT IN PLANNING FOR YOUR\nCITY'S FUTURE AND IN BUILDING A GREATER\nBETHLEHEM. BETHLEHEM IS FIRST IN THE STATE\nOF PENNSYLVANIA IN FEDERAL AID PROGRAMS AMONG\nTHIRD-CLASS CITIES, AND MAYOR PAYROW HAS\nENLARGED YOUR PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT BUREAU\nSTAFF TO DRAW PLANS FOR BETHLEHEM'S FUTURE\nGROWTH.\nCOLLECTION OF DATA FOR THE COMMUNITY\nRENEWAL PROGRAM HAS BEEN STARTED.\nBUSINESS AND INDUSTRY HAVE FLOURISHED\nHERE UNDER MAYOR PAYROW'S ADMINISTRATION.\nTHIS HAS BROUGHT A BROADER TAX BASE AND NEW\nJOBS, WITH DEVELOPMENT OF THE BETHLEHEM RISK\nCORP., A START ON THE SHELL BUILDING FOR\nINDUSTRIAL GROWTH, AND THE OPENING OF EIGHT\nNEW BANKS IN BETHLEHEM IN THE PERIOD 1961\n-11-\nTHROUGH 1968.\nYOURS IS A BUSTLING, BOOMING TOWN.\nI\nSHOULD THINK YOU WOULD BE TREMENDOUSLY PROUD\nOF BETHLEHEM AND ALSO OF THE FINE MAYOR UNDER\nWHOM ALL THIS PROGRESS HAS TAKEN PLACE. THERE\nIS NO CAMPAIGN SLOGAN THAT RINGS MORE TRUE\nTHAN GORDON PAYROW'S. I JOIN WITH YOU IN\nSAYING, \"REELECT GORDON PAYROW AND KEEP THE\nNEW BETHLEHEM MOVING.\"\nNO, I AM NOT FINISHED. I HAVE MORE TO\nTELL YOU -- MUCH MORE -- BUT I CAN ONLY TOUCH\nON PART OF IT.\nAMONG THE CITY SERVICES MOST VALUED\nBY PEOPLE ARE FIRE AND POLICE PROTECTION.\nMAYOR PAYROW'S RECORD IS ONE OF CONSTANT\nEFFORT TO IMPROVE FIRE AND POLICE PROTECTION\nSERVICES. I HAVE CHECKED IT OVER. I WAS\nPLEASED TO SEE THAT THREE NEW FIRE HOUSES\nHAVE BEEN BUILT DURING MAYOR PAYROW'S\nADMINISTRATION, THE NUMBER OF POLICE AND\n-12-\nFIREMEN HAS BEEN INCREASED, AND THE NUMBER\nOF POLICE NIGHT PATROLS HAS BEEN INCREASED.\nHERE'S ANOTHER IMPORTANT FACTOR IN\nHOLDING DOWN THE INCIDENCE OF CRIME. YOU\nHAVE HAD A NEARLY 70 PERCENT INCREASE IN\nSTREET LIGHTING INSTALLATIONS SINCE 1961.\nI WAS ALSO MUCH IMPRESSED THAT\nBETHLEHEM UNDER MAYOR PAYROW WAS DECLARED THE\nSAFEST CITY IN THE NATION BY THE NATIONAL\nSAFETY COUNCIL. THAT'S THE KIND OF TOWN IN\nWHICH TO RAISE YOUR CHILDREN.\nI COULD LIST ALL OF THE PUBLIC WORKS\nPROJECTS BUILT UNDER MAYOR PAYROW BUT I WAS\nNEVER MUCH OF A WATERMAIN AND SEWER MAN. AS\nA FORMER HIGH SCHOOL AND COLLEGE ATHLETE, I'D\nRATHER TALK ABOUT YOUR FINE RECREATION\nFACILITIES -- YOUR TENNIS COURTS, BASKETBALL\nCOURTS AND ICE RINK AT SELL FIELD AND\nDEVELOPMENT OF THE LEHIGH CANAL. AS A FATHER,\nI VIEW WITH GREAT FAVOR YOUR TEENAGE\n-13-\nENTERTAINMENT CENTER AT ILLICKS MILL, YOUR\nSUMMER TEEN DANCES AT THE MUNICIPAL ICE RINK,\nYOUR TEEN COFFEE HOUSE, AND THE EXPANSION OF\nYOUR VARIOUS PARKS AND OTHER RECREATIONAL\nFACILITIES.\nI LOOK AT YOUR NEW BETHLEHEM, AND I\nSAY TO YOU THAT THE PAYROW ADMINISTRATION HAS\nRESTORED CIVIC PRIDE IN YOUR TOWN.\nYOU PROBABLY RECALL THAT WHEN MAYOR\nPAYROW WAS FIRST ELECTED IN 1961 HE CAME INTO\nOFFICE AGAINST A BACKDROP OF INEFFICIENCY AND\nCORRUPTION.\nSINCE THAT TIME I UNDERSTAND THAT\nBETHLEHEM HAS EXPERIENCED A VERITABLE\n\"RENAISSANCE\"-- A REBIRTH SYMBOLIZED BY THE\nCONSTRUCTION OF THE MAGNIFICENT NEW CITY\nCENTER. YOUR TOWN'S REBIRTH ALSO WAS ATTESTED\nTO BY THE FACT THAT THOUSANDS ATTENDED YOUR\nCITY'S BIRTHDAY PARTY TWO YEARS AGO.\n-14-\nI PERSONALLY FEEL CONFIDENT THAT YOU\nWILL REELECT GORDON PAYROW AND THAT YOU WILL\nKEEP THE NEW BETHLEHEM MOVING.\nI SAY THAT BECAUSE I KNOW ALL OF YOU\nLOVE YOUR TOWN. YOU HAVE DEMONSTRATED THAT\nBY BECOMING INVOLVED IN THE LIFE OF YOUR TOWN.\nTHE FACT THAT MAYOR PAYROW HAS A TASK FORCE\nOF 177 VOLUNTEERS IS PROOF THAT THE CITIZENS\nOF THIS CITY ARE CONCERNED. THE FACT THAT\nYOU HAVE 21 BOARDS AND COMMISSIONS STAFFED BY\n146 VOLUNTEERS SPEAKS OF THE FINE CITIZEN\nINVOLVEMENT YOU HAVE HERE.\nTHIS IS THE CHALLENGE TODAY IN TOWNS\nAND CITIES ACROSS THE LENGTH AND BREADTH OF\nAMERICA -- TO GET THE CITIZENS OF OUR\nCOMMUNITIES INVOLVED, TO MAKE THEM CARE.\nWE MUST BUILD OUR LOCAL COMMUNITIES IF\nWE ARE GOING TO BUILD A GREATER AMERICA AND\nGROW TO NEW GREATNESS AS A NATION AND A\nPEOPLE.\n-15-\nI SAY TONIGHT THAT CITIZENS ACROSS\nAMERICA MAY WELL LOOK TO BETHLEHEM,\nPENNSYLVANIA, WITH ITS FINE RECORD OF\nPROGRESS UNDER MAYOR PAYROW AND ITS GREAT\nCITIZEN INVOLVEMENT FOR LESSONS IN CIVIC\nIMPROVEMENT.\nAS FOR THE CITIZENS OF BETHLEHEM, THEY\nNEED ONLY REDEDICATE THEMSELVES TO THE NEW\nBETHLEHEM AND CONTINUE TO JOIN HANDS WITH\nGORDON PAYROW TO KEEP THE NEW BETHLEHEM\nMOVING. THANK YOU.\n-END-\nDistribution 20 copies Mr. Ford\nM Office Copy\nREMARKS BY REP. GERALD R. FORD, R-MICH.\nREPUBLICAN LEADER, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES\nAT A DINNER LAUNCHING THE REFLECTION CAMPAIGN OF MAYOR GORDON PAYROW\nAT THE HOTEL BETHLEHEM, BETHLEHEM, PA.\n7 P.M. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1969\nFOR RELEASE ON DELIVERY\nGood evening, ladies and gentlemen: I feel so flattered by that marvelous\nintroduction that I can hardly wait to hear what I am going to say.\nSeriously, it's wonderful to be here. One of the great things about a city\nthis size is that you can drive downtown in about five minutes and back home in\nabout the same time.\nYou know, they talk about leisure time today and what a problem it is to make\ngood use of it. Leisure time is no problem in a metropolitan area like Washington,\nD.C. In Washington, we use it all up getting to and from work.\nWashington is a unique city. It's the only capital in the world where a\nfellow making $30,000 a year and sitting in a plush office can pick up a ringing\ntelephone and answer: \"Poverty. .may I help you?\"\nMaybe you're wondering what Congressman Jerry Ford is doing here helping to\nkick off Mayor Payrow's campaign for reelection.\nThe answer is simple. I believe in good government and I believe good\ngovernment begins at the local level. I believe you've been getting good govern-\nment, and I'd like to see that continue. I believe that strong local government\nis the foundation of a dynamic federal system. I believe that a nation is no\nstronger than the sum total of all its parts -- the sum total of its local govern-\nments and all its people.\nFrom what I have learned about Gordon Payrow and about Bethlehem, Pennsylvania,\nsince I became directly interested in Mayor Payrow's reelection campaign, the people\nof Bethlehem are very fortunate indeed. If every community in the United States\nhad the strengths of Bethlehem, Pa. -- had the kind of municipal government and the\nkind of progress you have enjoyed under the leadership of Gordon Payrow -- I would\nhave no fears for the future of America.\nNearly 10 months ago, I addressed the state legislative leaders of the United\nStates at their annual conference in Honolulu. I talked with them about the\nterrible complex of problems which has come to be described as the urban crisis.\nI spoke of the pressing needs that are crushing American cities, in which two-\nthirds of all our citizens live.\n(more)\n- 2 -\nTonight let me say that the chances of solving our urban problems are far\nbetter in a smaller city like Bethlehem, Pa., than in a decayed metropolis where\nconditions have so deteriorated as to be almost beyond redemption.\nI have been studying your city. I have made it a point to learn everything\nit is possible for me to know about your community. Perhaps I see your city even\nbetter than some of the townspeople, because they are too close to it.\nYou, of course, have problems, many problems, but you live in a fine town.\nTake a good look at your town -- the town that Gordon Payrow has been running\nunder your Mayor-Council form of government since 1962.\nYou have the fastest growing city in Pennsylvania, the industrial hub of the\nLeHigh Valley.\nYour property tax rate of 12½¹/2 mills is the lowest real estate levy of\nPennsylvania's 52 cities. Your water rate is the second lowest.\nYour per capita income is the highest among Pennsylvania's 49 third-class\ncities.\nYour total payroll last year was $341 million.\nNew construction in your town was the third highest in dollar value in the\nstate in three of the last six years.\nYou've had very little racial trouble.\nUnder Gordon Payrow's leadership, you have built a new four-building municipal\ngovernment complex costing a total of $11.5 million.\nYour school district, the second largest in the state, boasts many modern\nfacilities, including a recently built second high school.\nYou have a fine parochial school system, including a handsome new Catholic\nhigh school.\nYour town is the home of the world-famous Bethlehem Bach Choir, outstanding\ninstitutions of higher learning, two hospitals, three new libraries and 81\nchurches.\nThe average value of single family homes in your town is the highest in\nPennsylvania.\n(MORE)\n- 3 -\nYour local redevelopment program is a model for the state and has already\neliminated the only substandard housing areas in your city.\nHistoric Bethlehem, Inc. is about to begin a mammoth restoration of your\ncity's rich historical resources.\nBethlehem Steel has moved its corporation offices to your town and some\nweeks ago began constructing a new 23-story office building, with a twin\nfacility planned for about 1975.\nUnder whose leadership have you experienced all this progress? That's\nright. Mayor Gordon Payrow's. He is symbolic of that special spirit you have\nhere in Bethlehem - that spirit that says, \"We'll make it work.\"\nMayor Payrow is the embodiment of the sense of community you have here in\nBethlehem - the spirit of voluntarism that is so necessary if a community is to\nsolve its problems.\nYou haven't solved all of your problems. Of course not. But you can point\nto tremendous achievements in Bethlehem, and a look at Mayor Payrow's record\nof public service gives an outsider like me plenty of insight into why those\nachievements were possible.\nMayor Payrow has given this city honest government, efficient government,\neconomical government and excellent service.\nEconomy has been the watchword as municipal purchasing was centralized, a\ncost recording system was established for all city departments, and a Central-\nized Duplicating Bureau was established.\nEfficiency was the aim when Mayor Payrow established a perpetual inventory\nsystem in the city storehouse.\nContinued good service resulted when city employes' morale was kept high\nby basing all city employment and promotions on merit, and by establishing a\njob classification and increment plan for all city employes. Good service also\nflowed from Mayor Payrow's efforts to upgrade city workers through a variety of\ntraining programs and courses.\nEquity and efficiency followed from Mayor Payrow's leadership in the\nequalization of property assessments and codification of all city ordinances.\nYour city is financially sound under Mayor Payrow's direction. Mayor\nPayrow has led Bethlehem out of a deficit in 1961 to an operating surplus of\n$2 million-plus from 1962 to the present. That's the reason your city has a\nvery strong double-A credit rating from Standard and Poor's and an \"A\" rating\n(MORE)\n- 4 -\nfrom Moody. This is the best credit rating Bethlehem has ever achieved, and it\ncame about during Mayor Payrow's administration.\nYour city has grown under Mayor Payrow. Your community has expanded by 229\napartment units since 1962, and homeowners have spent nearly $6 million to\nimprove their dwellings here in the last decade.\nYour city has benefited through improvements in your public works, elec-\ntrical and fire bureaus. Capital equipment acquired by those bureaus in the last\nsix years is valued at nearly $420,000.\nMayor Payrow has been deeply concerned about the health needs of Bethlehem's\ncitizens. Your Bi-City Health Bureau -- the only one in the commonwealth of\nPennsylvania -- is solid proof of that.\nMayor Payrow has demonstrated his ability and willingness to work with the\nFederal Government in planning for your city's future and in building a greater\nBethlehem. Bethlehem is first in the state of Pennsylvania in Federal Aid\nprograms among third-class cities, and Mayor Payrow has enlarged your Planning\nand Development Bureau staff to draw plans for Bethlehem's future growth.\nCollection of data for the Community Renewal Program has been started.\nBusiness and industry have flourished here under Mayor Payrow's administra-\ntion. This has brought a broader tax base and new jobs, with development of the\nBethlehem Risk Corp., a start on the Shell Building for Industrial Growth, and\nthe opening of eight new banks in Bethlehem in the period of 1961 through 1968.\nYours is a bustling, booming town. I should think you would be tremendously\nproud of Bethlehem and also of the fine mayor under whom all this progress has\ntaken place. There is no campaign slogan that rings more true than Gordon Payrow's.\nI join with you in saying, \"Reelect Gordon Payrow and Keep the New Bethlehem\nMoving.\"\nNo, I am not finished. I have more to tell you -- much more -- but I can\nonly touch on part of it.\nAmong the city services most valued by people are fire and police protection.\nMayor Payrow's record is one of constant effort to improve fire and police pro-\ntection services. I have checked it over. I was pleased to see that three new\nfire houses have been built during Mayor Payrow's administration, the number of\npolice and firemen has been increased, and the number of police night patrols\nhas been increased.\nHere's another important factor in holding down the incidence of crime. You\n(MORE)\n- 5\nhave had a nearly 70 per cent increase in street lighting installations since\n1961.\nI was also much impressed that Bethlehem under Mayor Payrow was declared\nthe safest city in the nation by the National Safety Countil. That's the\nkind of town in which to raise your children.\nI could list all of the public works projects built under Mayor Payrow but\nI was never much of a watermain and sewer man. As a former high school and\ncollege athlete, I'd rather talk about your fine recreation facilities - your\ntennis courts, basketball courts and ice rink at Sell Field and development\nof the Lehigh Canal. As a father, I view with great favor your teenage enter-\ntainment center at Illicks Mill, your summer teen dances at the Municipal Ice\nRink, your Teen Coffee House, and the expansion of your various parks and other\nrecreational facilities.\nI look at your New Bethlehem, and I say to you that the Payrow Administra-\ntion has restored civic pride in your town.\nYou probably recall that when Mayor Payrow was first elected in 1961 he\ncame into office against a backdrop of inefficiency and corruption.\nSince that time I understand that Bethlehem has experienced a veritable\n\"renaissance\" -- a rebirth symbolized by the construction of the magnificent\nnew City Center. Your town's rebirth also was attested to by the fact that\nthousands attended your city's birthday party two years ago.\nI personally feel confident that you will reelect Gordon Payrow and that\nyou will keep the new Bethlehem moving.\nI say that because I know all of you love your town. You have demonstrated\nthat by becoming involved in the life of your town. The fact that Mayor Payrow\nhas a task force of 177 volunteers is proof that the citizens of this city are\nconcerned. The fact that you have 21 boards and commissions staffed by 146\nvolunteers speaks of the fine citizen involvement you have here.\nThis is the challenge today in towns and cities across the length and\nbreadth of America - to get the citizens of our communities involved, to make\nthem care.\nWe must build our local communities if we are going to build a greater\nAmerica and grow to new greatness as a nation and a people.\nI say tonight that citizens across America may well look to Bethlehem, Pa.,\nwith its fine record of progress under Mayor Payrow and its great citizen\n(MORE)\n- 6 -\ninvolvement for lessons in civic improvement.\nAs for the citizens of Bethlehem, they need only rededicate themselves to\nthe New Bethlehem and continue to join hands with Gordon Payrow to Keep the\nNew Bethlehem Moving. Thank you.\n#######\nREMARKS BY REP. GERALD R. FORD, R-MICH.\nREPUBLICAN LEADER, U.S. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES\nAT A DINNER LAUNCHING THE REELECTION CAMPAIGN OF MAYOR GORDON PAYROW\nAT THE HOTEL BETHLEHEM, BETHLEHEM, PA.\n7 P .M. MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 1969\nFOR RELEASE ON DELIVERY\nGood evening, ladies and gentlemen: I feel so flattered by that marvelous\nintroduction that I can hardly wait to hear what I am going to say.\nSeriously, it's wonderful to be here. One of the great things about a city\nthis size is that you can drive downtown in about five minutes and back home in\nabout the same time.\nYou know, they talk about leisure time today and what a problem it is to make\ngood use of it. Leisure time is no problem in a metropolitan area like Washington,\nD.C. In Washington, we use it all up getting to and from work.\nWashington is a unique city. It's the only capital in the world where a\nfellow making $30,000 a year and sitting in a plush office can pick up a ringing\ntelephone and answer: \"Poverty .may I help you?\"\nMaybe you're wondering what Congressman Jerry Ford is doing here helping to\nkick off Mayor Payrow's campaign for reelection.\nThe answer is simple. I believe in good government and I believe good\ngovernment begins at the local level. I believe you've been getting good govern-\nment, and I'd like to see that continue. I believe that strong local government\nis the foundation of a dynamic federal system. I believe that a nation is no\nstronger than the sum total of all its parts -- the sum total of its local govern-\nments and all its people.\nFrom what I have learned about Gordon Payrow and about Bethlehem, Pennsylvania,\nsince I became directly interested in Mayor Payrow's reelection campaign, the people\nof Bethlehem are very fortunate indeed. If every community in the United States\nhad the strengths of Bethlehem, Pa. -- had the kind of municipal government and the\nkind of progress you have enjoyed under the leadership of Gordon Payrow -- I would\nhave no fears for the future of America.\nNearly 10 months ago, I addressed the state legislative leaders of the United\nStates at their annual conference in Honolulu. I talked with them about the\nterrible complex of problems which has come to be described as the urban crisis.\nI spoke of the pressing needs that are crushing American cities, in which two-\nthirds of all our citizens live.\n(more)\n- 2 -\nTonight let me say that the chances of solving our urban problems are far\nbetter in a smaller city like Bethlehem, Pa., than in a decayed metropolis where\nconditions have so deteriorated as to be almost beyond redemption.\nI have been studying your city. I have made it a point to learn everything\nit is possible for me to know about your community. Perhaps I see your city even\nbetter than some of the townspeople, because they are too close to it.\nYou, of course, have problems, many problems, but you live in a fine town.\nTake a good look at your town -- the town that Gordon Payrow has been running\nunder your Mayor-Council form of government since 1962.\nYou have the fastest growing city in Pennsylvania, the industrial hub of the\nLeHigh Valley.\nYour property tax rate of 12½¹₂ mills is the lowest real estate levy of\nPennsylvania's 52 cities. Your water rate is the second lowest.\nYour per capita income is the highest among Pennsylvania's 49 third-class\ncities.\nYour total payroll last year was $341 million.\nNew construction in your town was the third highest in dollar value in the\nstate in three of the last six years.\nYou've had very little racial trouble.\nUnder Gordon Payrow's leadership, you have built a new four-building municipal\ngovernment complex costing a total of $11.5 million.\nYour school district, the second largest in the state, boasts many modern\nfacilities, including a recently built second high school.\nYou have a fine parochial school system, including a handsome new Catholic\nhigh school.\nYour town is the home of the world-famous Bethlehem Bach Choir, outstanding\ninstitutions of higher learning, two hospitals, three new libraries and 81\nchurches.\nThe average value of single family homes in your town is the highest in\nPennsylvania.\n(MORE)\n- 3 -\nYour local redevelopment program is a model for the state and has already\neliminated the only substandard housing areas in your city.\nHistoric Bethlehem, Inc. is about to begin a mammoth restoration of your\ncity's rich historical resources.\nBethlehem Steel has moved its corporation offices to your town and some\nweeks ago began constructing a new 23-story office building, with a twin\nfacility planned for about 1975.\nUnder whose leadership have you experienced all this progress? That's\nright. Mayor Gordon Payrow's. He is symbolic of that special spirit you have\nhere in Bethlehem -- that spirit that says, \"We'll make it work.\"\nMayor Payrow is the embodiment of the sense of community you have here in\nBethlehem -- the spirit of voluntarism that is so necessary if a community is to\nsolve its problems.\nYou haven't solved all of your problems. Of course not. But you can point\nto tremendous achievements in Bethlehem, and a look at Mayor Payrow's record\nof public service gives an outsider like me plenty of insight into why those\nachievements were possible.\nMayor Payrow has given this city honest government, efficient government,\neconomical government and excellent service.\nEconomy has been the watchword as municipal purchasing was centralized, a\ncost recording system was established for all city departments, and a Central-\nized Duplicating Bureau was established.\nEfficiency was the aim when Mayor Payrow established a perpetual inventory\nsystem in the city storehouse.\nContinued good service resulted when city employes' morale was kept high\nby basing all city employment and promotions on merit, and by establishing a\njob classification and increment plan for all city employes. Good service also\nflowed from Mayor Payrow's efforts to upgrade city workers through a variety of\ntraining programs and courses.\nEquity and efficiency followed from Mayor Payrow's leadership in the\nequalization of property assessments and codification of all city ordinances.\nYour city is financially sound under Mayor Payrow's direction. Mayor\nPayrow has led Bethlehem out of a deficit in 1961 to an operating surplus of\n$2 million-plus from 1962 to the present. That's the reason your city has a\nvery strong double-A credit rating from Standard and Poor's and an \"A\" rating\n(MORE)\n- 4 -\nfrom Moody. This is the best credit rating Bethlehem has ever achieved, and it\ncame about during Mayor Payrow's administration.\nYour city has grown under Mayor Payrow. Your community has expanded by 1,229\napartment units since 1962, and homeowners have spent nearly $6 million to\nimprove their dwellings here in the last decade.\nYour city has benefited through improvements in your public works, elec-\ntrical and fire bureaus. Capital equipment acquired by those bureaus in the last\nsix years is valued at nearly $420,000.\nMayor Payrow has been deeply concerned about the health needs of Bethlehem's\ncitizens. Your Bi-City Health Bureau -- the only one in the commonwealth of\nPennsylvania is solid proof of that.\nMayor Payrow has demonstrated his ability and willingness to work with the\nFederal Government in planning for your city's future and in building a greater\nBethlehem. Bethlehe is first in the state of Pennsylvania in Federal Aid\nprograms among third-class cities, and Mayor Payrow has enlarged your Planning\nand Development Bureau staff to draw plans for Bethlehem's future growth.\nCollection of data for the Community Renewal Program has been started.\nBusiness and industry have flourished here under Mayor Payrow's administra-\ntion. This has brought a broader tax base and new jobs, with development of the\nBethlehem Risk Corp., a start on the Shell Building for Industrial Growth, and\nthe opening of eight new banks in Bethlehem in the period of 1961 through 1968.\nYours is a bustling, booming town. I should think you would be tremendously\nproud of Bethlehem and also of the fine mayor under whom all this progress has\ntaken place. There is no campaign slogan that rings more true than Gordon Payrow's.\nI join with you in saying, \"Reelect Gordon Payrow and Keep the New Bethlehem\nMoving.\"\nNo, I am not finished. I have more to tell you -- much more -- but I can\nonly touch on part of it.\nAmong the city services most valued by people are fire and police protection.\nMayor Payrow's record is one of constant effort to improve fire and police pro-\ntection services. I have checked it over. I was pleased to see that three new\nfire houses have been built during Mayor Payrow's administration, the number of\npolice and firemen has been increased, and the number of police night patrols\nhas been increased.\nHere's another important factor in holding down the incidence of crime. You\n(MORE)\n- 5 -\nhave had a nearly 70 per cent increase in street lighting installations since\n1961.\nI was also much impressed that Bethlehem under Mayor Payrow was declared\nthe safest city in the nation by the National Safety Countil. That's the\nkind of town in which to raise your children.\nI could list all of the public works projects built under Mayor Payrow but\nI was never much of a watermain and sewer man. As a former high school and\ncollege athlete, I'd rather talk about your fine recreation facilities -- your\ntennis courts, basketball courts and ice rink at Sell Field and development\nof the Lehigh Canal. As a father, I view with great favor your teenage enter-\ntainment center at Illicks Mill, your summer teen dances at the Municipal Ice\nRink, your Teen Coffee House, and the expansion of your various parks and other\nrecreational facilities.\nI look at your New Bethlehem, and I say to you that the Payrow Administra-\ntion has restored civic pride in your town.\nYou probably recall that when Mayor Payrow was first elected in 1961 he\ncame into office against a backdrop of inefficiency and corruption.\nSince that time I understand that Bethlehem has experienced a veritable\n\"renaissance\" -- a rebirth symbolized by the construction of the magnificent\nnew City Center. Your town's rebirth also was attested to by the fact that\nthousands attended your city's birthday party two years ago.\nI personally feel confident that you will reelect Gordon Payrow and that\nyou will keep the new Bethlehem moving.\nI say that because I know all of you love your town. You have demonstrated\nthat by becoming involved in the life of your town. The fact that Mayor Payrow\nhas a task force of 177 volunteers is proof that the citizens of this city are\nconcerned. The fact that you have 21 boards and commissions staffed by 146\nvolunteers speaks of the fine citizen involvement you have here.\nThis is the challenge today in towns and cities across the length and\nbreadth of America to get the citizens of our communities involved, to make\nthem care.\nWe must build our local communities if we are going to build a greater\nAmerica and grow to new greatness as a nation and a people.\nI say tonight that citizens across America may well look to Bethlehem, Pa.,\nwith its fine record of progress under Mayor Payrow and its great citizen\n(MORE)\n- 6 -\ninvolvement for lessons in civic improvement.\nAs for the citizens of Bethlehem, they need only rededicate themselves to\nthe New Bethlehem and continue to join hands with Gordon Payrow to Keep the\nNew Bethlehem Moving. Thank you.\n#######"
}