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CRLA - Press Clippings, May 1971 (3 of 6)
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118564764
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CRLA - Press Clippings, May 1971 (3 of 6)
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Ronald Reagan's Governor's Papers of the Press Unit
California Rural Legal Assistance (CRLA) Files
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1975-12-31
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Ronald Reagan Presidential Library Digital Library Collections This is a PDF of a folder from our textual collections. Collection: Reagan, Ronald: Gubernatorial Papers, 1966-74: Press Unit Folder Title: CRLA - Press Clippings, May 1971 (3 of 6) Box: P29 To see more digitized collections visit: https://reaganlibrary.gov/archives/digital-library To see all Ronald Reagan Presidential Library inventories visit: https://reaganlibrary.gov/document-collection Contact a reference archivist at: [email protected] Citation Guidelines: https://reaganlibrary.gov/citing National Archives Catalogue: https://catalog.archives.gov/ PROCEEDINGS IN COURTHOUSE Attorney given Imparial Valley Prece-5-19-71 Attorney given protection 'protection' as hearings open during Valley CRLA hearing (Continued from Page 1) who will prepare a running transcript, known to be a very expensive procedure. By MICHAEL JAMES received three phone calls na witnesses and cannot give a Court Reporters Refuse Request Staff Writer threatening his life. binding oath. This means there An attorney for the commis- El Centro Attorney F. Doug- Last Thursday, Governor Rea- cannot be punishment for per- sion approached the regular as McDaniel, one of the cen- gan's office released copies of jury by witnesses. county court reporters, James ral figures in the present con- an inter - office memo from The commission is headed by Knox and Eldon Atwood, and roversy over the California Robert B. Johnstone, an attor- Robert B. Williams, a retired asked them to prepare the run- Rural Legal Assistance, report- ney at the El Centro CRLA of- justice of the Maine Supreme ning transcript. While the re- ed to police Wednesday he has fice, to the central office of the Court. The other two members porters are known to have made received a number of threats CRLA. In that confidential me- are George R. Currie, a mem- such transcripts in the past against his life. mo, Johnstone listed a number ber of the law faculty at the when they were ordered to do SO Police have placed McDaniel of Valley residents who could University of Wisconsin and a by one of the local Superior under protective surveillance un- testify in favor of CRLA and retired Supreme Court Justice Court judges, they declined the who either knew its "law and from that state, and Robert B. commission's request. il after the two day federal commission hearing on CRLA order song and dance" or who Lee, a member of the Colorado The number of witnesses scheduled to be held in El Cen- would testify to whatever the Supreme Court. which will appear had to give CRLA wanted them to. notice of their intention to tes- tro Thursday and Friday. As the commission has no The hearings are due to start tify last week and had to pro- McDaniel told police he had statutory basis, it can do noth- Thursday morning in Judge vide the CRLA with an outline 1 ing binding to anyone. It can George R. Kirk's courtroom at as to what they were going to only eventually come up with the county courthouse. Judge testify. The deadline for that advice. Kirk has nothing to do with the was a week ago today. The commission meetings, ac- proceedings the county made Attorneys for persons critical cording to a number of attor- the courtroom available as a of CRLA - McDaniel is one of neys at the courthouse, is ex- them - will be promitted to courtesy. pected to be something of 2 cross - examine pro CRLA Hearings, which will start at "legal circus." witnesses only if they give tes- 9 a.m. and are expected to con- Each of the commissioners timony contradicting specific tinue to 5 or 6 p.m., are to be has a clerk who is an attorney. statements by critical witness- held under somewhat bizarre The commission also has a staff of three San Francisco attor- es. ground rules. As the commission has no ex- neys. istence under law and because The commission also is bring- it has benefited from no Presi- ing a staff of court reporters dential order, it cannot subpoe- See ATTORNEY, Page 3 Son Jose, Calif. The News (Cir. D. 75,531) MAY 1.9 1971 Allen's P.C.B. Est. 1888 Reagan Asks Local, State Efforts On Coast SACRAMENTO (UPI) - "I don't think that the state sistance. He said the panel charges that it engaged in il- Reagan said his office Gov Reagan says if Califor- should have the power of to- has shown "an unwilling- legal activities. hasn't "paid much attention" nia is to preserve its unique tal veto," he said, adding ness" to hear full testimony. The Reagan administration to the Democratic plan be- coastline a partnership be- that "we definitely believe Reagan said the commis- has refused to participate in cause it represents, he said, tween state and local govern- there is an area for state in- sion of three out-of-state su- the hearings in an adversary a half-billion-dollar tax in- position, contending the ments - and not the state volvement here and that can preme court justices appar- probe was not supposed to be crease. He also charged the alone will have to do the fall short of simply overrul- ently was declining to hear a trial-like affair. program fails to put a lid on job. ing local government." some testimony against Reagan also said he is con- local property taxes. The governor told his week- Reagan also told newsmen CRLA. The panel was ap- sidering introducing a tax re- The plan by Assemblyman ly news conference Tuesday he doesn't have "too much pointed by Frank Carlueci, form package soon to rival a Joe Gonsalves, D-La Mirada, that a "kind of compact" for director of the U.S. Office of Democratic-backed proposal would reduce property taxes the protection of the coast is confidence" in a federal Economic Opportunity, to in- that has cleared its initial by about $400 for every own what he envisions but not a commission's hearing into vestigate the effectiveness of committee test in the Assem- er-occupied home in the state-directed effort. California Rural Legal As- CRLA and probe Reagan's bly. state. Sacramento, Calif. The Bee (Cir. D. 172,411 Sun. 200,545) P.C.B. Est. 1888 Death Penalty Reagan Will Not Declare Moratorium On Executions By Tom Arden Bee Capitol Bureau sentenced to death and have : been executed?" WELFARE - Pledged use Gov. Ronald Reagan will not follow the lead of gover The US Supreme Court re- of the administrative power nors of at least two other cently upheld the constitu- of the governor to put into tionality of methods used by effect part of his welfare re- states to declare a morato t rium on the death penalty California and other states form program but made it S until the US Supreme Court to impose the death penalty. clear legislative action is 1 necessary on some phases of acts on the legal question of To Await Ruling ; it. Announced he will contin- whether it is "cruel or un- The governors of Ohio and ue meeting with Assembly usual punishment." Maryland have indicated Speaker Bob Moretti, D-Los At his press conference they will stay executions in Angeles County, and Sen. yesterday afternoon, Reagan their states until a ruling is James R. Mills, D-San Diego was asked if he had given made on whether it is "cruel County, president pro tem- any thought to the possibili- or unusual punishment" to pore of the Senate, to try to ty of a delay in California impose the death penalty. reach a compromise on wel- executions. The number of con- fare reform. "No," replied the gover- demned in California has LEGAL ASSISTANCE - nor, "I think that things are reached 99. The last execu- "Very frankly," the gover- following their normal tion in the San Quentin Pris- nor said, "I don't have too course here. I don't think we on gas chamber was in April much confidence in what is have any intention of declar- 1967 when Aaron Mitchell of going to be the outcome of ing a moratorium over and Sacramento was put to death this commission's findings." beyond. the decision that's for killing a policeman while He made the comment in re- been handed down." committing a robbery. sponse to a question on what Reporter's Query Gov. Reagan spoke out on he thought about the deci- other issues as follow: "In other words if the dates are set, then you will CONSERVATION - De- not interfere with the dates clared the state has a sion of the three-member taken up at a University of that are set by the courts?" "place" in the preservation federal commission investi- California regents meeting a reporter asked. of California's coastline but gating the California Rural Friday. The governor said he "No, unless there would it must be in cooperation Legal Assistance that three be circumstances warranting with county and local gov- charges in the governor's felt some campus publica- clemency and the commut- ernment. "I don't think the criticism were not valid. tions "were out of hand' ing of the sentence on that state should have the power Asked what kind of a verdict even before the publication basis," Reagan declared. of total veto," he said, taking he expected the commission of an editorial in the Daily "Governor," he was asked, a position against that of to make, Reagan smiled: "I Californian at the UC Berke- "Would that create a prob- conservation groups who ad- doubt that we will close off ley campus encouraging stu- Folsom Boulevard and have dents to tear down the fence lem if people were executed vocate a strong state role in and then subsequently the protecting the coastline. a street dance when it comes in the People's Park, site of court declared that the TAX REFORM - Indicat- out." The governor's resi- bitter confrontations be- death penalty was unconsti- ed he would offer a tax re- dence on East Sacramento is tween demonstrators and tutional?" form plan to rival that which within a block of Folsom the police. "Well," Reagan respond- the Assembly Revenue and Boulevard. He declared any action in ed. "wouldn't that apply to Taxation Committee ap- taking down the People's all the people who have been proved earlier this week. CAMPUS PUBLICATIONS Park fence, as recommended But Reagan said discussions Reported violation of by three Berkeley city coun- will continue with legislators guidelines set in connection cilmen, should be a decision of both Republican and Dem- with printing of campus of the university administra- ocratic parties to see if an newspapers probably will be tors. agreement can be reached. San Jose, Calif. Mercury (Cir. D. 126,382) MAY 19 1971 Allen C Est. 1888 Witnesses Shun CRLA Hearing 242 SALINAS - One witness do my office is here in Sali- Tuesday walked out of a spe- nas. cial commission hearing tes- With that Moreno walked timony about the California Rural Legal Assistance and out of the hearing charging several others failed to show There is no authority to for- up. mation of this court." Salinas attorney William Monday, Moreno testified Moreno, who had been called that he believes CRLA attor- Another story on Page 16 neys were involved last sum- mer in negotiations for both to testify about alleged CRLA wages and hours of UFWOC members at the Martin negotiations with the United Produce Co. Farm Workers Organizing Committee, challenged the A special three-judge panel authority of the commission. is hearing testimony connect- ed with a critical report by "I'm afraid you gentle- Lewis Uhler, head of the men don't want to hear state Office of Economic Op- me, he said. "If you ever portunity San Francisco, Calif. Examiner (Cir. 203,026 Sat. 159,057) MAY 19 1971 Allen's P.C.B. Est. 1888 Soledad CLRA Hearing- Guard Says They're Gagged By Joel Thumak In their requests to testify, --- were cited as objectiona- Two key witnesses for the Examiner News Staff the 10 guards and prison offi- ble by Uhler. state refused to testify yes- SOLEDAD - The special cials said they had informa- And the commission is in- terday after the commission commission investigating tion to prove CRLA attorneys terested in exploring both had earlier ruled that one California Rural Legal As- were behind an aborted mur- these charges at today's state witness couldn't make sistance went into Soledad der plot, threatened prison hearing. a broad attack on CRLA. Prison today to question officials with legal harrass- CRLA doesn't deny han- They called the hearings guards and inmates on the ment, helped smuggle revo- dling legal cases for Soledad "a farce." activities of the poverty law- lutionary literature to prison- inmates. In Salinas the commission yers behind prison walls. ers, defamed guards by call- Inmate Mail found three charges against Ten prison guards and offi- ing them "pigs," and were Dennis Powell, head of CRLA had "no merit" - cials have requested to ap- involved in a plan to get CRLA's Salinas office, re- charges they were illegally pear before the commission weapons to the inmates. vealed at yesterday's hear- representing clients in crimi- to substantiate charges that CRLA attorneys deny all ing in Salinas that his office nal matters. CRLA explana- CRLA attorneys were behind the charges. receives mail from Soledad's tions for the cases went un- some of the tensions of Sole- Not all 10 guards and pris. inmates. contested. dad and partly responsible on officials who requested to "Less than 10 a day," he Yesterday, the commission for some of the inmate dis- testify are expected to be al- said. continued to explore whether turbances here. lowed to tell their stories. But CRLA contends it is CRLA was involved with the Impact On the other side, CRLA not engaging in any illegal or United Farm Workers Or- fears that several inmate unethical activities at Sole- Before the closed door ganizing Committee of Cesar witnesses will chicken out at dad. hearings started this morn- Chavez and whether the pov- the last minute under institu- ing, a spokesman for the Cal- The commission, in its sec- erty attorneys unethically tional pressure. ifornia Correctional Officers ond week of hearings on Gov. harrassed farm growers. Association complained that Charges of CRLA attorneys Reagan's charges against These questions will be the the guards and prison offi- being involved in Soledad CRLA, left Salinas today un- subject of further inquiries cials were being handcuffed prison trouble were made in der heavy attack from the tomorrow and Friday at El the 233-page recital of the by the state's attorney gener- opponents of the poverty at- Centro in the Imperial Valley al. poverty attorneys by Gov. torneys. near the Mexican border. The impact of the testi- Reagan's poverty chief Louis Uhler. mony has already been re- duced by 75 percent," said Radicals CCOA press officer Kenneth In his report, Uhler specifi- Brown. cally points to a CRLA attor- He explained that the at- ney who purportedly wrote torney general's office has Soledad Superintendent C.J. prohibited guards and prison Fitzpatrick and threatened officials from testfying on him with a lawsuit if he any incident that may be didn't meet with prisoners to pending in the courts, the reduce racial tensions in one subject of current investiga- of the prison wings. tions or which may eventual- ly llead to an inquiry. Uhler also charged in his report that CRLA was closely Information tied to radical lawyers, nam- The difficulty, as Brown ing in particular Faye Sten- sees it. is the commission's der. who represents the so- ruling that although the pris- called Soledad Brothers" on hearings are behind and aided in the defense of closed doors, the full text of Black Panther Huey Newton. testimony will later be made Both these activities by public, with the exception of CRLA - seeking a voice in withholding names and iden- prison policy and associating tifleations. with the radical movement Palo Alto, Calif. Times (Cir. D. 44,520) MAY 19 1971. Allen's P.C.B. Est. 1888 Reagan asks 'compact' to protect coastline SACRAMENTO (UPI) -Gov. envisions but not a state-direct- confidence" in a federal com- by the University of California zoning up and down the coast to taking over the mountains, or onald Reagan says if Califor- ed effort. mission's hearing into Califor- regents regarding an editorial insure there will always be the desert or the valley?" he "I don't think that the state nia Rural Legal Assistance. He in the Daily Californian urging preservation of those unique added. ia is to preserve its unique should have the power of total said the panel has shown "an the tearing down of the Peo- beauty spots along the coast, bastline a partnership between veto," he said, adding that "we unwillingness" to hear full testi- ple's Park fence. that there will be preservation tate and local governments— definitely believe there is an mony. Outlining his position in detail of park space and certainly nd not the state alone-will area for state involvement here -Nearly tripled the pay for for the first time on coastline beaches to the extent possible and that can fall short of sim- his Ecology Corps of conscien- management, the governor said for our population," Reagan ave to do the job. ply overruling local govern- tious objectors from $15 to $40 a there was need for zoning ac- said. The governor told his weekly ment." month and announced Angels tion before the 1,000-mile coast "I don't hink that the state lews conference Tuesday that a Reagan also told newsmen Camp would be the second site is haphazardly developed. should simply take over be- kind of compact" for the pro- he: for a corps center. "We do think that there is cause if we once set that prece- ection of the coast is what he -Doesn't have "too much -Expects some action Friday much that could be done in a dent, what's to keep us from Victorville, Calif. Daily Press (Cir. D. 5,350) MAY 19 1971 Allen 3 P.C.B. Est. 1888 He asserted the commission Clerk was unwilling to "allow or bear full testimony that seems to be detrimental to CRLA's activi- ties." won 2489 t The governor's administration has refused to take part in the hearing, objecting to the commission's adversary-like na- ture of taking testimony. The talk governor has asked for an investigation instead of the court-like hearings. SOLEDAD (UPI) -Two pros- Commissioners have ruled pective witnesses notified a that three of 35 specific federal commission Tuesday allegations against the CRLA they would not testify at a are without merit. hearing into California Rural Those allegations were that Legal Assistance activities. the CRLA handled a traffic Mrs. Amelia Harris, a former court case, helped a Chicano CRLA legal secretary in boy be transferred from jail to Salinas, telegraphed that she juvenile hall on a misdemeanor believed the commission was charge and helped three women "not interested in learning the pickets who were arrested in a whole truth" and that she strike called by the AFL-CIO would not "subject herself to United Farm Workers Organiz- the personal aggravations, ha- ing Committee. rassment and frustrations of William Carnazzo, an attor- such a sham." ney who represented a grower John Martin, a grower at El in an eviction case, testified Centro, said he believed the under cross examination Tues- commission did not want to day that he probably would hear his side and "I don't want advise a farm worker to move to dirty your lily-white record." out if he found housing sub- The commission, made up of standard. three supreme court justices from other states, was named by the federal Office of Economic Opportunity to inves- tigate Gov. Ronald Reagan's veto of a federal grant for the poverty agency. Governor Reagan contends the CRLA did not properly fulfill its duties and engaged in partisan politics in violation of OEO regulations. The CRLA asserts the governor is angry because its lawyers defeated him in welfare cases before the courts. At a news conference in Sacramento, the governor said he didn't "have too much confidence in what is going to come out of this commission's findings." Banning and Beaumont, Calif. Record-Gazelle (Cir. 5XW 4,450) MAY 1971 Allen's P.C.B. Est. ISS8 State-Local Partnership Needed To Preserve Coastline-Reagan SACRAMENTO (UPI) - Gov. Ronald pact" for the protection of the coast is government." Reagan says if California is to pre- what he envisions but not a state-direc- Reagan also told newsmen he: ted effort. Although declined to discuss the dealing spelling out his position, several the serve its unique coastline a partnership -Doesn't have "too much confidence" between state and local governments - "I don't think that the state should have in a federal commission's hearing into governor pending in the legislature control. and not the state alone - will have to do the power of total veto," he said, adding California Rural Legal Assistance. He said bills with coastline development the job. the panel has shown an unwillingness" to subject of People's Park, mili- the that "we definitely believe there is an The governor told his weekly news area for state involvement here and that hear full testimony. governor On the had harsh words for the conference Tuesday that a "kind of com- can fall short of simply overruling local -Nearly tripled the pay for his Ecology Corps of conscientious objectors from $15 to $40 a month and announced Angels tants who attempted last week to rip Camp would be the second site for a down the fence surrounding the contro- corps center. versial piece of real estate. -Expects some action Friday by the "Most of the people who wanted to University of California regents regarding storm the park this last weekend, were an editorial in the Daily Californian urging similar to those who caused the problem the tearing down of the People's Park in the first place,' he said. "They were fence. not students for the most part. They Outlining his position in detail for the were so-called street people." first time on coastline management, the Two years ago the governor sent the governor said there was need for zoning Highway Patrol into Berkeley to control a action before the 1,000-mile coast is hap- violent outbreak over the park. One per- hazardly developed. son was shot to death by a sheriff's Ge- "We do think that there is much that puty in the clash. could be done in a zoning up and down the The governor renewed his support coast to insure there will always be pre- for the university to decide for itself servation of those unique beauty spots whether to keep the park fenced off and along the coast, that there will be pre- usec as a soccer field and parking lot or servation of park space and certainly leas) it to the city, which has agreed to beaches to the extent possible for our pop- negdiate again for the plot. ulation," Reagan said. - "1 don't think that the state should simply take over because If we once set that precedent, what's to keep us from taking over the mountains, or the desert or allev?" he added Palo Alto, Calif. Times (Cir. D. 44,520) MAY 19 1971 1 Allen Est. 1888 3 P.C.B. Soledad official stabbed to death; 2 accused SOLEDAD (AP) - Kenneth held and a prison-made knife matter and reached the scene a new maximum security pris- ous by now that the actions Pag were insufficient. E. Conant, 49, program ad- was recovered. within moments. on. "For the kind of hardened In- ministrator at Soledad Prison, Lt. E. D. Steele and supervis- A special federal commission Loren V. Smith, CSEA gener- mate Soledad is called upon to was stabbed to death today and ing counselor or Ed Whalen investigating Gov. Reagan's al manager, dispatched two top handle, the facility is antiquat- two other prison employes suf- were slightly hurt in overpow- charges against the California aides to discuss with State ed." he added. fered minor injuries in subduing ering the convicts. Rural Legal Assistance had Department of Corrections of- He was the fourth prison his two convict attackers, of- ficials the possibility of building employe slain since mid- ficials said. The stabbing took place at scheduled closed hearings in the the Otey Mesa Prison in San January 1970 in a succession of He was the fourth prison 9:30 a.m. as Conant sat at a prison today but postponed Diego County., The project was violent episodes which also employe stabbed to death since desk in the prison's central fa- them to an unspecified future once planned to replace San have taken the lives of four Jan. 13, 1970. cility, preparing to preside at date. Quentin Prison, but was black and two white convicts. Chuck Stowell, assistant su- committee meetings with pris- In Sacramento, the California scrapped for financial reasons. While racial problems were perintendent, said Jerry W. oners. State Employes Association "Security improvements were involved in most previous in- Lund, 28, and Eric V. Hilton, An investigator for the Mon- called for "immediate steps to needed at Soledad before the cidents, prison officials said the 24, both Los Angeles robbers terey County district attorney prevent further tragedies," in- first murders took place," principals in this case were imprisoned since 1967, were was in the prison on another cluding revival of plans to build Smith said. "It should be obvi- Caucasian. Victorville, Calif. Daily Press (Cir. D. 5,350 MAY 19 1971 Allon P.C.B. Est. 1888 3 State, local agencies must save coastlines SACRAMENTO (UPI) -Gov. his Ecology Corps of conscien- precedent, what's to keep us Ronald Reagan says if Califor- tious objectors from $15 to $40 from taking over the moun- nia is to preserve its unique a month and announced Angels tains, or the desert or the coastline a partnership between Camp would be the second site valley?" he added. state and local governments- for a corps center. Although spelling out his and not the state alone-will -Expects some action Friday position, the governor declined have to do the job. by the University of California to discuss the several bills The governor told his weekly regents regarding an editorial pending in the legislature news conference Tuesday that a in the Daily Californian urging dealing with coastline develop- "kind of compact" for the the tearing down of the ment control. protection of the coast is what People's Park fence. On the subject of People's he envisions but not a state- Outlining his position in detail Park, the governor had harsh directed effort. for the first time on coastline words for the militants who "I don't think that the state management, the governor said attempted last week to rip should have the power of total there was need for zoning down the fence surrounding the veto," he said, adding that "we action before the 1,000-mile controversial piece of real definitely believe there is an coast is haphazardly developed. estate. area for state involvement here "We do think that there is "Most of the people who and that can fall short of much that could be done in a wanted to storm the park this simply overruling local govern- zoning up and down the coast to last weekend, were similar to ment." insure there will always be those who caused the problem Reagan also told newsmen preservation of those unique in the first place," he said. he: beauty spots along the coast, "They were not students for the -Doesn't have "too much that there will be preservation most part. They were so-called confidence" in a federal com- of park space and certainly street people." mission's hearing into Califor- beaches to the extent possible Two years ago the governor nia Rural Legal Assistance. He for our population," Reagan sent the Highway Patrol into said the panel has shown "an said. Berkeley to control a violent unwillingness" to hear full "I don't think that the state outbreak over the park. One testimony. should simply take over be- person was shot to death by a -Nearly tripled the pay for cause if we once set that sheriff's deputy in the clash. Huntington Park, Calif. Signal (Cir. 6 X W. 25,000) MAY 1971 Allen's P.C.B. Est. 1888 Reagan Calls CRLA Probe 'Fun and Games' Inquiry SACRAMENTO (AP) - did not join in the fun and Workers Organizing Com- Gov. Reagan says a federal games that were proposed as mittee, the farm labor group commission of jurists has the method for conducting led by Cesar Chavez. engaged in "fun and games" the hearing." Carlucci continued CRLA in probing California Rural Asked what motives the on a six-month grant pending Legal Assistance Inc., the justices would have for not the outcome of the com- war-on-poverty group that being objective in their judg- mission's probe. has fought Reagan's welfare ment of CRLA, Reagan said: Reagan complained CRLA programs for four years. "You know, I just lie awake spent more time filing "class The Republican governor at night wondering wha they action" suits against local said, "Very frankly, I don't are myself." government and the state have much confidence in Regardless of the outcome, than it did helping the in- what's going to be the out- Reagan said, he still expects dividual poor people with come of this commission's President Mxon to support their legal problems. CRLA findings." the view of CRLA and similar successfully fought several With a strained edge to his OEO-financed legal agencies. Reagan attempts to cut back voice, Reagan added, "I December, charging the group welfare and health care "I think the President has benefits. doubt that we will close off Folsom Boulevard and have a made himself perfectly The governor proposed that street dance when it comes clear," he said. "He's made a CRLA be replaced by a out." proposal for a whole new ap- privately financed state-run proach to rural legal group. Reagan said the com- assistance." Tuesday, the commission mission of three out-of-state Reagan vetoed CRLA's $18 declared there was no merit supreme court jurtices ap- million budget for 1971 last to a charge that CRLA at- parently was declining to December, charging the group torneys violated OEO rules hear some testimony against with a variety of violations of by aiding the farm workers' CRLA. The panel was ap- federal rules and guidelines lettuce strike in the Salinas pointed by Frank Carlucci, including "illegal activities" Valley in late 1970 and early director of the U.S. Office of in regard to the United Farm this year. Economic Opportunity, to in- vestigate the effectiveness of CRLA and probe Reagan's charges that it engaged in il- legal activities. The Reagan administration has refused to participate in the hearings in an adversary position, contending the probe was not supposed to be a trial-like affair. Reagan told his weekly news conference Tuesday, "I think a great many people are confused as to why we Inglewood, Calif. Daily News (Cir. 6XW 7,840) MAY 1 9 1971 Allen's P.C.B. Est. 1888 Pauses in thought Gov. Ronald Reagan pauses in thought during his news conference. He said he requested Senators John Tunney and Alan Cranston to vote in favor or the SST program. He also indicated he doesn't have too much confidence in "the outcome of a federal commission's hearing into the California Rural Legal Assistance. UPI telephoto Stockton, Colif, Stockton Record (Cir. D. 63,644) MAY 19 1971 Allon's P.C.B. Est. 1883 Sacramento Summary By the Associated Press Tuesday, May 18 A summary of major action: Gov. Reagen sold he is not very confi- dent about the outcome of a federal investigation into alleged wrongdoing by California Rural Legal Assistance Inc. He added 40 young conscientious objectors have signed up for his newly created California Ecology Corps. THE ASSEMBLY Bills Passed Unification - Would excuse school districts in which two unification elec- tions have foiled in a 12-month period from holding future unification votes; AB 358, Sogley, R-Son Rafeel. Trials - Would make rabies, dog II- cencing and building code violations in fractions instead of misdemeanors, elim- ination trial procedure: AB 1439, Moor- head, R-Glendale. Students - Would oilow community colleges to charge C S1 fee for any schedule change after first two weeks of term; AB 603, Russell, R-Tujunga. Resolutions Introduced Fires - Would order State Insurance Commissioner to study feasibility of adapting swimming pools for emergency firefighting purposes; ACR 107, Prioto, R-Pacific Palisades. THE SENATE Bills Passed Bumpers - Would require cars sold In California after Jan. 1, 1973, to be equipped with bumpers capable of with- standing impact of 5 miles per hour at the front and 2½ m.p.h. at the rear without damage: SB 42, Harmer, R-Glendale. Appropriation - Would appropriate 54.37 million to augment the emergency fund in last year's budget; SB 874, Coi- lier, D-Yreka. La Habra, Calif. Daily Star Progress (Cir. 5,628) MAY 19 1971 Allon's F.C.B. Est. 1888 Reagan Won' Do Dance In CRLA Verdict SACRAMENTO (UPI) -Gov. Ronald Reagan doubts that the conclusions reached by a federal commission investigat- ing the California Rural Legal Assistance will please him to the point of throwing a "street dance." "Very frankly I don't have too much confidence in what is going to be the outcome of this commission's findings," he told his weekly news conference Tuesday. Reagan said he had heard from witnesses that the com- mission-appointed by the Nix- on administration-displayed an "unwillingness to allow or hear full testimony that seems to be detrimental to CRLA's activi- ties." Asked what he thought the results would be, the governor responded, "I doubt that we ; will close off Folsom Boulevard and have a street dance." ( Folsom Boulevard is a Sa- cramento thoroughfare near : Reagan's residence. The specially appointed com- mission of three state Supreme Court justices from other states : is looking into Reagan adminis- tration charges against the federally funded agency which provides legal help for the poor. The commission was set up by the Nixon administration after Reagan vetoed $13.8 million in federal funds for the agency, charging it had failed to serve the needs of the poor and had violated Office of Economic Opportunity regula- tions. Although two lawyers have been retained to assist anti- CRLA witnesses, the Reagan administration has refused to take part in the hearings. Santa Barbara, Calif. News Press (Cir. D 37,612 - $ 39,636) MAY Allen's P.C.B. Est. 1888 State and Local Partnership Needed on Coastline: Reagan SACRAMENTO (UPI) - ZONING ACTION Gov. Reagan says if California Outlining his position in de- OUTBREAK is to preserve its unique coast- tail for the first time on coast- line a partnership between line management, the gover- Two years ago the Governor state and local governments nor said there was need for sent the Highway Patrol into - and not the state alone - Berkeley to control a violent zoning action before the 1,000- outbreak over the park. One will have to do the job. mile coast is haphazardly de- veloped. person was shot to death by a The governor told his week- sheriff's deputy in the clash. ly news conference yesterday "We do think that there is The governor renewed his that a "kind of compact" for much that could be done in a support for the university to the protection of the coast is zoning up and down the coast decide for itself whether to what he envisions but not a to insure there will always be keep the park fenced off and state-directed effort. preservation of those unique used as a soccer field and "I don't think that the state beauty spots along the coast, parking lot or lease it to the should have the power of total that there will be preservation city, which has agreed to ne- veto," he said, adding that of park space and certainly gotiate again for the plot. "we definitely believe there is beaches to the extent possible an area for state involvement for our population," Reagan TAX REFORMS here and that can fall short of said. : "I don't think that the state Reagan also said he is con- simply overruling local gov- ernment." should simply take over be- sidering introducing a tax re- cause if we once set that prec- form package soon to rival a LEGAL AID edent, what's to keep us from Democratic-backed proposal taking over the mountains, or that has cleared its initial VI Reagan also told newsmen the desert or the valley?" he bly. committee test in the Assem- he: added. 1 -Doesn't have "too much Although spelling out his po- confidence" in a federal com- Reagan said nis office mission's hearing into Califor- sition, the Governor declined hasn't "paid much attention" nia Rural Legal Assistance. to discuss the several bills to the Democratic plan be- He said the panel has shown pending in the Legislature cause it represents, he said, a "an unwillingness" to hear dealing with coastline develop- half-billion-dollar tax increase. full testimony. -Nearly tripled the pay for ment control. He also charged the program his ecology corps of conscien- On the subject of People's fails to put a lid on local prop- tious objectors from $15 to $40 Park, the Governor had harsh erty taxes. a month and announced Angels Camp would be the words for the militants who The plan by Assemblyman second site for a corps center. attempted last week to rip Joe Gonsalves (D), La Mira- -Expects some action Fri- down the fence surrounding da, would reduce property day by the University of Cali- the controversial piece of real taxes by about $400 for every fornia regents regarding an estate. owner-occupied home in the state, editorial in the Daily Califor- "Most of the people who nian urging the tearing down wanted to storm the park this of the People's Park fence. last weekend, were similar to those who caused the problem in the first place," he said. "They were not students for the most part. They were so- called street people." Brea, Calif. Daily Star Progress (Cir. D 5,530) MAY 1 9 1971 Allen's P.C.B. Est. 1888 He asserted the commission was unwilling to "allow or hear 2 Witnesses full testimony that seems to be detrimental to -CRLA's activi- ties." Refuse Federal The governor's administration has refused to take part in the hearing, objecting to the commission's adversary-like na- Commission ture of taking testimony. The governor has asked for an investigation instead of the SOLEDAD (UPI) -Two pros- court-like hearings. pective witnesses notified a Commissioners have ruled federal commission Tuesday that three of 35 specific they would not testify at a allegations against the CRLA hearing into California. Rural are without merit. Legal Assistance activities. Those allegations were that Mrs. Amelia Harris, a former the CRLA handled a traffic CRLA legal secretary in court case, helped a Chicano Salinas, telegraphed that she believed the commission was boy be transferred from jail to juvenile hall on a misdemeanor "not interested in learning the whole truth" and that she charge and helped three women pickets who were arrested in a would not "subject herself to strike called by the AFL-CIO the personal aggravations, hã- United Farm Workers Organiz- rassment and frustrations of such a sham." ing Committee. William Carnazzo, an attor- John Martin, a grower at El Centro, said he believed the ney who represented a grower in an eviction case, testified commission did not want to under cross examination Tues- hear his side and "I don't want I to dirty your lily-white record." day that he probably would I advise a farm worker to move The commission, made up of out if he found housing sub- V three supreme court justices standard. t from other states, was named by the federal Office of Stuart Pollock, a CRLA S Economic Opportunity to inves- attorney, asked: "Suppose he 0 tigate Gov. Ronald Reagan's said, 'I've got eight kids and a they're in school and one of n veto of a federal grant for the them is. sick'-would you still W poverty agency. tell him to get out?" J Governor Reagan contends the CRLA did not properly "Probably," Carnazzo re- 18 fulfill its duties and engaged in plied. nt partisan politics in violation of Pollock told the commission be OEO regulations. The CRLA the answer was "why we have al a CRLA." asserts the governor is angry th because its lawyers defeated him in welfare cases before the courts. At a news conference in Sacramento, the governor said he didn't "have too much confidence in what is going to come out of this commission's findings." Riverside, Calif. Enterprise (Cir. 5XW 44,294) MAY 9 1971 Allan's P.C.B. Est. 1888 Assemblyman demands probe of gag order on state workers SACRAMENTO (P) - The head of The man and wife say they have the Assembly Labor Relations Commit- been ordered to remain in the county tee said yesterday he will demand a welfare building during working hours, state investigation into "intimidation" forbidden to use the telephone and rest. of two welfare workers named as poten- tial witnesses in hearings on California rooms without permission and barred Rural Legal Assistance. from meeting together or with welfare "I am personally outraged by the recipients whose cases they've been clearly arbitrary action of the director handling. of the Imperial County Department of They said the orders came from Welfare in respect to Donna and Mi- County Welfare Director Florence Kin- chael English," Assemblyman David loch after disclosure last week by Gov. Roberti, D-Los Angeles, told a news Reagan's office of alleged CRLA mem- conference. 0S naming them as possible witnesses before the commission probing Rea- gan's charges against the CRLA. Riverside, Colif. Enterprise (Cir. 5XW 44,294) MAY 1971 P.C.B. Est. 1888 Foes of CRLA 'restricted' during hearings, Reagan angrily charges SACRAMENTO (R) - Gov. Reagan bon panel appointed by the Nixon ad- his weekly news conference, complain- said yesterday critics of California Ru- ministration to investigate CRLA. ing the judges had shown "an unwilling- ral Legal Assistance Inc. have been The Republican governor renewed ness to allow or hear testimony that "restricted" in hearings of a blue rib- his attack on the three-judge panel at might be determined to CRLA's activi- ties." Reagan said he believes President Nixon is committed to finding a new system of legal help for the poor to re- place CRLA no matter how the panel rules. But, Reagan said, "I don't have too much confidence in what is going to be the outcome of this commission." Reagan claimed that the judges had not allowed adequate cross examination of CRLA supporters. He said critics of CRLA have been "restricted" in what information they could give and are up- set with "the manner in which witness- es had been treated up to now." It was Reagan's second major at- tack on the commission appointed by federal antipoverty chief Frank Carluc- ci to determine whether to continue funding CRLA, operating under a six- month temporary grant after Reagans' veto of a $1.8 million full-year grant. Reagan earlier complained the judges were not going "out in the field" to investigate CRLA and were conduct ing "fun and games" hearings, a com- plaint he repeated yesterday. Asked what he thought were mo- tives behind the panel's conduct of the hearings, Reagan said: "I just lie awake nights wondering what they are myself." Reagan also said Democrats who claim he could have put most of this present welfare reform into effect fou years ago when he first took office are "misinformed." "Yes, if we had known four years ago what we know now, and if we hac the information we have now, we could have gone ahead," Reagan said. But, he added, "we had to depend for much of our infomation on people in the fields, the professionals, who were opposed to the changes we wanted to make." He said the "great advance in elec. tronic data processing" helped hin overcome that problem and come up with welfare data to put California out in front of all other states in welfare re- form. On other matters, Reagan said: Conscientious objectors consti- tute "a long, and very frankly, an hon- orable tradition of our country." He said 40 volunteers have already signed up for the Ecology Corps he proposed three weeks ago as an alternative to the draft for COs. proving wrong those crit- ics who called the plan a publicity stunt. Democratic $2 billion tax re- form passed by an Assembly committee Monday is still unacceptable to him be- cause, he said, it has half a billion dol- lars of tax increases hidden. He said the plan was also unsound because it has no spending limits on local govern- ment and added he still might introduce his own tax reform plan this year. Coastline conservation must start on the local level with the state playing some part, but not with a total veto. Los Angeles, Calif. Times (Cir. D 955,915 . $ 1,259,489 Witnesses Decline to Testify at Federal Inquiry Into CRLA BY PHILIP HAGER Times Staff Writer SALINAS-A prospective witness farce and an insult to the American suddenly declined to appear before system of justice." the federal commission conducting Five other witnesses, who, like an inquiry on California Rural Legal Mrs. Harris, had been expected to present testimony critical of CRLA, Assistance and denounced its pro- also failed to appear at the hearings. ceedings as a "sham" Tuesday. One of the five, John Martin, presi- Mrs. Amelia Alvarez Harris had dent of Martin Produce, Inc., was been in the hearing room the day be- present briefly in the hearing room fore and had indicated she wanted Tuesday morning but later sent a to testify against CRLA. telegram declining to testify. Com- mission attorneys would not disclose But early Tuesday the commission the contents of Martin's telegram received a telegram, signed by Mrs. Harris, saying: but indicated it was angry in tone. " I find the commission is not Mrs. Harris, a former secretary for interested in learning the whole the local CRLA office, had said that truth but is merely going through attorneys of the federally funded an- the motions. I will not subject my- tipoverty agency had represented self to the personal aggravations, ha- inmates at nearby Soledad Prison in rassment and frustrations of such a violation of federal regulations. sham. I believe the commission is a Please Turn to Page 28, Col. 1 28 May 19, 1971 Los Singeles Times 2* Six Fail to Testify in Investigation of CRLA 242 Continued from Third Page the governor veloed the She also had alleged organization's funds. The commission had CRLA attorneys. were SO asked for testimony on 39 involved in law reform ca- of some 129 charges made ses--a prime criticism by in a report by Lewis Uh- Gov. Reagan-that at one ler, Reagan's economic op- point its Salinas office was portunities director. The other charges, the com- forced to refuse additional mission decided, involved domestic relations and no factual dispute, were "most" credit and consu- "trivial" or involved on mer cases. All these char- "isolated error in judg- ment." ges have been denied by In its hearings here CRLA. Monday the commission Stuart R. Pollak, a San held that three of the 39 Francisco attorney repre- charges had "no merit." senting CRLA, told the And on Tuesday, another commission her allegation allegation, concerning CRLA's handling of an of "harassment" was "1,- eviction case here, was 000% untrue." dismissed when no wit- Pollak charged that Mrs. ness appeared to offer ad- Harris, now associated ditional evidence. with the Monterey County In Tuesday's hearing, Antipoverty Coordinating attended by about 100 per- sons the commission heard Council, had been "threa- testimony critical of tened" with a similar gov- CRLA tactics in a local ernor's veto of that agency landlord-tenant dispute. unless she made allega- William P. Carnazzo, a tions against CRLA. Salinas attorney, told the commission that CRLA The commission, now in had filed a "totally unmer- its second week of hear- itorious and frivolous" ings, was appointed by the case in behalf of a group of Federal Office of Econom- farm workers who had ic Opportunity to investi- been evicted from housing gate the dispute between provided by his client, a the Reagan Administra- Castroville artichoke tion and the CRLA after grower. Carnazzo said CRLA sought to force his client into a settlement by over- whelming him with time and money-consuming liti- gation. Neil Levy, a CRLA at- torney here, defended the case as a legitimate repre- sentation of his clients' in- terests. Levy took note of a serious shortage of de- cent housing for farm workers in the area, say- ing it was "not uncom- mon" to find families forced to live in automo- biles. San Francisco, Calif. Examiner (Cir. D 203,026 - Sal. 159,057) MAY 19 1971 Allon's P.C.B. Est. 1858 Welfare Witness Probe SACRAMENTO - AP) - have been ordered to remain The head of the Assembly in the county welfare build- Labor Relations Committee ing during working hours, said yesterday he would de- forbidden to use the tele- mand a state investigation phone and restrooms with- into "intimidation" of two out permission, and barred welfare workers named as from meeting together or potential witnesses in hear- with welfare recipients ings on California Rural Le- whose cases they have been gal Assistance. handling. "I am personally outraged They said the orders came by the clearly arbitrary ac- from County Welfare Direc- tion of the director of the Im- tor Florence Kinloch after perial County Department of disclosure last week by Gov- Welfare in respect to Donna ernor Reagan's office of al- and Michael English," As- leged CRLA memos naming semblyman David A. Roberti them as possible witnesses (D-Los Angeles) told a before the commission prob- news conference. ing the agency and Reagan's The man and wife say they charges against it. Los Angeles, Celif. Times (Cir. 0 $55,915 - 3 1,269,469) 1871 Allon P.C.B. Est.18888 have a street dance when Reagan Hurls it comes out" The federal commission New Attack at was set up after Reagan vetoed federal Office of Economic Opportunity funds for CRLA. CRLA Probe Reagan's remarks Tues- day were predicated by a BY TOM GOFF commission finding in Sa- Times Sacramento Bureau Chief linas that three of his SACRAMENTO - Gov. charges against CRLA Reagan charged Tuesday were without merit. that a federal commission He said, however, he did investigating his veto of not believe President Nix- anti-poverty funds for the on would be influenced by California Rural Legal the commission's findings. Assistance program is lis- "I think the President tening to only one side. has made himself perfect- The governor, in a re- 1y clear," Reagan said. newed attack against the "He's made a proposal for three. judge panel, said a whole new approach to there has been "an unwil- rural legal assistance. lingness to allow or hear Reagan announced that full testimony that seems "allocation adjust ments" to be imental to had made possible an in- CRLA's activities." crease of $15 a month to He told his weekly Capi- $40 a month in the pay tol news conference: offered conscientious ob- "Very frankly, I don't jectors for service in his have too much confidence new California Ecology in what is going to be the Corps. outcome of this commis- Reagan said that despite sion's findings criticism that the program "I doubt that we will was "a publicity gimmick" close off Folsom Blvd. (a some 40 volunteers al- thoroughfare near his Sa- ready have been signed up cramento residence) and by local draft boards. Oakland, Calif. Tribune (Cir. D 225,038, Sal. 209,931, Sun. 251,534) MAY 19 1971 Allen 3 P.C.B. Est. 1888 Two Witnesses Refuse to Testify SALINAS (AP)-A former Produce Co. of El Centro sent California Rural Legal Assist- the commission a telegram ance secretary has charged saying he had decided against the federal commission inves- testifying because "I didn't tigating its operations with want to dirty your lily - white bias in favor of CRLA. record." Amelia Harris of Salinas, Martin said he made his de- who was to have been a key cision after traveling 600 witness supporting Gov. Rea- miles to the Salinas hearing. gan's fight to sustain his veto Mrs. Harris had been ex- of federal funds, declined to pected to testify in support of testify. state charges that CRLA at- She sent the commission a torneys illegally took criminal telegram yesterday declaring: cases and were responsible to "Having observed the com- some extent for recent prison mission's biased limitations disturbances. on testimony, I find that the Martin had been expected to commission is not interested testify about CRLA lawyers in learning the whole truth but representing nine of the em- is merely going through the ployes during wage negotia- motions. tions. "I will not subject myself to The state has charged that the personal aggravation, ha- in doing S0 the CRLA attor- rassm nt, and frustration of neys actually represented the such a sham. AFL-CIO United Farm Work- "I believe that the commis- ers Organizing Committee. sion is a farce and an insult to the American system of jus- tice." Her message was read from the commission bench into the record. John Martin of the Martin "There are 1,100 em- ployes of HRD who speak Los Angeles, Calif. Spanish and the designa- tion job counselor is just a inadequate. There is re- Times classification, and the cognition of need for im- counselors can use the lan- guage ability of the other provement, but while the HRD employes," Steward total full-time staff in- said. creased from June to Octo- But a federal spokesman ber, 1970, the proportion Allen's P.C.B. Est. 1888 said, "It is true that people of minority staff de- creased. who speak Spanish may be taken off some other "Restrictive minimum 26 Part I--Wed., May 19, 1971 Los Angeles Times 2* jobs to serve as transla- qualifications, limited op- tors, but this is not the portunity for outside re- same as having a Spanish- cruitment and the exami- U.S. Assails State Unit speaking counselor to help nation procedures them- his client directly." selves appear to screen out Steward said that "cer- proportionately more min- on Minorities Program tainly, there is room for ority candidates improvement and we are These goals should, in making just such an im- Report by Labor Dept. Calls on Resources provement, as the federal government knows." Agency to Act for Spanish-Surnamed general, give the agency He said that last year the same proportion of mi- BY HARRY BERNSTEIN there were only 6.8% of population. norities as there is in the Times Labor Writer HRD's 11,000 me m The federal government staff who were Spanish- In language similar to Report Leaked surnamed, but today 7.9% has sharply criticized a that used by the Nixon The report is still confi- are Spanish-surnamed. major agency of the Rea- Administration in de- dential, but when it was A Department of Labor gan Administration for al- leaked to newsmen, feder- spokesman, Donald leged discriminatory prac- al officials immediately is- Phelps, stressed that "the sued a conciliatory state- manding that construction tices and called for a state has made progress in greater effort in behalf of ment saying that while correcting the problems industry and union ranks Spanish-speaking persons. they stand by the report, we found." be opened wider for min- The report, from the the state has been cooper- CRLA has sought a cut- orities, the federal report U.S. Department of Labor, ating fully to solve the off of federal funds to the called on HRD to instruct was the second federal at- problems found by federal state agency by alleging its managers to "establish tack on a state agency in investigators. that the state agency mis- goals" for hiring minori- less than three weeks. The investigation was used $71 million in fed- ties. The latest controversy made by the federal gov- eral money and denies stems from an investiga- ernment after California Spanish-surnamed persons tive report made by the Rural Legal Assistance testing. counseling and re- Labor Department on the filed discrimination char- state Department of Hu- ges against the state agen- man Resources Develop- cy on behalf of five organi- ferrals to jobs with promo- zations representing Mexi- ment, which operates the tional opportunities. American and Spa- state's unemployment and The federal government job training and place- nish-surnamed persons. A CRLA official said report said that while ment programs. HRD did develop an "ex- that the federal report A Nixon Administra- cellent" program to in- found the state agency tion's investigative team crease the number of min- charged April 30 that the "guilty on all counts, and orities on its staff, "evi- makes recommendations Reagan Administration's dence of actual implemen- for reform that are even State Office of Economic more extensive than the tation of any part of the Opportunity has been relief sought by CRLA." program submitted almost using $800,000 a year from a year ago is negligible." federal funds primarily to Called Misleading Other findings and rec- harass and spy on Califor- But Hal Steward, assis- ommendations of the fed- nia's antipoverty agencies tant director of the state eral government included: and not to help the poor. agency, said the federal re- "The proportion of min- Those allegations were port was misleading since, ority staff in the agency is denounced as false by for example, it found that state officials, but the dis- the agency has only 36 pute over the State OEO is Spanis speaking job still unresolved, counselors to service Mex- ican-Americans. Sacramente, Calif. The Bee (Cir. D. 172,411 Sun. 200,546) MAY 19 1971 Allen 3 , P.C.B. Est. 1888 2 Inmates Page 1 Official At 24 Soledad SOLEDAD (UPI) - An administra- tor at Soledad Prison was stabbed to death today by two inmates while a federal commission was at the prison investigating guards' charges against antipoverty lawyers. Kenneth E. Conant, 49, was stabbed at his desk in the prison's central fa- cility. Two other prison employes in the room subdued the attackers. Three guards and five inmates have been killed during the past year at the racially tense prison. All White The victim and his assailants today all were white. The inmates were identified as Jer- ry W. Lund, 28, and Eric Hilton, 24. Officials said a prison-made knife was recovered. The hearing by the federal commis- sion investigating the California Ru- ral Legal Administration was under way at the time but was postponed following the stabbing. The men who grappled with the in- mates suffered minor injuries. They are E.E. Steele and supervisor coun- selor Ed Whalen. The three-member commission of judges had planned to hear prison guards and officials regarding charges CRLA attorneys were behind some of the tensions at the prison and partially responsible for racial distur- bances there. Sacramento, Calif. Bee (Cir. D 172,411, $ 200,545) MAY 19 1971 Allen's P.C.B. Est. 1888 Urban Coalition Chief Says Alternative To Nixon's Budget Is Gaining Support Jack H. Vaughn, president of the mento Urban Coalition, one of 45 National Urban Coalition, said today such groups across the nation: the coalition's "counterbudget" pro- Track Record posed as an alternative to President He praised the local organization's Nixon's 1972 budget is "rolling thun- "track record" on the five or six is. der" which is gathering strength as sues it has confronted in the past the national election year approaches. year. The coalition offered its new bud- "It is pretty hard to beat," Vaughn get to Nixon last February, proposing said. "They have taken on some hard, a $230.8 billion spending program basic issues which affect the little which would chop military and esca- guy." late domestic social welfare pro- Vaughn said Gov. Ronald Reagan's grams. veto of the California Rural Legal As- "This is not just a one-time propos- sistance program's application for a al but rather a five-year look at what 1971 budget allocation has become a is going to happen to our country," national issue," and we are concerned Vaughn said. "For instance, where that it not be swept under the rug." are we going when the Vietnam war Good Program is over?" "It would not be appropriate for Major Issue me to comment while the current in- "Literally dozens of organizations, vestigation of the CRLA is under way. for example, the League of Women but from all the information supplied Voters, have adopted the counter- to me by our (the Urban Coalition's) budget as a major campaign issue. legal department, the CRLA is a good Also. we are gaining more and more program. support from government officials, Vaughn said he is discouraged by senators and congressmen as they progress to solving urban problems read our budget proposals." especially on the federal level. He "The counterbudget" is the result said government cuts in budget items of a year-long $100,000 effort and is which supported school lunch pro the most ambitious project yet for the grams, summer schools and play- four-year-old coalition of private grounds are damaging. groups seeking means to solve urban "We talk about a 6.1 per cent un problems. It attempts to reorganize employment rate, but in the ghettos national priorities to remove inequi- unemployment is as high as 45 per ties which have caused big city riots across the nation since 1966. Jack Vaughn cent, Vaughn commented. "There is a Vaughn is in Sacramento to speak Bee Photo by Harlin Smith saying that when budgets are cut, it is the poor who bleed. I am afraid WE at an annual meeting of the Sacra- are in for another very hot summer.' Sacramento, Calif The Bee (Cir. D. 172,411 Sun. 200,546) MAY 19 1971 Allen's P.C.B. Est. 1889 Ex-CRLA Secretary Declines Bid To Special Probe, Charges Bias SALINAS (AP) - A key of charges that CRLA attor- ing. He said the two social witness in Gov Reagan's neys illegally took criminal workers, Donna and Michael fight against the California cases and were to some ex- English, have been told by Rural Legal Assistance has tent responsible for recent their supervisor in the Impe- declined to testify before a prison disturbances. rial County Welfare Depart- special federal commission, ment that they cannot testify Another Backs Out charging the commission during working hours. with bias in favor of the Another intended witness, John Martin of the Martin Commissioners have ruled CRLA. Produce Co. of El Centro, that three of 35 specific alle- Amelia Harris of Salinas, a said he had to travel 600 gations against the CRLA former CRLA secretary who miles to testify but sent the are without merit. was to have testified in sup- commission a telegram say- Those allegations were port of the governor's veto ing he had decided not to do that the CRLA handled a of CRLA federal funds, sent SO because "I didn't want to traffic court case, helped a a telegram, saying: dirty your lily-white record," Chicano boy get transferred "Having observed the Martin had been expected from jail to juvenile hall on commission's biased limita- to testify about CRLA law- a misdemeanor charge and tions on testimony, I find yers representing nine of his helped three women pickets that the commission is not employes in wage negotia- who were arrested in a interested in learning the tions. strike called by UFWOC. whole truth but is merely The state has charged that going through the motions. in doing SO they actually rep- "I will not subject myself resented the AFL-CIO Unit- to the personal aggravations, ed Farm Workers Organiz- harassment and frustration ing Committee (UFWOC). of such a sham. "I believe that the com- Charges Restriction mission is a farce and an in- Bob Anderson, lobbyist sult to the American system for Social Services Union Lo- of justice." cal 535, AFL-CIO, charged in Her message was read Sacramento yesterday that from the commission bench. two pro-CRLA witnesses Mrs. Harris had been ex- were being prevented by pected to testify in support their employers from testify- Pro-CRLA Pair Said Coerced SACRAMENTO (UPI) -A Ronald Rengan's office as Democratic legislator Tuesday potential pro-CRLA witnesses demanded an investigation by before a special federal com- mission investigating Reagan's state Social Welfare Director charges against the federally Robert Carleson into what he financed antipoverty program. called the "intimidation and A spokesman for the Social coercion" of two Imperial Services Union said that shortly County social workers. after their names were made Assemblyman David Roberti public they were called into the office of Imperial County of Los Angeles called on Welfare Director Florence Kin- Carleson to make an "imme- loch. diate and responsible" investi- Bob Anderson, lobbyist for gation into the case of Michael the union, said Mrs. Kinloch and Donna English. prohibited the couple from Their names were mentioned leaving the building for an indefinite period, confined them in a controversial California to their desk work areas and Rural Legal Assistance memo said they wouldn't be allowed to made public last week by Gov. testify for CRLA during work- ing hours. Anderson said the couple, who have been social workers in Imperial County since 1968, ) also were told not to see their I welfare recipients with whom I they had appointments. : "This type of action shows an irresponsible disregard for the rights and dignity of these welfare department employes in prohibiting them from testifying, Roberti said. Santa Rosa 5-19-71 2 Anti-CRLA Witnesses Balk SOLEDAD (UPI) -Two pros- the CRLA did not properly pective witnesses notified a fulfill its duties and engaged in federal commission Tuesday partisan politics in violation of they would not testify at a 0E0 regulations. The CRLA hearing into California Rural asserts the governor in angry Legal Assistance activities. because its lawyers defeated Mrs. Amelia Harris, a former him in weifare cases before the CRLA legal secretary in courts. Salinas, telegraphed that she The governor's administration believed the commission was has refused to take part in the "not interested in learning the hearing, objecting to the whole truth" and that she commission's adversary-like na- would not "subject herself to ture of taking testimony. The the personal aggravations, ha- governor has asked for an rassment and frustrations of investigation instead of the such a sham." court-like hearings. Commissioners have ruled John Martin, a grower at El Centro, said he believed the that three of 35 specific commission did not want to allegations against the CRLA hear his side and "I don't want are without merit. to dirty your lily-white record." Those ailegations were that the CRLA handled a traffic The commission, made up of court case, helped a Chicano three supreme court justices boy be transferred from jail to from other states, was named juvenile hall on a misdemeanor by the federal Office of charge and helped three women Economic Opportunity to inves- pickets who were arrested in a tigate Gov. Ronald Reagan's strike called by the AFL-CIO veto of a federal grant for the United Farm Workers Organiz- poverty agency. ing Committee. I Governor Reagan contends William Carnazzo, an attor- I ney who represented a grower - in an eviction case, testified I Yesterday under cross examination Tues- ( day that he probably would In Sacramento advise a farm worker to move } out if he found housing sub- 1 By United Press International THE GOVERNOR standard. } Develop Told his weekly news con- ference he does not favor giving the Stuart Pollock, a CRLA : state an absolute veto over local agen- cies' authority to plan for development attorney, asked: "Suppose he of the state's coastline. said, 'I've got eight kids and ! THE SENATE Passed they're in school and one of 1 Bumbers - Requires bumpers begin- ning in 1974 to withstand slow impacts them is sick'-would you still : without damage. SB42 Harmer. R. Glendale, 25-0. To Assembly. tell him to get out?" i Defeated by Judiciary Committee "Probably," Carnazzo re- Hitch - Would have restricted hitch- hiking. SB92 - Nejedly, R-Walnut plied. Creek. Split voice vote. THE ASSEMBLY Poliock told the commission Approved Colleges - Allows community col. leges to charge students $1 to add or the answer was "why we have drop a course two weeks after instruc- a CRLA." tion has started. AB603 - Russell, R-Tuiunga. 44-11. To Senate. COMMITTEES Criminal Justice Approved Grand - Requires Los Angeles County to set UO two grand juries for criminal and a ov n E e n maiters. AB1588 - Schabarum, R-Covina Voice vote. Floor. Rejected S1 Welfare - Would have established uniform penalties in welfare fraud cas- la es. AB124 - MacDonald, R-Oiai. Voice fr Santa Rasa vote. Jury - Would have allowed juries to return less than unanimous verdicts. P AB1396-ACA72 Ray Johnson, R-Chico. No motion to approve. th 5-19-71 K Los Angeles, Calif, Herald Examiner (Cir. D 579,391) MAY 1971 Allen's P.C.B. Est. 1888 1. y i- Coastal Zoning Veto S y e Opposed by Reagan SACRAMENTO (UPI)-Gov. parently there will be no diffi- Ronald Reagan has said he does culty" filling the quota of 250 e not favor giving the state an ab- persons. He announced the 0 d solute veto over local agencies' monthly pay has been nearly to authority to plan for the devel- tripled from $15 to $40 and a 3 opment of California's 1000-mile second campsite has been sel- coastline. ected near Angeles Camp. An- ;, "I don't think the state should other site previously was an- 3 f have the power of total veto,' nounced in Tehama county. 1 Reagan told his weekly news The governor said he saw a , conference yesterday in re- dangerous precedent in permit- sponse to a question on coastal ting the state alone to decide zoning. zoning and development for the coastline. 1 However, the governor said "Once we set that precedent, he thought there was a part for what's to keep us from taking the state to play in efforts to over the mountains, the deserts 1 protect the coast from haphaz- or the valley?" he said. "We be- : ard development. lieve the state has a part to , Reagan also at his news con- play, but it ought to be very ference: careful before moving in." Acknowledged he doesn't The governor also said he has ; "have too much confidence" in "under consideration" a tax re- : the outcome of a Federal com- form plan to rival a Democrat- I mission's hearing into the Cali- ic-backed measure that cleared fornia Rural Legal Assistance its first committee test Monday. I 3 The governor charged that the Reagan said his office "hasn't : , commission has displayed an paid much attention" to the "unwillingness to allow or hear Democratic plan because it rep- : full testimony that seems to be resents, he said, a half billion L 'rimental to CRLA's activi- dollar tax increase. He also E " charged the Democratic propos- V aid that his new California al fails to guarantee that prop- E 3Y Corps, consisting of erty taxes will remain stable E entious objectors, has re- and not be increased by local B 40 volunteers and "ap- governments. H San Francisco, Calif. Chronicle DI 450,233 Sol. A.M. 450,227) MAY 19 1971 P.C.B. Est. 1888 Pollak asked Carnazzo what he would do if tenants Anti-CRLA Witnesses in sub-standard farm housing asked him as a lawyer for advice if they were to be evicted. Boycott Salinas Hearing "I'd probably tell them to move out, if the conditions were that bad,' Carnazzo re- plied. "Why should they stay By George Murphy the commission's biased lim- there?" Chronicle Correspondent itations on testimony, I find Pollak: "Suppose he (the that the commission is not in- farm worker) said, 'I've got Salinas Reagen terested in learning the eight kids, and they're in A Federal Commission whole truth but is merely school, and one of them is investigating the Califor- nia Rural Legal Assistance Appointment going through the motions. sick' - would you still tell "I will not subject myself him to get out?" program was told here to the personal aggravations, Carnazzo: "Probably." yesterday by two prospec- Sacramento harassment and frustrations Pollak: "That's why we tive witnesses against Norman H. W. Jachens of of such a sham. have a CRLA," and the CRLA they wouldn't tes- Alameda, a 35-year-old Re- "I believe that the commis- crowd burst into applause. tify because the commis- publican, was appointed yes- sion is a farce and an insult GAVEL sion is rigged. terday by Governor Ronald to the American system of The courtly and soft- Reagan to the $22,044 position Their comments were in justice.' as chief of the Division of spoken Williamson waited for keeping with Governor Ron- TENOR Housing and Community De- the noise to die down, then ald Reagan's statements at Grower John Martin, who velopment. said: "I've never used a gav- his Sacramento press confer- was to have testified regard- el in a courtroom in my life. ence yesterday that the Nix- He is manager of an in- ing CRLA's relations with and I don't want to use on Administration - appoint- vestment company and a Cesar Chavez' United Farm director of the Alameda one today." ed commission shows "an Workers Organizing Commit- He warned against any fur- unwillingness to allow or chamber of commerce. tee, sent a shorter telegram ther demonstrations and the hear full testimony that Our Correspondent but one that was similar in crowd quieted. seems to be detrimental to tenor. The commission was CRLA's activities." Martin, of El Centro, shown a five-minute film, en- where the commission will The three - member com- volvement with prisoners at titled "Children of the open hearings tomorrow, mission is investigating nearby Soledad Correctional Harvest." It depicted what wired: "I came 600 miles to charges by the Reagan ad- Training Facility. CRLA attorneys said was ministration that CRLA ac- tell my side of the story." The statement was read sub-standard farm housing in He said the commission ap- tivities were detrimental to into the record in the dry, about 70 cent of Monterey parently did not care to hear proper legal representation Down East tones of commis- his side. and closed: "I don't county's agricultural areas. of the rural poor. sion chairman Robert B. Wil- The commission will hold want to dirty your lily white The strongest attack on the liamson, a former chief jus- hearings, beginning at 7 a.m. record." commission's integrity came tice of Maine. Brice Bonnard, a ranch today at Soledad to look into in a telegram from Mrs. Mrs. Harris wired: manager, was to have testi- allegations CRLA attorneys fornented disturbances Amelia Harris, a former "Having" received a carte fied about CRLA involvement CRLA legal secretary here, blanche quote request to tes- in attempting to block evic- among prisoners there. who was to have testified tify unquote from the com- tionsof farm workers from about the organization's in- mission but having observed the Cel-A-Pak Ranch during last year's lettuce strike here. CHARGE Bonnard sent no telegram, but merely did not appear, so the commission simply threw out that charge. It was the subject of evic- tions of farm workers from produced the first audience outburst in the hearings. Stuart Pollak. at attorney representing CRLA. was cross - examining William Carnazzo, an attorney for a grower in an eviction case. Scin Jose, Calif. Mercury (Cir. D. 126,382) MAY 19 1971 Meanwhile, in a brief Allen'sP.C.B. filed with the panel Tues- F.st. 1838 day, the CRLA accused Reagan and his staff of Governor "irresponsible and unethi- cal" conduct to "subvert the effort of this commis- sion." Hits Panel Specifically, the CRLA said the governor's office used a CRLA document known to be On CRLA stolen to attempt to show that the CRLA was hiding unethical conduct from the Mercury Sacramento Bureau commission. SACRAMENTO - Gov. Reagan had these remarks Ronald Reagan said Tuesday on other subjects: he doesn't have "too much Death Penalty - Said he confidence" in the three - has no intention of declaring judge federal panel investi- a further moratorium on the gating his charges against the death penalty in view of the embattled California Rural Supreme Court decision up. Legal Assistance (CRLA) holding its legality. program. Tax Reform - Said he Reagan's criticism, has no comment yet on a voiced at his weekly press Democratic tax reform pro- conference. was the latest posal moving in the Assem- in a running battle with the bly except to say it was in federal government over reality a $500 million tax in- the CRLA program. crease. Reagan said the ad- ministration is considering Reagan vetoed a $1.8 mil introducing its own program. lion federal grant for CRLA Welfare Reform - In re- for 1971, charging the pro sponse to Assembly Speaker gram over stepped its bounds Bob Moretti (D-Van Nuys), and failed to serve the poor who said the Reagan admin- The federal government ap istration could have saved pointed the three-judge pan $176 million in welfare costs el and to investigate anc by instituting administrative funded the program for si> changes not needing legisla- months in the meantime. tion. Reagan said he was still "Very frankly, I don't have checking. He questioned why too much confidence in what in the past four years the is going to be the outcome 0. Legislature has been reluc- this commission's findings,' tant to adopt welfare reform Reagan told newsmen after it proposals advanced by his was noted the panel on Mon administration. day ruled three of the gover Coastline Protection - nor's charges had no merit. Said he prefers a coastline Reagan complained the protection bill giving sub- panel was placing restric stantial authority to local tions on private attorney! and regional coastal preser- cross examining CRLA wit vation bodies, as well as not nesses. He told newsmer usurping local planning com- some witnesses have com missions. He said he opposes plained the panel is forbid a state - mandated coastal ding "full testimony tha protection plan. but agreed seems in be deterimental to some state action would he CRLA's activities." needed to some extent. He said the state should not have absolute veto power over coastal development plans. Reagan Doubts Findings Of CRLA Probe To Be Valid SACRAMENTO (UPI) -Gov. Ronald Reagan doubts that the conclusions reached by a federal commission investigat- ing the California Rural Legal Assistance will please him to the point of throwing a "street dance." "Very frankly I don't have too much confidence in what is going to be the outcome of this commission's findings," he told his weekly news conference Tuesday. Reagan said he had heard from witnesses that the com- mission-appointed by the Nix- on administration-displayed an "unwillingness to allow or hear full testimony that seems to be detrimental to CRLA's activi- ties." Asked what he thought the GOV. REAGAN Yesterday's Press Conference results would be, the governor tration charges against the federally funded agency which responded, "I doubt that we provides legal help for the poor. will close off Folsom Boulevard The commission was set up and have a street dance." by the Nixon administration Folsom Boulevard is a Sa- after Reagan vetoed $18.8 cramento thoroughfare near million in federal funds for the Reagan's residence. agency, charging it had failed The specially appointed com- to serve the needs of the poor mission of three state Supreme and had violated Office of Court justices from other states Economic Opportunity regula- is looking into Reagan adminis- tions. Santa Rasa 5- 19-71 CRLA hearing ImpricalVally Buss opponents clash The continuing controversy "I was aware Mr. Free and brought about by the scheduled several other witnesses had not hearings of the federally ap- done this, but I didn't say any- pointed commission studying thing about it," Falk said. the California Rural Legal As- 25 To Testify sistance in El Centro continued The attorney for CRLA estl- today as County Clerk Harry mated he had about 25 persons Free charged Jerome Falk Jr., scheduled as potential witness- attorney for CRLA, with "in- es during the two-day hearings, timidation." but added "I don't know it Free claimed he received a there will be enough time to telephone call today ordering hear them all." him to submit a photograph of After the two - day Valley CRLA attorney Robert John- session is completed Friday, stone standing in front of the commissioners plan to take a United Farm Workers Organiz- one-week recess before splitting ing Committee Calexico office up to hold additional hearings earlier this year before noon to- in six other communities hav. day to Falk, or Free would not ing CLRA offices June 1 and 2. be able to testify at the hear- Following that, concluding re- ings Thursday and Friday. marks will be heard in San "You talk about intimida- Francisco. Frank Carlucci, fed- tion," Free said. eral Office of Economic Oppor- tunity director, has requested He added he does not plan to the three - judge commission comply with the order but will submit its reconimendations to show the evidence to the com- him by June 15. mission during hearings. "It's the only reason I would have to testify," he said. "Absolutely Untrue" In rebuttal, Falk said the charge of intimidation was "ab- solutely untrue.' "I have never seen or talked to Mr. Free and wouldn't know him if I saw him," the attorney said. He explained the call to Free was from an attorney for the commission, who contacted sev- eral potential Imperial Valley witnesses requesting them to submit evidence to CRLA coun- sel in compliance with commis- sion rules requiring evidence be given to both sides at least five days before the hearings. Oakland, Calif. Tribune (Cir. D 225,038, Sal. 209,931, Sum 251,534) MAY 19 1971 P.C.B. Est, 1888 Reagan Allon's Calls CRLA Probe 'Fun, Games By BILL STALL for conducting the hearing." vately financed state-run SACRAMENTO (AP)-Gov. Asked what motives the jus- group. Reagan says a federal com- tices would have for not being The commission declared mission of jurists has engaged objective in their judgment of yesterday there was no merit in "fun and games" in prob- CRLA, Reagan said: "You to a charge that CRLA attor- ing California Rural Legal As- know, I just lie awake at night sistance Inc., the war- wondering what they are my- on-poverty group that has self." neys violated OEO rules by fought Reagan's welfare pro- Regardless of the outcome, aiding the farm workers' let- grams for four years. Reagan said, he still expects tuce strike in the Salinas Val- The Republican governor President Nixon to support the view of CRLA and similar ley in late 1970 and early this said, "Very frankly, I don't have much confidence in OEO-financed legal agencies. year. what's going to be the out- "I think the President has come of this commission's made himself perfectly findings." clear," he said. "He's made a The commission is headed With a strained edge to his proposal for a whole new ap- by retired Chief Justice Rob- voice, Reagan added, "I doubt proach to rural legal assist- ert of the that we will close off Folsom ance." Maine Supreme Court. Other Boulevard and have a street Reagan vetoed CRLA's $18 members are Justices George dance when it comes out." million budget for 1971 last Reagan said the commission December, charging the group of three out-of-state supreme with a variety of violations of R. Currie of Wisconsin, re- court justices apparently was federal rules and guidelines, tired, and Robert B. Lee of declining to hear some testi- including "illegal activities" mony against CRLA. The pan- in regard to the United Farm Colorado. el was appointed by Frank Workers Organizing Commit- The commission held hear- Carlucci, director of U.S. Of- tee, the farm labor union led ings Monday and vesterday in fice of Economic Opportunity, by Cesar Chavez. to investigate the effective- Carlucci continued CRLA on Oakland Tribune ness of CRLA and probe Rea- a six-month grant pending the gan's charges that it engaged outcome of the commission's Salinas and will move later in in illegal activities. probe. the week to El Centro, near The Reagan administration Reagan complained CRLA has refused to participate in the Mexican border. Reagan's spent more time filing "class the hearings in an adversary action" suits against local administration has charged position, contending the probe governments and the state that CRLA engaged in illegal was not supposed to be a than it did helping the individ- aid to the Chavez union there, trial-like affair. ual poor people with their le- too. Reagan told his weekly gal problems. CRLA success- news conference yesterday, "I fully fought several Reagan wea., May 1711 Utink a great many people are attempts to cut back welfare confused as to why we did not and health care benefits. Reagan said yesterday that fun and gardes that The governor proposed that were proposed as the method at least two key witnesses had CRLA be replaced by a pri- refused to testify because of "an unwillingness to allow or hear full testimony that seems to be detrimental to CRLA's activities. San Francisco, Calif. Examiner (Cir. D 203,026 - Sat. 159,057) MAY 19 1971 is Est. 1838 A Telkert At almost the same time, the trial of three black con- Soledad viets accused of killing a Sol- edad guard last July was re- suming in nearby Salinas. Murder The 49 year old Conant was a program administrator, in charge of some 600 inmates at the prison. During CRLA Attackers White Much of the past trouble at Quiz at Prison Soledad has been blamed on racial conflicts. But Conant was white and both of the in- By Joel Thumak mates who attacked him also Examiner News Services are white. SOLEDAD - Kenneth A prison spokesman said E. Conant, a top adminis- the motive of the attack to- trator at troubled Soledad day was not known. State Prison, was stabbed Conant was at his desk in to death in his office to- --Turn to Page 12, Col. 1 day and two other offi- cials were injured while subduing the two convicts who attacked him. The fatal attack came just as a special commission opened a meeting at the pris- on to probe charges that at- torneys for the California Ril- rat Legal Assistance were re- sponsible for at least Jume of the tensions and disturbances here. Conant was the tenth man - the fourth non-prisoner - killed at the big prison since January, 1970. Meeting Adjourned The commission adjourned its meeting immediately upon hearing of the latest outburst of violence. There was no known rela- tionship between the com- mission's closed door ses- sion. which began at 7a.m. and the stabbing, which oc- curred at 9:30 a.m. Soledad Official Is Slain by Cons -From-Page 1 nas. He had been a correc- cials had asked to appear be- were behind an aborted mur- tional officer for some 20 fore the special commission the prison's central facility. der plot, that they threatened years. today. Lt. E. D. Steele and Super- prison officials with legal ha- Steele and Whalen were vising Counselor Ed Whalen Before the meeting, a slightly hurt in overpowering rassment, helped smuggle also were in the office pre- spokesman for the California the two convicts. Correctional Officers Asso- revolutionary literature to in- paring for a meeting with an Knife Recevered ciation complained that the mates, defamed guards, and inmate committee. Inmates Jerry W. Lund, 28, Assistant Superintendent guards and officials were were involved in a plan to Chuck Stowell said a being handcuffed by the At- supply weapons to prisonrs. and Eric V. Hilton, 24, were prison-made knife was re- torney General. CRLA attorneys deny all identified as his attackers. covered at the scene. Kenneth Brown, press offi- the charges. Details of the attack were In Sacramento, the Califor- cer of the CCOA, said the At- The federal commission is not immediately given. nia State Employes Associa- torney General's office had in its second week of hear- Los Angeles Robbers tion called for "immediate prohibited guards and offi- ings on Governor Reagan's However, Steele and What- steps to prevent further trag- cials from testifying on any charges against the CRLA. It en subdued the two convicts, edies" like today's. incident that may be pending is scheduled to meet tomor- both robbers sentenced from Security improvements in the courts, the subject of row in El Centro. Los Angeles. were needed at Soledad be- current investigations or All normal work and train- fore the first murders took which may eventually lead to ing schedules were immedi- place.' said CSEA General an inquiry. ately suspended and about Manager Loren V. Smith. "It Claim Evidence 1000 prisoners were locked in should be obvious by now In their requests to testify, their cells. that the actions were insuffi- the officials and guards said Conant, married and the cient." they had information to father of a son, lived in Sali- Ten prison guards and offi- prove that CRLA attorneys Los Angeles, Calif. Los Angeles Daily Journal (Cir. 5XW 6,415) MAY Fst 1888 Unarges CRLA Said Exonerated (Continued from Page 1) office during a strike against lettuce growers. Of 3 Charges by State Dennis Powell, CRLA director in Salinas, testified he had ordered a stop to Farm Union lawyers using SALINAS - A commission of vices Union said that shortly after the telephone in his office. three judges investigating the their names were made public they He also asserted that Scott was Reagan Administration's charges were called into the office of Im- "just plain wrong" when he said he against California Rural Legal perial County Welfare Director had telephoned union lawyers at the Assistance has ruled three of the Florence Kinloch. CRLA office during October, allegations have no merit. Bob Anderson, lobbyist for the November and December. The charges involved CRLA Union, said Mrs. Kinloch prohibited The hearing concerns a veto by taking on a traffic court case, the couple from leaving the building Gov. Ronald Reagan of federal helping three women pickets for an indefinite period, confined funds for the CRLA which he says arrested in the United Farm them to their desk work areas and has inadequately carried out its job Workers lettuce strike be freed on said they wouldn't be allowed to of serving the legal needs of the their own recognizance and helping testify for CRLA during working poor. The Governor also holds the a Chicano boy be transferred from hours. legal poverty agency has violated jail to juvenile hall on a SALINAS (UPI) - Although a OEO regulations against taking part misdemeanor charge. member of the hearing committee in partisan politics. looking into the California Rural CRLA spokesmen say the SACRAMENTO - A Democratic Legal Assistance said his Governor is angry because the legislator demanded an in- organization found no merit to agency defeated him in court on vestigation by State Social Welfare assertions that CRLA attorneys had welfare questions. Director Robert Carleson into what represented persons in criminal Robert B. Williamson, retired he called the "intimidation and actions or had worked for Cesar Maine chief justice who is the coercion" of two Imperial County Chavez' farm union, a sheriff's hearing committee chairman, said social workers. deputy has testified that the CRLA his organization had found no merit Assemblyman David Roberti of worked out of the union's office. to assertions that CRLA attorneys Los Angeles called on Carleson to The testimony by Walter Scott had represented persons in criminal -make an "immediate and respon- came during a hearing by the actions in violation of OEO rules. sible" investigation into the case of Federal Office of Economic Op- Neither did the commission find Michael and Donna English. portunity investigation into CRLA merit in an assertion that they acted Their names were mentioned in a activities. for the UFWOC during the strike, he controversial California Rural Legal Scott, a Monterey County sheriff's added. Assistance memo made public last captain, said that attorneys for the Cruz Reynoso, the CRLA week by Gov. Ronald Reagan's AFL-CIO United Farm Workers executive director, asserted in a office as potential pro-CRLA Organizing Committee had told him memorandum that Donna English, a witnesses. they could be reached at the CRLA welfare department employe in El A spokesman for the Social Ser- (Continued on Page 10) Centro, is being held "under what can only be described as a form of house arrest" to prevent her from testifying before the commission. The commission will meet there Thursday and Friday. San Diego, Colif. Union (Cir. 0 148,337 . $ 258,650) MAY 18-1971 Allen's P.C.B. Est. 1888 CRLA Aid To Chavez Cited SALINAS (AP) A deputy attorneys on the CRLA tele- an Imperial County welfare sheriff and a lawyer for lettuce phone. worker, but that the Depart- growers testified yesterday that CRLA, meanwhile, filed a ment of Welfare had ordered attorneys for farm unionist Ce- memorandum with the com- her not to leave her office, use sar Chavez worked out of the mission, saying it wished to the telephone or have any con- California Rural Legal Assist- question Mrs. Donna English, tact with the CRLA. - ance offices and used its facil- 2 - ities during last year's strike. e The testimony before a spe- cial federal investigating com- e mission was admitted despite r CRLA. objections. F Gov. Reagan has vetoed fed- 1 eral funds for CRLA, charging it with assorted improprieties, but it has been given a tempo- f rary allowance pending the in- quiry. 0 Deputy Sheriff Walter Scott S I- and Andrew Church, a growers' lawyer, testified that United Farm Workers attorneys gave :- the Salinas CRLA telephone n number as the place they could r be reached during the lettuce S strike last October, November d and December. d Dennis Powell, head of the :- CRLA Salinas office, said the 3 union lawyers were permitted to use the CRLA law library and to use its copying machine for a charge. They contended 1 Scott was "just plain wrong" when he said he reached union for Angeles, Calif. Times (Cir. 0 933,915 - 1,269,457) MAY 181971 Allen's P.C.S. Est.1883 hearings would "say any- thing we tell him to." The CRLA attorneys CRLA Lawyers Accuse told the commission the Reagan Administration knew the document was State of Deceptions confidential and has been stolen. They said the sub- sequent release in El Cen- tro of the names of several BY PHILIP HAGER prospective witnesses, in- Times Staff Writer SALINAS - Attorneys dispute with CRLA had for California Rural Legal used tactics that des- Assistance charged Mon- cended from the irrespon- cluding Mrs. English, was day that the Reagan Ad- sible and unethical to that made to "prevent" persons ministration was using from testifying for CRLA. "increasingly devious and which may in fact be cri- Mrs. English was not deceptive tactics designed minal." immediately available for to subvert" the inquiry by This charge was in re- comment, but Mrs. Flo- the federal commission on sponse to the release by rence Kinloch, director of CRLA. the governor last week of the Imperial County Wel- They asserted that an a confidential memo from fare Department in El Imperial County welfare one CRLA attorney to an- Centro, told a reporter worker who wanted to tes- other allegedly saying a that Mrs. English "is on" tify in CRLA's behalf had witness in forthcoming been placed under "a form of house arrest." The attorneys claimed that the welfare worker, restricted phone calls this Mrs. Donna English, had week." been forbidden to leave The commission, made her office, use the tele- up of three out-of-state Su- phone or see clients dur- preme Court justices, was ing working hours and appointed by the federal was "under specific in- OEO to make a fact-find- structions" to have no con- ing inquiry into the dis- tact with CRLA. pute after Reagan vetoed CRLA's $1.8 million budg- Bitterest Attack et Tast December. The attack on the Rea- gan Administration, made in a memorandum filed with the commission as it opened hearings here, was perhaps the most bitter in a dispute that has been marked by angry charges on both sides. The memorandum said, for example, that the gov- ernor and his allies in the Oakland, Calif. Tribune (Cir. D 225,038, Sat. 209,931, Sun. 251,534) MAY 0 1971 Allen's P.C.B. Est. 1888 Study Clears CRLA of Union Link SALINAS (AP) - A federal commission has found "no merit" to a charge that Cali- fornia Rural Legal Assistance violated operating guidelines by aiding a farm workers un- ion during a strike. Chairman Robert B. Wil- liams, retired chief justice of Maine, announced the finding yesterday at the initial session of a hearing that continued to- day in Salinas. The state had contended CRLA attorneys acted as law- yers for Cesar Chavez' United Farm Workers Organizing Committee during last year's lettuce strike. Gov. Reagan has vetoed $1.8 million in federal funds for CRLA, accusing it a number of improprieties. The federal antipoverty agency provided temporary funds pending out- come of the inquiry headed by Williams. State Office of Economic Opportunity head Lewis K. Uhler, a leading CRLA critic, was present yesterday, the first session he had attended since the commission con- vened last month in San Fran- cisco. Williams' decision involved three specific instances where CRLA represented criminal defendants but were not found in violation of guidelines be- cause the cases were misde- meanors, not felonies. CRLA attorneys are prohibited from representing clients in crimin- al felony cases. San Francisco, Calif. Examiner (Cir. D 203,026 - Sct. 159,057) 18 1971 Allen Est. 1888 Reagan Witness Calls CRLA Probe a 'Farce' She did not appear today, By Joel Thumak but her telegram -caused a terday's hearing in which the flurry of charges and count- Reagan forces, who had boy- Examiner News Staff cotted inquiry sessions in San SALINAS - The blue- er-charges. Francisco, tried to partici- ribbon federal panel conduct- Stewart Pollak, one of the pate unofficially here and ing an inquiry into Califor- attorneys representing suffered a setback. nia Rural Legal Assistance CRLA, heard it read and said that "precisely the opposite Finding No Surprise was described as "a farce and an insult to the Ameri- is true." He claimed that it They complained that the can system of justice" today was Reagan's representa- three-man federal panel tives who have been harrass- by a key witness for Gover- would not let them explore nor Reagan's poverty forces. ing CRLA witnesses, and in- matters which they consid- sisted the legal agency has ered vital. The Reagan rep- Amelia Harris, a former never tried to bother Mrs. resentatives had previously CRLA secretary, leveled the Harris. declined to present evidence charge in a telegram to the Phone Calls Reported in support of all their commission which was read charges against CRLA. from the bench as the hear- Private attorneys repre- ing conver ed this morning. senting the State said infor- "Having received a carte mally, however. that she has been receiving many phone So it was no surprise when blanche 'request to testify' calls and has been bothered the special commission ruled from the commission, she that three of Governor Rea- repeatedly in Salinas, where wrote. "but having observed she lives. gan's charges of illegal activ- the commission's biased lim- ities by the poverty lawyers itations on testimony. I find Another witness against have no merit. that the commission is not in- CRLA also sent a telegram to terested in learning the the commission today refus- The commission faced a whole truth but is merely ing to testify although he difficult task when Uhler said going through the motions, said he had come 600 miles the State would not present any case at all to substantiate to be present. Quiz Called 'Sham' 283 pages of charges Uhler "I don't want to dirty your had compiled against CRLA. "I will not subject myself to the personal aggravations, lily white record," John Mar- So the commission picked tin declared. harassment and frustration out 35 specific charges to fo- of such a sham. I believe Inspired By Hearing cus on - and it invited anti- that the commission is a Martin is the owner of the CRLA witnesses to appear at farce and an insult to the Martin Produce Company of American system of justice." El Centro. CRLA attorneys Mrs. Harris was on hand represented nine of his em- yesterday. apparently ready ployes in wage negotiations. to testify in support of and Uhler has charged that charges by Lewis Uhler, the in doing SO they actually rep- Governor's poverty chief. resented the United Farm that CRLA attorneys illegally Workers Organizing Commit- took criminal cases and were tee. to some degree responsible The telegrams were in- for recent prison disturb- spired. apparently, by yes- who sparred angrily with the Pollak kept objecting every commissioners when he time Hinrichs and his wit- wasn't allowed to testify how nesses overstepped the he believed CRLA harassed ground rules the commission farmers in this fertile valley. had laid out. The commissioners ruled This led Uhler to charge, that Moreno could testify on outside the hearing room, only one incident - and give that CRLA "was trying to whatever evidence he had to suppress evidence." its hearings here. yesterday to attack CRLA or prove CRLA was working il- But the commission ruled Reagan's office, still taking incidents in the Uhler report legally on behalf of Cesar in favor of CRLA. no official part in the hear- that the commissioners had Chavez' United Farm Work- ings, provided two attorneys dismissed as unworthy to be Traffic Case ers Organizing Committee in for the invited witnesses. heard. As the second week of that incident. hearings on this controversy Although both attorneys - Forfeited Evidence Elusive opened here yesterday, Robert Hinrichs and William The State could have se- At one point, Hinrichs had CRLA defended itself in tak- Knecht - say they are not lected the charges it believed to admit that Moreno's "evi- ing on a traffic court case, working for Reagan, Uhler were more appropriate to be dence (against CRLA) was helping three women pickets and his aides were busy yes- heard — but it had forfeited hard to put your finger on." arrested in the lettuce strike terday consulting with them that right when it declined to Moreno kept complaining get free on their own recog- on what to do. take an active part in the in- that the "evidence" would nizance and aiding a Chicano Two Attorneys quiry. materialize if he could 80 boy who should not have But Hinrichs and Knecht Hinrichs spent a frustrat- into some incidents the com- been in jail but in juvenile were blocked bythe commis- ing day yesterday with his mission had dismissed weeks hall on a misdemeanor sion every time they sought witness, William Moreno, ago. charge.