Confronting the President

One of the ironies of Washington's position as the nation's capital is that it has long lacked congressional representation of its own. As the flight of whites from the city proceeded apace (71% of the 756,000 residents are now blacks), this absence of franchise came to take on racial overtones. At least the beginnings of a remedy were provided last week with the election of Walter E. Fauntroy, 37, a black Baptist minister, as the capital's first Representative in 96 years.*With one hand clenched in a Black Power salute and the other raised in a "V" peace sign, the ebullient Democrat swept 58.5% of the vote to outdistance John Nevius (25%), a white Republican attorney, and four other black candidates.

The catch in Fauntroy's election is that he will be a nonvoting member of the House; he also becomes the 437th member, which places him on the last rung of the seniority ladder. Otherwise, he receives full congressional privileges, including an office with a staff of 13, an annual salary of $42,500, a vote on the House District of Columbia Committee (where he will likely be placed), and the right to introduce legislation.

A former aide to the late Martin Luther King, Fauntroy has style and personal magnetism. His lively manner and soaring rhetoric reflect careful study of his mentor. Fauntroy campaigned (with the help of Mrs. Coretta King) on the theme "He's going to get us all together." His goals: home rule for Washington and full representation and voting privileges for the capital in Congress.

Guaranteed Income. Fauntroy's initial act was to join the twelve other black Congressmen--all Democrats--in their long-sought confrontation with President Nixon. The black caucus, which meets each week, first tried to gain an interview with the President a year ago, and was put off because of "scheduling difficulties." These difficulties persisted--rather embarrassingly --for nearly a year until the Congressmen boycotted the President's State of the Union message last January. Nixon last week finally granted a hearing.

During the 95-min. meeting, the President jotted notes on a yellow pad as the Congressmen spoke. They eschewed rhetoric in favor of a carefully prepared brief and a tough look at key issues. Representative Charles Diggs of Michigan, caucus chairman, stated in plain terms that the plight of the nation's blacks is so critical that an upswing in the economy alone will not significantly help them.

Said Diggs: "Since you assumed office, we have spent billions of dollars on the war, over 2,000,000 Americans have been added to the ranks of the unemployed, and 2,500,000 more are on the ever-mounting relief roles." Their list of recommendations included replacement of the welfare system with a guaranteed annual income and stronger enforcement of civil rights laws.

Withdrawal. They also asked for an Administration announcement that drug abuse constitutes a national crisis, so that funds could be made available to every major city for the establishment of drug rehabilitation centers and a cabinet-level task force could be appointed to map out a plan for the elimination of drug abuse. The caucus further demanded the complete withdrawal of U.S. troops from Indochina by the close of the 92nd Congress at the very latest. A few of the proposals seemed unrealistic, such as the demand that the U.S. take the lead in politically and economically isolating South Africa.

Nixon named a committee of five White House staffers to study the group's proposals and deliver recommendations to his office. The black caucus members want answers quickly. The day after their meeting with the President, they announced that May 17--the 17th anniversary of the Supreme Court's decision outlawing public-school segregation--was their deadline for Nixon's public response. If this demand is not met, the blacks say they will seek public and congressional support for their proposals. Nixon was obviously impressed by the black House members' thorough preparation. Said the President: "It was a very hard-hitting paper. These things should have been said."

*The D.C. Representative was authorized by a bill last year as part of the continuing effort toward full home rule for the District.

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