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{
    "localId": "1133430",
    "label": "10/8/75 - YWCA of New York City",
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{
    "id": "1133430",
    "sourceUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/1133430",
    "contentType": "document",
    "title": "10/8/75 - YWCA of New York City",
    "description": "This file contains material relating to Waste, Conspicious Consumption.",
    "citationUrl": "https://catalog.archives.gov/id/1133430",
    "collections": [
        "Carla A. Hills Speeches",
        "Speeches"
    ],
    "subjects": [
        "New York (N.Y.)",
        "Equal Rights Amendment Project",
        "Local government",
        "Urban policy"
    ],
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        "day": 8,
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        "year": 1975
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{
    "seq": 1,
    "pageIndex": 0,
    "type": "document",
    "url": "https://s3.amazonaws.com/NARAprodstorage/lz/presidential-libraries/ford/grf-0305/656148/1133430.pdf",
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    "ocrText": "The original documents are located in Box 1, folder \"10/8/75 - YWCA of New York City\"\nof the Carla A. Hills Speeches 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. Gerald Ford donated to the United\nStates of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections.\nWorks prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public\ndomain.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 1 of the Carla A. Hills Speeches at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library\nFINAL\n#\n2\nYWCA OF NEW YORK CITY\nOCTOBER 8, 1975\nYou MAY BE PLEASED TO KNOW THAT I'M NOT GOING TO TALK\nABOUT THE \"STRATEGIC IMPORTANCE OF WOMEN\" IN A MAN'S WORLD.\nI SUSPECT THAT WOULD BE AS POINTLESS AS TRYING TO CONVERT\nCHRISTIANS TO CHRISTIANITY.\nTHE PLACE FOR THAT SPEECH MIGHT BE THE ANNUAL CONVENTION\nOF THE NATIONAL COUNCIL ON DORMANT RESOURCES -- AND, IF ASKED,\nI'D BE DELIGHTED TO MAKE IT,\nBUT, IT IS NOT MUCH USE EITHER TO WOMEN OR TO THE NATION\nTHAT WE, HERE, EXCHANGE STATISTICS ON THE \"WOMAN'S PLACE\"\n(AND I PUT THAT IN QUOTES) IN THE HIGHER ESCHELONS OF PRIVATE\nINDUSTRY AND PUBLIC OFFICE.\nTHE FIGURES VARY, IN SPITE OF INNUMERABLE SUCCESS STORIES\nOVER THE PAST HALF DECADE, STATISTICIANS TELL ME THERE ARE\nFEWER THAN 15 PERCENT WOMEN EXECUTIVES IN INDUSTRY AND 14\nPERCENT IN GOVERNMENT.\nGERALD F. FORD LIBRARY\n-2-\nIT IS OBVIOUS THAT A GREAT MANY PEOPLE WHO NEED TO\nKNOW THESE FACTS -- INCLUDING A VERY LARGE NUMBER OF WOMEN\nTHEMSELVES -- COULD CARE LESS.\nWE DON'T HAVE TO LOOK FAR FOR STATISTICS TO SUPPORT\nTHAT STATEMENT -- JUST TO THE 17 STATES WHICH so FAR HAVE\nFAILED TO RATIFY THE EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT.\nWOMEN ENJOY A MAJORITY IN EVERY ONE OF THE 17 EXCEPT\nNEVADA -- AND IN THAT SILVER STATE THEY MISS IT BY 7/10's\nOF ONE PERCENT.\nMORE THAN THAT, PAT LINDH -- PRESIDENT FORD'S ASSISTANT\nFOR WOMEN'S AFFAIRS -- TOLD ME THAT MOST OF THE ANTI-EQUAL\nRIGHTS AMENDMENT LETTERS RECEIVED BY THE WHITE HOUSE COME\nFROM WOMEN,\nIT IS LITTLE WONDER THAT SOME OF OUR GOOD FRIENDS IN\nTHE VANGUARD OF THE ERA MOVEMENT MIGHT OCCASIONALLY LIKEN\nTHEIR MISSION TO THE JOB OF SELLING A \"YW\" MEMBERSHIP TO\nBURT REYNOLDS,\n-3-\nI ALSO QUESTION, SOMETIMES, WHETHER WOMEN WHO \"HAVE\nIT MADE\" -- AS THEY SAY -- REALLY TAKE THE TIME THEY SHOULD\nTO THINK ABOUT THE PROBLEMS OF ALL WOMEN.\nYES -- PEOPLE THINK ABOUT THE INEQUITIES AND THE OUT-\nRIGHT DISCRIMINATION AS THEY GO ALONG -- BUT, THEY TEND TO\nTHINK IN TERMS OF THEIR OWN EXPERIENCE,\nTHE LATE JACKIE ROBINSON ONCE REMARKED THAT HE WAS so\nENGROSSED WITH MAKING IT AS A BALL PLAYER -- THAT HE DIDN'T\nHAVE ALL THAT MUCH TIME TO THINK ABOUT WHAT HIS OWN STRUGGLE\nWAS DOING FOR \"BLACKS\" IN GENERAL,\nEACH OF US SHOULD FIND A GREAT DEAL OF SOLACE IN WHAT\nMR. ROBINSON ACTUALLY ACCOMPLISHED FOR BLACKS --- NOT BY\nBEING BLACK, BUT BY BEING ONE OF THE BEST BASEBALL PLAYERS\nTHE GAME HAS PRODUCED.\nAND, ALTHOUGH YOU MAY BE AGHAST -- AS I CERTAINLY AM --\nAT THE THOUGHT OF BEING A \"ROLE MODEL\" FOR SOME OF THE OTHER\n35 MILLION WORKING WOMEN IN AMERICA, ONE OF THE BEST THINGS\nYOU CAN DO TO HELP THE \"WOMEN'S CAUSE\" IS TO KEEP PROVING\nLITY BY ACHIEVING.\n-4-\nSUCCESS BREEDS SUCCESS, THE PILING UP OF ONE SUCCESSFUL\nEXAMPLE AFTER ANOTHER IS INDISPENSIBLE \"TRENCH WORK\".\nIT MAY NOT BE AS DRAMATIC AS BILLIE JEAN KING'S HOLDING-\nOUT FOR EQUAL WIN-PURSES FOR WOMEN TENNIS CHAMPS -- BUT, THEN,\nBILLIE JEAN MIGHT NOT HAVE ACCOMPLISHED HER GOAL WITHOUT THE\nSPECTACULAR PERFORMANCES OF THE HELEN WILLS, THE PAULINE BETZS,\nAND THE MAUREEN CONOLLYS, WHO WENT BEFORE.\nTHE NEW YORK YWCA ATTESTS TO THE IMPORTANCE OF THIS IDEA\nBY THE VERY EXISTENCE OF TODAY'S SALUTE TO THOSE WHO HAVE\nACHIEVED IN THE BUSINESS WORLD. THE CAUSE TO WHICH TODAY'S\nPROCEEDS WILL GO, WILL HELP AN INCREASING NUMBER OF YOUNGER\nWOMEN TO FOLLOW IN YOUR FOOTSTEPS TO FUTURE LEADERSHIP.\nEACH OF US HAS AN OBLIGATION -- NOT JUST TO THESE YOUNGER\nWOMEN, BUT TO ALL PEOPLE -- TO HELP MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAVE\nEVERY OPPORTUNITY TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE FULL EXTENT OF THEIR\nCOMPETENCE.\nIT IS IN THIS CONTEXT THAT THE EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT IS\nso IMPORTANT TO THIS NATION.\n-5-\nIT IS NOT A QUESTION OF COMPASSION OR CONSTITUTIONAL\nQUIRKINESS. IT'S A MATTER OF UNMITIGATED WASTE IN A COUNTRY\nWHOSE PRODIGALITY HAS ALREADY BROUGHT OUR RESOURCES TO THE\nBRINK.\nIT WASTES NOT ONLY A GREAT WELL OF UNDER-UTILIZED BRAIN\nPOWER -- BUT PRECIOUS TIME AWAY FROM THE AWESOME PROBLEMS OF\nHUMANITY AS WE ASSAIL THESE SENSELESS POCKETS OF DISCRIMINATION\n-- ONE BY ONE.\nFOR EXAMPLE, CONGRESS FINALLY PASSED THE EQUAL CREDIT\nOPPORTUNITIES AcT, WHICH WILL GO INTO EFFECT WITHIN THE NEXT\nFEW WEEKS. IT TOOK MONTHS TO PUSH THROUGH THIS PATENTLY\nOBVIOUS PIECE OF LEGISLATION -- SQUANDERING TIME THAT MIGHT\nHAVE BEEN BETTER EMPLOYED ON OTHER SERIOUS PROBLEMS,\nRATIFICATION OF THE EQUAL RIGHTS AMENDMENT WOULD PUT AN\nEND TO THE NEED FOR ALL THESE SMALLER BATTLES -- AND VICTORIES\n--- AND LET US ALL GET ON WITH THE VITAL ISSUES,\n-6-\nDETRACTORS OF ERA WOULD LIKE TO HAVE AMERICANS BELIEVE\nTHAT THE THRUST IS DESIGNED TO PRESSURE WOMEN OUT OF THEIR\nHOMES AND INTO THE WORK FORCE, I'M REASONABLY SURE THAT THEY,\nTHEMSELVES, REALLY DO KNOW BETTER.\nTHE CLEAR POINT IS SIMPLY TO MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR WOMEN,\nWHO ARE so INCLINED, TO COMPETE ON AN EQUAL BASIS,\nWOMEN IN BUSINESS, PERHAPS MORE THAN OTHERS, HAVE MANY\nOPPORTUNITIES TO SPEAK OUT ON THAT SCORE,\nIF THE NATION SEEMS TO BE IMPLORING ALL OF US FOR HELP,\nIT ISN'T BECAUSE WE'RÉ SUDDENLY ALLOWED TO SIT AT THE BAR IN\nMCSORLEY'S SALOON.\nIT'S BECAUSE THE NATION REALLY DOES NEED HELP -- THE\nHELP OF EVERY SOUND-THINKING MIND AND VIGOROUS ACHIEVER,\nMEN AND WOMEN OF EVERY COLOR, SHAPE AND SIZE.\nTHE PROBLEMS OF HUMANITY ARE CROWDING IN ON US WITH\nSUCH INEXORABLE ACCELERATION, THERE'S LITTLE LEISURE LEFT\nTO ARGUE THE FINE POINTS OF SUPERIORITY BASED ON THE\nBIOLOGICAL DISTRIBUTION OF GENES.\n-7-\nOUR RESPONSIBILITY IS TO HUMANITY. THE OLD ORDER THAT\nMADE IT NECESSARY FOR YOU TO BE TWICE AS GOOD AND TWICE AS\nEDUCATED TO COMPETE -- NOW MAKES YOU TWICE AS VALUABLE TO\nTHE NATION WHICH FACES SOME VERY TOUGH CHALLENGES IN THE\nYEARS AHEAD.\nLET'S LOOK AT SOME OF THE PROBLEMS THAT CHALLENGE OUR\nLEADERSHIP.\nLIKE DISCRIMINATION, THEY ARE RELATED TO A COMMON CAUSE\n---- WASTE.\nNEWSPAPERS AND ORATORS HAVE MADE US ONLY TOO WELL AWARE\nOF NEW YORK CITY'S DESPERATE FINANCIAL SITUATION. THERE'S\nLITTLE GAIN IN ARGUING ABOUT WHO IS TO BLAME.\nWE KNOW WHO'S TO BLAME,\nWE ALL ARE.\n-8-\nNEW YORK CITY IS BUT A MICROCOSM OF URBAN AMERICANA.\nTODAY, THE SMALLEST CITY IN THE CONTINENTAL UNITED STATES\nMAY LOOK AT NEW YORK AND SAY: \"Yes, IT COULD HAPPEN HERE.\"\nEVEN IF THE TAXPAYERS COULD AFFORD IT, A TEMPORARY\nMONETARY INFUSION TO ANY MAJOR METROPOLIS BY THE FEDERAL\nGOVERNMENT WOULD DO NOTHING TO CLOSE THE GAPING WOUND.\nWE CERTAINLY CAN AGREE THAT THE \"ROOT\" PROBLEM OF ALL\nCITIES -- LARGE AND SMALL -- IS MONEY.\nBUT, IT IS NOT THE MONEY WE HAVEN'T GOT TO PAY TODAY'S\nSTAGGERING BILLS.\nIT'S THE MONEY AMERICA HAS SQUANDERED OVER THE YEARS\nIN THE PILLAGE OF HER OWN RESOURCES,\nIT'S MONEY COUNTED BY THE BILLIONS IN DESECRATED LANDS\nAS AMERICAN FINANCED THE NEWEST RING IN THE SUBURBAN SPRAWL,\nIT'S MONEY SPENT IN RE-CREATING ALL THE AMENITIES AND\nCONVENIENCES OUR OUTWARDLY-MOBILE SOCIETY LEFT BEHIND.\n-9-\nOUR NATIONAL PRODIGALITY IS NOT MERELY MEASURED IN\nDOLLARS -- BUT IN THE HUMANITIES AS WELL.\nFOR NEW YORK CITY, 35,000 UNITS OF HOUSING, A YEAR,\nARE ABANDONED. EXPERTS PREDICT THE RATE WILL RISE TO\n50,000 NEXT YEAR.\nAN ABANDONED HOUSE IS NOT JUST AN OLD DERELICT DOWN\nBY THE RAILROAD IN AN EDWARD HOPPER LANDSCAPE.\nABANDONED WITH IT ARE A PART OF ALL THE THINGS THAT\nMADE IT LIVE.\nMUNDANE THINGS -- LIKE WATER AND SEWAGE LINES, ROADS\nAND TRANSPORATION SYSTEMS AND UTILITIES.\nVITAL THINGS -- LIKE THEATERS, SCHOOLS AND CHURCHES,\nAND PRECIOUS PIECES OF THE HISTORY AND CULTURE THAT\nGIVE THE CITY MAJESTY.\n-10-\nAN E. A. ROBINSON ELEGY ENDS WITH THE WORDS:\n\"THERE IS DARKNESS AND DECAY IN THE\nHOUSE ON THE HILL\n\"THEY HAVE ALL GONE AWAY.\n\"THERE IS NOTHING LEFT TO SAY.\nDo WE, AS EDUCATED AND THINKING BUSINESS LEADERS --\nREALLY HAVE NOTHING TO SAY?\nIN THE FORWARD RUSH OF UN-HEEDED TIME THE NATION HAS\nRAPIDLY RUN OUT OF EXPEDIENT SOLUTIONS AND READY EXCUSES.\nWE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO HELP WITH THE RE-ORDERING OF\nOUR PRIORITIES.\nA WELL-KNOWN WASHINGTON MATRON ONCE REMARKED: \"IT\nTAKES NO TIME AT ALL TO GET USED TO A LIMOSINE.\"\nWELL, THE FUEL SHORTAGE HAS SHOWN US IT TAKES NO TIME\nTO GET USED TO A MINI-CAR EITHER. IT HAS ALSO TAUGHT US\nTHAT THERE'S REAL COMFORT IN AN OLD-FASHIONED SWEATER WHEN\nWE- HAVE TO TURN DOWN THE THERMOSTAT,\n-11-\nTODAY, IT'S FASHIONABLY \"IN\" TO USE RECYCLED NEWSPAPERS\nAND BOYCOTT NON-RETURNABLE CONTAINERS, THAT'S FINE. BUT\nTHERE'S MORE TO THE JOB THAN RECYCLING THE DEBRIS THAT LITTERS\nOUR HIGHWAYS.\nTHE REAL CHALLENGE IS TO RECYCLE WHOLE CITIES THAT NOW\nLITTER THE VERY LIVES OF 16 MILLION AMERICANS WHO ARE OFFICIALLY\nDESIGNATED AS \"THE HOUSING POOR\" -- WHICH IS A BUREAUCRATIC\nCLICHE FOR PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN SLUMS,\nTHERE'S FAR MORE INVOLVED HERE THAN WEARING A PROTEST\nBUTTON AND WAVING THE FLAG.\nIT TAKES PERSONAL, DRIVING ACTIVE PARTICIPATION AT EVERY\nLEVEL OF PRIVATE ENTERPRISE AND PUBLIC OFFICE WHERE THE PLANS\nARE MADE.\nIT TAKES PERSONAL WILLINGNESS TO STAND UP AND BE COUNTED\nAMONG THE FORESIGHTED.\n-12-\nTHAT BOTTLE-STREWN, GARBAGE HEAP OF A VACANT LOT --\nNO MATTER WHERE IT'S LOCATED -- ISN'T SOMEBODY ELSE'S PROBLEM.\nIT'S OURS.\nWE CAN'T KID OURSELVES THAT IT'S JUST A \"WEST SIDE STORY\".\nAND, UNLESS WE DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT, IT WILL BE EVERYBODY'S\nTRADEGY.\nA CITY ISN'T A MASSED CONCENTRATION OF CAPITAL ASSETS,\nIT'S PEOPLE.\nA HEALTHY CITY IS. MADE UP OF PEOPLE OF EVERY ETHNIC AND\nECONOMIC DESCRIPTION -- WHOSE COMBINED ENERGIES AND TAXABLE\nINCOMES KEEP THE CITY IN BUSINESS,\nDESTROY THAT BALANCE AND YOU DESTROY THE CITY,\nIN THE CURRENT \"BUSINESS WEEK\" MAGAZINE WHICH LANDED\nON MY DESK YESTERDAY MORNING, THERE'S AN EXTENSIVE ARTICLE\nON NEW YORK CITY'S REAL ESTATE WOES.\n-13-\nLET ME QUOTE ONE PERTINENT PARAGRAPH,\n\"THE PRESENT DETERIORATION, IF UNCHECKED,\nCOULD MEAN THE VIRTUAL COLLAPSE OF THE\nHOUSING INVENTORY OF NEW YORK CITY AND A\nMASSIVE EROSION OF THE PROPERTY TAX BASE,\nWHICH WOULD HAVE A DEVASTATING EFFECT ON\nTHE CITY'S REVENUE-RAISING ABILITIES.\"\nBUT, THE SHOCK WAVES OF INNER-CITY DESTRUCTION AND DECAY\nDON'T JUST STOP AT THE CITY LIMITS. THEY MOVE OUT TO TOPPLE\nAN EVER-WIDENING CIRCLE OF SUBURBAN DOMINOES.\nTHE ECONOMIC LIFE FORCES THAT BUILT THE BIG CITY, RECUR\nAGAIN AND AGAIN, AS EACH NEW TOWN GROWS AND EXPANDS.\nTHUS, ANY COMMUNITY -- URBAN OR SUBURAN -- THAT ENJOYS,\nOR HOPES TO ATTRACT, THE ECONOMIC BENEFITS OF PRIVATE INDUSTRY\nMUST EXPECT TO SHARE THE ECONOMIC BURDENS. ONE OF THOSE\nBURDENS IS PROVIDING SUITABLE HOUSING FOR THE LOWEST PAID\nWORKERS IN THOSE PLANTS.\n-14-\nYET, IT IS A FACT OF URBAN LIFE THAT IS TOO OFTEN\nCONVENIENTLY OVERLOOKED IN THE PLANNING SESSIONS OF OUR\nCOUNCILS.\nTHE INEVITABLE ALTERNATE IS ANOTHER GROWING SLUM,\nAND ANOTHER CYCLE OF UNCHECKED WASTE -- OF RESOURCES AND\nOF HUMANITY.\nSo, WHEN WE TALK ABOUT THESE PROBLEMS OF NEW YORK --\nOR CHICAGO, OR DETROIT, OR ST. LOUIS -- WE'RE REALLY TALKING\nTHE PROBLEMS OF THE NATION,\nIN TRUTH, OUR MODERN-DAY CITY PROBLEMS ARE SURMOUNTABLE\n--- IF WE ARE WILLING TO MAKE SOME OF THE EARLY-DAY SACRIFICES\nOF THE PIONEERS WHO BUILT AMERICA.\nBy EVERY YARDSTICK -- ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENTAL SANITY,\nAND ECONOMIC NECESSITY -- WE HAVE FINALLY CONCLUDED,\nSTATISTICALLY, WHAT WE SHOULD HAVE CONCLUDED, INTELLIGENTLY,\nMORE THAN A DECADE AGO:\nTHAT IT IS FAR LESS COSTLY TO RECYCLE A CITY THAN IT\nIS TO BUILD ANOTHER SUBURB,\n-15-\nIN FACT, IT COSTS ABOUT 50 PERCENT LESS ALL AROUND --\nIN LAND, ENERGY, CAPITAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT.\nDEMOGRAPHIC CHANGES IN RECENT YEARS MAKE THAT PROPOSITION\nEVEN MORE SALIENT,\nTHERE HAS BEEN A REMARKABLE INCREASE IN ADULT-ORIENTED\nHOUSEHOLDS -- PUSHING THE DEMAND FOR LOW AND MODERATE COST\nHOUSING, ACCESSIBLE TO JOBS AND JOB OPPORTUNITIES, AND THE\nDESIRE FOR NEARBY URBANITIES AND AMENITIES.\nBETWEEN 1970 AND 1973 -- SINGLES, YOUNG MARRIEDS, THE\nCHILDLESS AND THE ELDERLY, ACCOUNTED FOR 82 PERCENT OF THE\nNATION'S NET POPULATION GAIN.\nAMERICA CAN MEET THESE NEEDS, AND, IN THE PROCESS\nBREATHE NEW LIFE INTO OUR CITIES.\nWE HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO CHECK WASTE.\n-16-\nAND THE JOB ISN'T GOING TO GET DONE IF THE NATION WASTES\nA GOLDMINE OF BRAIN POWER, INGENUITY AND INVENTIVENESS OR IF\nIT WASTES TIME DEBATING ABOUT WHO SHOULD BE RUNNING THE STORE.\nTHANK YOU VERY MUCH."
}