Speech #920155936

Working with community groups in seeking funds for economic development. health. day care. etc.. Board members. staff. VISTAs have been directly involved in program development for over $250.000 (already funded) which will serve migrants and seasonal farm workers. as well as the rural poor. The implementation of the grant was Impeded by several factors prior to June 29. 1971. none of which were due to the Board. Namely. the factors were conflicting information from the Migrant Division. threats from the Migrant Division. lack of cooperation from the Migrant Division. grant approval was not received until June 4. 1971. and no funds wire in Charleston until July. 1971. Prior to June 29. 1971. two special committees had been named to go to Washington to meet with Ruth Graves. These arrangements could not be concluded due to the Migrant Division. The Board named another special committee in July at the request of Miss Graves. The composition of this committee was made up entirely of different Board members than the previous Committees. Several Board members were pointedly overlooked. There is a general opinion that the Committee was selected by the Migrant Division. The Kingstree meeting was not adjournedthe Chairman just walked out because of the objections by the people to Washingtons taking over the SCCFW through its appointed special committee. There were several hundred seasonal farm workers and other community people in attendance to voice their objections to the Washington takeover and its statewide plan. which they considered unfeasible. The fact many seasonal farm workers came to support the SCCFW program is indicative of the grass root support held by the Board. and the participants should have been welcomed and encouraged rather than dismissed as a mob. The vacancies in the SCCFW have seriously affected the efforts of the Commission. but we have overcome most of these deficiencies by getting the existing staff to take on the extra work. These vacancies were not filled due to the lack of funds. the uncertainty of the SCCFW. as created by the Migrant Division. and the freeze placed on our operations by the Migrant Division in June. Mr. Speaker. it appears to me as though an agency has dropped the ball in this instance. It looks as though administration policies of the OEO are sufficiently suffering. It also takes on the unsavory flavor of a vendetta. If this defunding attempt survives. a cruel blow will have been dealt to the progress being made on the migrant level. The migrant worker. who has worked long and hard and has asked very little. will have once again been treated shabbily. The South Carolina Commission for Farm Workerswho had set sail on the sea of hope. with hard times behind them. and progress dead aheadwill have been scuttled by a scurrilous. bureaucratic attack. When the time for the pat on the back was at handthe OEO chose to fill its palm with a knife.