This is a machine-generated transcript. Text is unformatted and may contain errors.

Senator. Dr Baumgardner. Of the day. And the other distinguished guests members of the women. Friends and husbands of our members who dubbed themselves the men. Of the woman serving. I'm happy to welcome you and thank you for coming to our birthday party I'd like to introduce and tell you something about each member of our. But the record of achievement and honors for each of them is just to know. Their names are on the seating list and originally they were in the order in which they were seated now they've been a few changes but I think you'll recognize them so I'm going to ask them for to stand for just a minute so you may all see them with. A special word of greeting to the former president to the woman sitting in our public officials and present the members of the educational philanthropic organizations with whom we work and to the founding members of the woman city who foresaw fifty years. How important an organization of women knowledgeable and concerned about the city could be in exerting their influence to make New York City a better place in which to live then before introducing the mistress of ceremonies let me say just a few words about the club and its program. Today which marks the high spot of our anniversary activities we're celebrating more than our past that you can read about in fifty years of civic service we are looking ahead to the future each generation I suppose thinks the problems as it must meet are greater than that of any other generation certainly in this decade the problems created by the rapidity of social change automation increasing scientific knowledge which that really has blasted us and. The very richness of our economy in the midst of much poverty involves us each citizen in many issues we must keep our feet on the ground. But our lives on the starves the woman city club does not aspire to solve all the city's problems. We look to. But we are focusing on some of the fundamental problems which affect every citizen. We expect in the near future to release reports of the studies we've been making in the fields of human municipal Taxation and Finance the administration relocation practices and housing employment services for you and the functioning of the local school boards and next month on Feb twenty fourth at the club we have a most exciting of band a discussion highlighting views and reviews of fifty years of literature you're in music with Mrs Arthur Rhys presiding Dr Norman Lloyd director of arts of Rockefeller Foundation as moderator Elmer Rice author of street scene and counselor at law and many other works this is Elizabeth Janeway renowned author wrists and Dr Hugo wife's girl composer of Six Characters in Search of an opera. Forgive the commercial but we hope to see you in carrying out our work the woman city club like the city of New York must find an equitable and adequate method of financing as part of the celebration of our fiftieth anniversary under the chairmanship of Dr Ethel wore this we've just begun a drive over a three year period to raise six hundred thousand dollars so that we may ensure the continuation and the expansion of our work primarily from our members alone we have already received or had play over seventy five thousand dollars. And this does not include a promise from one foundation of twenty thousand dollars payable the Kaplan foundation I might say when we reach a hundred and eighty thousand dollars Now this is not an appeal for fun it's just it's just for your information and positive not accept a single contribution today. But next week is another matter another word of special appreciation to the very hardworking committees who have arranged our luncheon you should have seen them crawling around the floor making up the seating chart and trying to give everyone a front or center table are over the past the audience must mean we've done something right and I hope the outer edges can see and hear now it's impossible to mention everyone who spent endless hours arranging this affair but. Chairman of the program to Judith and Janet Herman cochairman of the luncheon to Rosalie Slocum chairman of our public information to Barbara chairman of hostesses to the board of directors and the many members who gave her the time thought and energy to make the luncheon access so a success to. Our executive secretary without whom we could not function and to our office that my deepest appreciation. When Baumgartner joined the woman City Club in nine hundred forty three her application stated occupation physician activities director Bureau of child hygiene of New York City Department of Health. Just eleven years later still an active member of the club she had become commissioner of health of New York City it would be impossible here to enumerate the many public health positions and the medical and public health appointments and the awards an honorary degrees when I saw them all I thought I should call a doctor doctor doctor doctor doctor a partner through all of that and her important dedication to the health and welfare of our country and in the far corners of the world as well throughout the all this she's maintained an active membership in the woman City Club today she's consultant to the Agency for International Development of the United States State Department and is Professor of Public Health at Cornell Medical College within the last decade she shared her lifetime of experience with the French Ministry of Health with the Ministry of Health in India as a member of the official exchange mission of the State Department to the U.S.'s our and us lecturer to the Tokyo Metropolitan government and many many more but before I turn this meeting over to Dr Baumgartner who is our mistress of ceremonies and will talk about our past present and future I want to add just a personal word of appreciation about twenty years ago when I was director of the Bureau of child welfare and was being granted a leaf of sins to go abroad as childcare consultant to Joint Distribution Committee I was most unsophisticated about foreign welfare and health work Dr Baumgartner then director of the Bureau of child hygiene who had been in Europe as a health consultant advisory to the French ministry. And you didn't know me too well gave me an unsolicited letter of introduction to several prominent persons in Paris who could be most helpful to me I want to thank her again for her thoughtfulness she's always thinking of others for her caring about what happens to the individual as well as to the US and to her great spirit of humanity Thank you. Thank you two first thing I want to say is that we're going to do our best to get you out of here on time so please relax and we're going to have fun while you're here. You can clap for other people but I promise to get you out of here the next thing I'm going to do is to present route the Washington who is attorney and wife advisor to Governor Nelson Iraq a fellow who has a most delightful thing that she's going to do. Madam President Dr Baumgartner. Honored day as guess ladies and gentleman I am here this afternoon for two purposes The first is to bring greetings and a congratulatory message from Governor Rockefeller to the members and friends of the women City Club of New York on this occasion a gala luncheon in celebration of the club's golden anniversary and secondly I am here to present a plaque from the governor's office to Miss Julia Bartlett. For her distinguished service to New York City on occasions. On occasions such as this it is customary to give a résumé of the honorees biography but since it is impossible to condense a period of over thirty years and to several minutes won't you permit me to take a few liberties Let us begin with nineteen thirty three to most this is not a particularly memorable year although it is true it is the year that of Hitler became chancellor of Germany and also in the same year Germany withdrew from the United Nations it was in nineteen thirty three that President Roosevelt recognized the Soviet Union as the government of Russia and to those in a very minor minority who like cocktails before luncheon nine hundred thirty three was the year that probably Bishan was ended in the United States but to those members of the women's City Club of New York nineteen thirty three was the year that you had Bartlett became a member now her sponsors were said to have described her as being a good worker intelligent answers he has Dick and very very interested in service improvement. I do not know and it is not recorded why this eager young woman chose the women's City Club as the organ through which she hoped to help the residents of New York City by working to give them good government and a better place in which to live perhaps she like Newman sought to hear the voice of God and climbed the top most people when God declared go down again I dwell among the people for Julia Bartlet dwelt among the people and for the people she worked for them in many ways and in the women City Club she was very assiduous and doing and performing every task that they gave her she was president for two separate terms and yet she found time and had love enough left over to give of herself to other organizations and other causes or. She is now on the board of directors of the women's City Club and a member of its executive committee and she has held many honorary positions in New York City including serving as the first woman member on the Landmarks Preservation Commission and she is a member of the committee for modern courts she is a member of the Citizens' Advisory Committee to the housing and redevelopment board he is a member of local local planning board number eight and she is also on the board of director for the Goodwill Industries and the child care center. Miss Bartlett is on the committees for Citizens Union and the Community Service Society and in one nine hundred sixty three Miss Bartlett was awarded the first Myra Barnes Memorial Award for her outstanding contributions and finally to all of this dedicated volunteer service Mrs Bartlett has added a distinguished professional career as an artist exhibiting frequently at the Whelan's that the Lynn Cutler and at the at the Arts galleries she has written articles she has given speeches she has sought in every way possible to serve and so you may say what is service Well someone has said service is a simple love of mankind and service is silent sacrifice for others service is a sincere Dell dedication to a worthy cause and service is sympathetic understanding of human needs finally service is a saving grace for one's own soul through the courageous performance of difficult CAS tell us while maintaining the highest standards in essence ladies and gentleman service is Julian Bartlett now Mr Bartlett Won't you please stand for that I may present this plaque to you. I am. I am just a moment please I want Miss Bartlett should know that this plan is only a very small recording of what she really is because in the final dimensions of life there really is no yardstick to measure service or sacrifice or achievement or love and there is no scale on which to weigh quantity or quality. Miss Bartlett. Thank you state of New York executive chamber Albany New York so typical of honor as recommended by the women's committee on special events. Yet Matt Mahoney Bartlet in recognition of your dedicated service in promoting the welfare of your community and in strengthening the bonds of human relations may you continue to serve as a symbol of inspiration to others awarded this twenty second day of January one thousand nine hundred sixty six signed Nelson a Rockefeller governor. I am. Thank you Mrs Washington and. Very grateful thanks to Governor. Of course. I'm just a symbol. And. To the club and all of its members you know. I have to try. To. Live up to this extraordinary character. Of my. Recent. Comments suggestions from friends. Part in this meeting today and one of them was. Probably if you don't inhale it. I'll try not to inhale it. That. Well I haven't. I've enjoyed many of them but it's. Important. And it has its problems and conflicts and. One of its problems is the money but there are others probably the best. Word. Courage going on to say just a few words even though. Many times before. As the government of New York City becomes more complicated and difficult. And hopefully higher standards to live up to the job of civic organization grows more significant. Conflicts the crisis. Department and is. Most often seen possible to do more than the minimum when the very much is needed and when every course is disagreeable indefinite postponement must be very tempting. Especially that pressure and encouragement from. Desirable. Can be of real value and the road of the Gadfly in a democracy is an essential one even if it is sometimes. It is better. Than indifferent or grumbling equally important courage and wisdom are shown by government. Prompt public commendation and this is not always the case in the months and years ahead I feel confident of that we will have many opportunities in the cage and to applaud thank you again. I'm not going to steal one minute of the Myers time by introducing him the only thing I'd like to do is to get the latest news about him we took his temperature blood pulse respiration etc Just before the launch and he came through twelve days about his and far he's an excellent shape. Thank you Dr Baumgartner for the nice introduction I've had in a long time. Mr I know this but let. Senator Neuberger Mrs Isaacs Madame Bovary president. Commissioner hoping that honored guests of the day S.. And Distinguished ladies members of the women's City Club and also your husbands. I hope that the husbands do not feel by being here that they have lost their identity. Any more than they've ever felt that they have lost their identity by being married to a member of the women city. I remind them that as the old saying goes most women want a man with a will of his own made out to them. That's almost as bad as the one about the woman who got divorced for religious reasons she worshipped money and he didn't have it. Particularly. Pleased to be here because a distinguished United States senator is here and one who has performed noble constructive and progressive service for the country and for her state over many years. Like she I expect I'll miss the relative tranquility of the United States Congress. And also because there is gathered in this room and on this day as a collection of people who care very deeply about their community and what has been said by Dr Baumgardner and what was said by each other person who thus far has talked. Is an indication I believe. That our city with a new administration is in for an exciting period of time because there are and continue to be and I think even more of the same great care and concern by the Gadfly group I welcome a gadfly group and I hope that they will always feel free to advise to consult to push to brass. And to support when support is needed public questions this is a golden anniversary luncheon and it's a good one I believe because tracing back the last fifty years one discovers that the women City Club was founded during the reform of fusion term mayor John Perot Michel therefore as fifty years has gone by I take great pride in. Saluting the women City Club on fifty years of exciting and distinguished service and also. Doing it on an occasion when I like to believe there has been returned to a new kind of reform and fusion. I'm given to understand that your club's distinguished accomplishments include the establishing of the Domestic Relations Court which in and of itself. Is the mark of great advance improved relocation procedures over the years but some of the first relocation procedures that were ever inaugurated came from the energies emanating from this club goes without saying that work in the schools and school boards. Has been a hallmark of the women's city club's activities and contributions Sam obtaining reform in the city charter from time to time all of these important and necessary now we have a series of events in the past and in the future that face our city my job with your help is to build a better city and to build one which is a joy to live in where neighborhood values count where there are the best services available where no person is allowed to live in conditions that are less than dignified and where there is the expectation of the best in the heart of each person the possibility of the best not easy to achieve the transfer strike. Was a kind of a blow from the side that I did not fully expect and yet we got through it I notice a couple of other things that keep popping up from the corners. And we cope with them but the job is to walk tall enough so that those aspects of. The human condition in New York. Are handled with skill and straightforwardly and with a sense of dignity but that the larger job is moved ahead I have wanted right away to make sure that we get on the job instantaneously of building a firm financial base for the city that's that's a. Matter of many sides it has to do with the attraction of skills and energies and business is industry and talents to new to New York it has to do with the creation of jobs and the hooking up of people who are qualified but needs training it has to do in fact with a whole spectrum of city life and its troubles it also has to do with the. Ordinary and difficult business of finance just recently announced a program. Of increasing the productivity of New York City's own government it's a housekeeping matter as much as anything. Telling the public that the city government. Alongside of its drive to get the state and to get the national government to up their investment in our urban life which they should do and must do that alongside of that we in city government understand our obligations which is to have the most productive form of government possible obviously I don't have to restate that my long range goal and plan is to have a plan to government one in which long range planning. Is the system and the way rather than a year to year operations. One in which the budgeting is long range in is sound and one in which there is plenty of room for building the things that we want to build for the future I think it's necessary to lay the foundation for whatever difficult medicine the public must swallow by demonstrating to the public that they will receive one hundred percent on their tax dollars in productivity on the part of the city government and services in suggesting that belt tightening will have to be just to get a current operating budget which is a very sizable one for this fiscal year ending July one in the area of between four hundred and four hundred fifty million dollars projected to six hundred thirty in the operating deficit for next year it's large but it's manageable that can be brought under control and I think it's necessary to demonstrate that it will be brought under control by all means. Doing whatever is necessary in order to correct it very rapidly this does not mean that there is to be any decrease at all in essential services there cannot be and there must be and there must not be and there will not be essential services MUST can and will go forward and indeed will be strengthened and improved as we move along it should be obvious that reform of the scattered government that we have. With its long history of scotch tape and admission and of creeping decay in some of the edges and see. It should be obvious that in pulling that up to snuff that there can be no decrease in the hiring of nurses in hospitals or in police protection or fire protection. Or the inspection of buildings and so on this has to go forward and will go forward speedily and rapidly but the public at the same time must have the impression that the government is solidly in control of its own house and that loose practices and the easy way particularly when it comes to the submitting to pressures. From those. Who would simply pad the payroll for the sake of providing jobs that are perhaps not necessary that we have it under control there will be followed after this of course a submission to the public of tax reorganization and reform and I think that a million New Yorkers if such reform and reorganization is soundly based and gives every person a fair chance and is approached on the ability to pay that it will be soundly and firmly supported by the public and by constructive and progressive groups such as this provided the public understands that their government has its housekeeping under firm control and is making the case in arguing the case that is entitle to argue and make in the legislative bodies of this country the other day I went to Albany in order to present the city's case informally to the legislature in Albany It's long been the practice and the understanding that the government of New York City did not necessarily present its own case to the legislature but rather that the legislature was the peculiar domain of the state reapportionment new young men and women in the state legislature and other changes which is part of the slow march of the recognition of the city in our state and in our country. Means that the city must make out its own case in the legislative bodies of this country I think it's good and highly pertinent and worthwhile that the theme of this gathering right here is the interrelationship of local state and federal responsibilities in respect of urban problems the troubles of our big cities and most especially of our big city of New York long ago overran local governmental boundaries also legal powers and also fiscal resources problem of air pollution water shortage and pollution cannot be eliminated without the cooperation of New Jersey and Connecticut and the region and the megalopolis as a whole that stretches all across the eastern seaboard and downs of the South same with transportation same with some many other aspects of city living and no single city has the power or the funds independently to resolve all of these questions in perfection state and federal interest an obligation is manifest on the federal level most cities including our own have been woefully silent and in some to some extent rather ignorant of the program processes and the legislative processes on the national see and here again it is the obligation I think of urban communities and the City of New York to stake out its claim and to argue its case in the national legislature and in the executive branch of the US government the eighty ninth Congress last year took great strides towards implementing the national responsibility to the urban centers legislation enacted. New concern. High time about our cities especially in the fields of housing and pollution education health and urban renewal and there's more to be done it doesn't stop here the Agriculture Department in Washington alone has a budget exceeding seven billion dollars even though the farm Bob elation dwindles as the urban populations and suburban populations and large was not until this week we finally have a Cabinet officer and a very good one indeed appointed to represent city residents on an equal footing with the countryside the state's obligation as I mentioned to New York City can be validated by two statistics if you wish to follow that course alone more than fifty percent of the state's revenues are drawn from the city and yet the city receives less than forty percent of the state's financial assistance to local governments but even more importantly the financial affairs of the city influence the economy of the entire state recent illustration was the loss of tax revenues to often a joined the transit strike so this city administration will seek more from the state and federal governments and more even than just monetary assistance we also hope to obtain a new techniques and new processes and we hope to institute on our own new modern processing and new modern approaches that will enable us to point to one area of city life whether it be air or water pollution or health or something else and say Here is where we'll stand fifty years from now this will be we measure the problem and here will be we measure and compute the solution few cities only a handful in this country have been able to do this our city has not tried as yet but that will do and that I think we can do. No I think that has to be made clear to me that our job is to is to see to it and our great city of New York that we bring up to proper levels of decency those areas of our city that are the chief neglect there are parts of our city that have stood for too long and it should be my concentration in the months and I expect the years to come see to it that the major energies of the city are directed to those communities which are the most disadvantaged and unless those communities have a sense of care and concern and effort that I believe that trouble cannot be avoided we must demonstrate here more than in any other areas that a city can act in such way that it's proved to all people that it is governable and not only that but that there's a chance for every person within its boundaries now these undertakings I don't think ours insurmountable as appalling as difficult as a great many people think they are they are difficult they are large they are appalling and it times will be difficult to get up in the morning but nevertheless the fact remains that men of determination and women and people who care provided they're willing to be quite tough about it and quite brave about it and quite new about their approach can solve the problems of this city and can do it within the reasonably near future I'm pleased that I've been able to put together a good team thus far there have been one or two disappointments in people from various parts of the country and abroad. Who have not been able for one reason or another to come join our staff but in any event there have been men and women who did not need it and in some cases did not particularly wish who have been willing to serve are on the job and are doing well part of our job is to give a spirit and a tone as I said it part of our job is to lift caliber part of our job is to exercise every energy in good humor to see to it that we elevate ourselves above the shotty above the miniscule above the minutia. And all of the other things that is the temptation and the pressure to get sidetracked into I look forward very much to the challenge of working with the city and with you and I hope that I may be free to call upon you to receive your reports your advice your recommendations your criticism and your support in every possible area of the future and I wish you all possible luck and happiness in the fifteen years to come as I know by your invitation to me here today that you wish to meet Thank you very much thank. Our next speaker is going to get a slightly longer introduction but it isn't going to be very long I think we all need to know that the distinguished senator who is with us today has been a teacher she's been three times elected to the Oregon legislature she's the first woman ever to serve from Oregon in the side and one of two females in the Senate today what interests me however is what she's done with these murders she long before retarded children became fashionable as they are now did something about retarded children in Oregon she put through tax reduction for working mothers in Oregon and I'm not a word went through anyplace else she learned how to save and showed how to save tax dollars by reorganizing schools and if you look at her record in the Senate you'll find she's been and everything that has to do with human welfare federal aid to education. Cancer mental health handicapped children she even found time some way or other to get over to NATO and maritime affairs. I've been. Arrested and what she's done about conservation. However I feel Maureen will be more interested in the fact that you're probably the outspoken proponent for consumer protection in the federal government and have been ever since I can remember at least my own particular joy about the next speaker Senator Murray Newberg however is that she creates every place she go and. An expectation that makes you live up to your BEST I give you the senator from our. Thank you very much. As I prepared my remarks today I was worried about how I was going to tell city government. That experience. But. A lot of it for me she's been a distinguished commissioner in the city government and very very distinguished working with and at the time I didn't know that his Honor the Mayor was going to be here and of course until three weeks ago he was a member of the national legislature so I'm going to cut my remarks so that you. Referred to a good many of the items which of course are involved as we talk about three branches of government I must say that they only made reference to the. In the audience. Members of the women's City Club reminded me that one of the. United States is called the ladies club and the only people who. Are the wives of senators now things have changed we have to have a new club and. Idea of. Whether or not. Work with the federal government. Must pick up immediately before I forget. How the new program. Going to go into effect. Services that we. Need. One of the jobs of the federal government to provide. To hire. One of the problems. Medicare program. To give. Hospitals. For our. Committee on the. Nursing Home. Speaking at the White House. I think. Paper. But. Are not getting the benefit of it. And all the. Rights met. This important piece of legislation has a wonderful wonderful a descriptive name it's called the rivers. Anyone who has ever. Walked a. Rock to rock along the great wilderness rivers of. The fighting rainbow trout in the icy mountain streams of many of our states. Conjure up a picture of what this bill was about passage of this act. Generations certain. Sections and will perpetuate them in their natural state the rivers in this first bill are in Oregon. Being considered but what happens even in this more in lightened age of conservation and wonderful history experience with the federal government in the management of national forests and national parks and the concern for highway beautification. What happened was that that. State's rights and the threat to state. Was the negative part of the debate. To deprive one state of the right to. The economic potential of two great rivers within its borders is the greatest in there in this bill. The economic potential referred to here not the protection of the great. Campsites. But it was the. Sides that would have changed the character of that river and the area Furthermore the minority. The jurisdiction of the states over waters of any stream should not be by the passage of this bill. During the last two Congresses this. Argument has been somewhat successfully against our efforts to clean up polluted streams and also. I was on the committee. Being considered not happy to live on one side of the Columbia River in Oregon and directly across the river from me is a big deal and in the morning sometimes when the wind is right when I go out of my back door I think somebody off the garbage can. But the chemical company. Had the audacity to come before our committee and say this is a matter for the individual states this has nothing to do with the federal government but my state of Oregon. State Line was the Columbia River. We had. What good would it do for Oregon to have. Stayed in the. States rights is still a battle. Many Americans in public life these men the poor the rise of what they call of their centralized government. Sponsors of states rights. Civil rights voting rights taxation natural resources and yes labor relations. The evils which can be seen by some state's writers in the most public serving legislation was hilariously Illustrated last year in the passage of the bill establishing the National Foundation on the arts and humanities here was a major which explicitly recognize. Wishes to be great MUST NOT limit efforts to solve technology. Alone but must give. Support to the other great branches of the scholarly and cultural activity of men through financial assistance programs for the advancement of the humanities and the arts there was a certain Midwest Congressman. Here who described the bill as a boondoggle and a further march toward the bankruptcy of this country. Purpose of the bill Congressman offered to him in which would have provided federal subsidy. Equating these apparently with pink sculpture concerts umbrella even in the Queen City of the Pacific San Francisco where there was a very important measure on the ballot two years ago for financial aid to replace opera house and making a new city center. Went down to defeat by such negative thinking as people saying let the rich pay for their enjoyment of our. Pay twenty five dollars a tick. What short sightedness that perhaps culture would have. There in this country if we had been able to make these things we call culture. To. Middle income people in our country. In the age of a state sovereignty. A century ago undergone surgery radical transformation all speakers. On this day every some time or another to research grants to help from the federal government and of course as you can see. Government. But network television and radio the standardization of consumer products and their promotion and master accumulation magazines have all played key parts in creating a national rather than a provincial outlook speaking of a provincial outlook when your mayor was speaking I said to myself I'll never have such rapt attention as late as yesterday all sitting here and you were giving him your absolute undivided attention it was wonderful to watch he's a good. GUY AT ALL SORTS of the interest and so on but he was also talking about. Grassroots things that all of you deal with your concern. And when I come back from a visit to my state. Secretaries in the presence a lot of people about the war in Vietnam I. Spoke all over my state and and except at a college I never got one question about it. People in this country are concerned with worldwide. Effects all of us of course. With these things. Are better lives and there are children so. Government doing something for people I feel we are making a contribution to happiness and a better way of life and besides now days. People on the march. To Illinois to work in a new pope and paper laboratory there from New York to Florida to give the benefit of specialized talents and education to the space program our identification and loyalty to our particular state is reduced people are more in ensuring quality education for their children than in preserving the Michigan or the Montana way of life giant corporations with branches in many states a custom of their employees to the idea that basic decisions about their livelihood. Far removed from the employees work and. Factory is changing state relationship states have simply failed to deal with the problems that existed and the vote. To turn to the federal government for example basic human rights guaranteed under the Constitution were being systematically to Negroes as a matter of. Policy and even statute such a situation. And states. Themselves. For the existence of sweeping federal legislation aimed at correcting these friends to human dignity. The passage of the. Legislation and the establishment of the new Housing and Urban Development Department. Of state legislatures to face up to the pressing needs of urban living the highway beautification. Controlling billboards and junk yards along our nation's road sides. If local and state authorities. Rather. Policing powers but. Prevented. From taking adequate action with the result that. Traffic Safety have taken a back seat to ugliness in the name of special interest problems I came up again. When I was a candidate in one thousand sixty eight for the office of United States and I received a visitation. Calls itself. The outdoor advertising organization of America and. They would be very interested in making a generous donation to my campaign. Hard to get money to run for office. Much. Experience in the state legislature and I knew that I would be sponsoring legislation to control. Their contributions. Throughout the city and throughout our. I. Didn't. But this is what I mean by this. Thought dollars. Dollars. For the public. And. I wish I had time to talk about. An additional. Relationship between. Picture human and material resources are evenly distributed across the nation so. Proud tramp. But I like to think that. Driver in Brooklyn. Jumping in the water falls. Park with. The State Technical Services Act is also a prime example. Of Senate hearings on this legislation and this program recognizes that. The application industry concentrated in the state. Of New York a little bit one of those but the new. Technical Information Programs state universities and colleges across the nation which won a prize business and industry within all states. To apply scientific information and techniques to create new products improve sales and production methods and adjust economic trends surely a service which a national program could provide the surplus commodity distribution scheme. State and charitable institutions and state welfare programs is another federal project which falls into this category only the federal government could supply and administer the nationwide market to the overabundant. Farms some constitutionally defined national functions have resulted in. Programs having armed forces means that there will be veterans from Revolutionary War times the nation has decided that veterans deserve special consideration because of the nature of the demands made upon them in the defense of the country and the session of Congress we hope to reinstitute a G.I. Bill of Rights for their reason but we now have. Educational benefits rehabilitation and hospitalization. It would be grossly. Just because. After World War two. Make up to the veterans and some state had good insurance programs programs and others. The federal government. School districts which are impacted areas we've mentioned water and air pollution and transportation system and there are many others. Including. Poverty I like to. Mention one of my favorite programs which has to do with. Having to do community. In another. Part. The. Killers of mankind. Heart and cancer. National government giving out grants and research. To be able to do something about this. To deal with. A scare word today and the scare word it's been brought up in many there are far right wing organizations and making people think that because of all of these. From the federal government. Their freedom. Donna whether you hear that New York. I just stop to think. When I vote for some of these projects. I think I'm losing my freedom if I as an individual have foisted upon me. From the factory I'd like to see my government free my freedom to breathe air I think I'm losing my freedom. If drug companies pharmaceutical houses can force me in the general public. Know I'm delighted to have a great department. Called. Constantly strength to know that I can with impunity buy drugs or take drugs my doctor prescribes and they'll be safe and efficacious. I've lost some other people. Who are Americans and I'm glad my federal government is doing everything in its power to see that people. Can drive. My tax money to pay for. Billboards. If I live in a large comfortable comfortable part that I can look out on an area where people are not where. I'm especially interested in the. Committee of banking. And there's one of. Eager to Bill express through streets and freeways that the bulldozer. Taking your morning bath and out you go without complaining but we. Saw that the people disrupted had a place to live and why is it that these expressways seem to go through. Areas. Of many of our cities and I've seen people put out on the street without a place to go far behind in this country and. An increasingly powerful federal government is never going to be deterred by speeches or. Tried to point out today there are many areas in which state government not even try in these program areas where they are competent they must demonstrate that they are capable of governing affectively honestly and with reasonable haste in time of crisis they must be more willing than they have shown in the past to work cooperatively to solve regional problems only in this way can we retain the necessary bigger and creativity. Of government which is essential that our nation continue to prosper just an aid to education bill probably created. Over how we were losing our freedoms people were unable to give up the little red schoolhouse but I often think our. Words and our children. And. Government which is for the people people are what really count the people's destiny is often decided. Those people are very young. And even though we are older now we're going to see that those young people have a star I have some college degree but my college education or much occasion in general didn't mean it being an important as the education and training I had in serving my government at the state and the federal level and even if you can't run for public office and be a member of one of our three great branches of government by supporting your elected officials you're dealing and yeomen job I think. T.. In closing this luncheon I have. The most delightful telegrams I've ever read from Senator Jeffords who sends his love to everyone goodbye. Wants to get. The. Center in this country which went out sound pregnant women and got them some medical care. A golden anniversary how does one properly celebrate an occasion like this Well it seems to me. Celebrating sometimes it's a. Great like this of old friends sometimes it's a quiet glass of champagne with just two. But depend on the women's City Club to demand something more their committee wrote the prescription for me now after ceremonies a good tight review of the past a world wide look at urban problems blueprint for New York City and what it should do and some ideas about new jobs for the club all this to be wrapped up in thirty minutes with Gandy challenge an inspiration you see why this club is so great it demands the impossible and plugs away at the job of making the improbable come true bit by bit now its history proves the success of this approach over and over again when in one nine hundred fifteen knows suffragette leaders Mrs Norman White House Alice Durham Miller podium Murphy Mary some of it Sion this is Raman Ingersoll who is with us on the day as banded together ninety five ladies to form the women's City Club of New York it is doubtful whether many of that group had it had any inkling of what they were in for with Votes for Women still two years away in the first stated aim was to pair prepare women to take an intelligent part as voters in municipal government obviously a quite improbable idea at the time. The men the City Club aided and abetted the beginnings by supplying an essential secretary for two years the ladies were holed up in a couple rooms on top of the hotel VANDERVELDT the Walsh soon show with feverish activity Frances Perkins was drawing up a plan for member education and by the time they moved into that elegant Stanford White Knight mansion at twenty two Park Avenue in one thousand nine hundred eighteen the mayor in the city commissioners were often guests of honor at candlelight suppers believe it or not Mr Mayor where they explained to the club members already totaling nine hundred just how the city government operated a similar program for new members is still carried on and members still go on tours to see of what the officials say is true or not a little knowledge of course peaks curiosity and very soon some of the city can social sorts sore spots became old too evident almost immediately there was a burst for reform the ladies became immersed in the most on likely situations in June one thousand sixteen coffee and sandwiches were handed out to ten thousand striking garment workers at Fifth Avenue and twentieth Street. In the days when a pregnant woman was indecent if she appeared in public the clubs financed organized and ran the first maternity center in this country which went out sound pregnant women and got them some medical care. And the lady who did it may or may not be here I talked to her the other night. Conditions of tenements. The club issued a report on miserable wages which paved the way for the minimum wage law and all this was a far cry from those social socially impeccable soirees in which ladies could hobnob in comfort with distinguished officials no subject was too sticky if it needed inquiry the handling of prostitution is a social disease rather than as a crime free school lunches properly supervised by trained dieticians rather than spasmodic handout no programs by Lady philanthropist the organized visits and this is one thing I would love to have done I'm sure you would too a beautifully dressed ladies who came directly from the opera in the theater to throw the spotlight on the disgraceful way in which prostitutes were handled at the night court and there were changes made in the handling of those women to now the mode of attack remains pretty much the same direct observation of what's going on by volunteer committees open meetings to share fundings with experts and members and quiet gentle and persistent nagging of those who have the power to make changes through administrative decisions or legislative action over half of the membership today is active on some committee just as club members of always been and that includes members like Eleanor Roosevelt Virginia. Stanley. Carolyn Simon and a host of others busy with jobs of their own. The club too does not necessarily work along it often joins or is joined by other groups but always it maintains its original purpose that of educating women about civic affairs Well so much for the past of the club we are here to honor one of the future of cities of New York in particular Suffice it to say that the problems of the city are out of control all over the world and I've seen a good many of them in the last three years the same problems which concern the mayor's new task forces here transportation air housing jobs migration are discussed almost every urban populations are growing twice as fast as the world population four percent compared to most cities attract a goodly share of the underprivileged to see in them chances to improve their lot now to predict predict about other cities or our own or indeed predicted Ole in our times is more than usually hazardous probably and I say probably the only certainty is that this is an age in which the exhilarating temple of change is the one characteristic of the future on one which one can come I propose therefore that we assume in the first place that New York City on the work of this club will change markedly in the next fifty years in fact in the next five How will depend on an unknown mixture of scientific technological political economic and social factors and perhaps above all to the extent to which a more active sense of participation can be generated in the public in New York. I propose that the greatest task that lies ahead of us is first to accept the idea that the city the city this city will be the natural habitat of families of tomorrow that the city indeed is the environment of the future all over the world people see it as offering more opportunities opportunities for leisure entertainment all theatre music libraries opportunities to make contact with leaders in business politics science research. For better education for all members of the family opportunities to better one's income one's social status to be part or near the center of modern activities this is true in South India South America as it is along the Boston Washington axis of megalopolis I suggest that we accept this movement to the city and the challenge challenges it brings with. Them with an air of excitement and with great things I am Turly wary of those who speak lovingly of our pastoral past and I'm bored with those who talk only of the seamy side of life we have allowed to creep up and smother today's cities weary of those who fail to dream of their town could become Let us become dreamers and doers who will make New York the kind of a city in which it is physically aesthetic morally mentally pleasant and very exciting to live in a city is for its people. Let's look at me not only in some far off day but not today but says critic number one and I'm not going to go through all of the people want grass and trees in a place with a neighborhood feeling and not impersonal cement bounds dry scrape or darken the streets well can't we create and maintain neighborhoods with a variety we have such wonderful beginnings with some grass and trees and space and vistas and schools and neighborhoods centers and health facilities and recreational facilities and stores can't we go ahead with long term planning but remember that people are living in the mean time I'm reminded of P.S. one thirty eight I saw in Harlem this week I saw it first a dozen years ago I think everyone said then to forget about its dilapidated condition it was headed anyway for demolition but a generation of schoolchildren has gone through that schools and so I first saw it can't we really shake ourselves into a different mood and say well what's happening to people in our town now this year this day makes a real difference can't we remember and believe that the core of the city is not necessarily bad anywhere in the world it just depends on how we look at it and get some greater attention to livability which is so desperately needed now this city will inevitably have to be a sadder for those twin industries of finance and management mass communication and advertising and printing fashion and clothing manufacturer will probably be a part of the scene for years to come service industries will be here so the key to the city's success is the skilled in the educated people needed by these activities and such people have an unusual thirst for education and culture and many of them want to live in the city so the wise thing to do is to make it livable for them. Well critic number two goes on yes but those city schools are just impossible why why are city schools impossible I suggest it's because we've become so this city is crammed with sights and experiences and people that can bring a child a great education assets not to be found in most suburbia most level towns certainly good neighborhood schools can be built and maintained and parents can help make them so and will in my opinion if we make it easier for them to do so how can these goals of a better life for city folks be reached Well quite obviously not by euphoric speeches like this no matter how eloquent they might happen to be but eloquence and enthusiasm and face are also needed to turn the tide of just spare what Barbara Ward calls the supine quality of citizenship in urban areas and I quote I suggest to that though progress will come step by step stone by stone it is time to look at the whole as well as the pieces not just slum housing or kindergarten education or nursing shortage or the pros and cons of some new throughway some of the large problems threatening the life of everyone in this town must now be tackled in a comprehensive way and let me mention five and this is not news to the mayor this mayor the city of New York because he's already working on them first there is water in air the time of no return is here to my knowledge there is still no answer to the major question of where New York City will get its water supply after September one nine hundred sixty six certainly the whole question should be canvassed and the machinery for long range development established you know if we run out of water it really won't do much good to know that the Hudson is cleaner so action on the sources for water and on water pollution both are needed. So his action on air pollution thousands of small and large problems about getting them in New York City need to be solved the best business and scientific talent must be drafted one immediate step it seems to me you should be to set up a comprehensive environmental sanitation Research Center here calling on the federal funds that are available in good supply for the situation demands more than a survey more than simply pulling together existing activities and powers in Studio City State and Federal Government it demands laboratories and engineers and scientists available and detailed analyses of many problems with the best brains available it demands continuing fearless experimentation with all possible solutions and it demands the steadfast and staunch handling of the many vested interests involved with only one objective the public good certainly of Pittsburgh can train up its air pollution in the rural valley its water pollution the metropolitan area in and around New York can solve its air and water problems and thank heavens their task forces work a second major problem is all too obviously transport I think more need not be said on this subject except to hope and really hope that the new persons and groups that are being asked to find more adequate solutions will be both courageous successful and imaginative The third is education particularly public schools and vocational schools perhaps but club members and city fathers know this subject well a fourth is modifying the whole pattern of delivering the best modern medicine and public health have to offer more funds are available since the last Congress an estimated one hundred million I believe from the new federal and state legislation but then be used not to make up for other money but to solve some of the practical problems of delivering personal health services otherwise we may continue to have the same fragment. Splintered network of preventive curate even rehabilitation services citizens by the thousands who have diabetes glaucoma tuberculosis and cancer without knowing it patients wandering from one specialist to another hospitals vying with each other for expensive prestige symbols health centers and hospital staff to only part of the time etc etc money spent in the same way while not necessarily bringing better care even it if it relieves the family and the city pocketbook the city coffers need money desperately but it is not the auditor's who should make decisions as to how to get the most for our health dollars. And looking at dollars alone may allow Also some of our better services today to deteriorate the government has a real responsibility to spend its money wisely the kinds of services government pays for sure and can have highs high standards there's some really crudely great beginnings in this to a New York City which I find few people know about I've been looking at some of them since I've come back home again there are the funds from the city's Health Research Council that are used to measure the value of new experiments medical care there's the Gouverneur community service that is making Neighborhood Health Service a reality care when you need it and a hospital at home when you're able to walk care that finds out what's wrong before you're sick care for old and young all put together so the tests aren't repeated so a different specialist you see you know all about you at cetera et cetera what about a dozen other Gouverneur as with the most enthusiastic and able young men and women in the that the country has to help set them up there are those three neighborhood storefront mental health centers in the South Bronx started by the Department of Health about five years ago and helped by research funds to the group at Albert Einstein Medical School that is behind the Bronx effort now has quietly set up a coordinated service in the Lincoln Hospital area one of the city's most underprivileged plans around her way to join mental health with other health services. For about this combination of medical schools City private metal and other health effort planning for all of the Bronx the goal is here and a good one for all of New York to promote some I autonomous decentralized units which without sacrificing high professional standards are still small and into been enough to regain that quality of humanity which is so essential to good health and efficient enough so that the people get good care and don't get lost these ventures fortunately are being evaluated as they're being developed and already I think it's terribly exciting that it has been shown that the so-called apathetic poor and depressed areas can and do participate in planning developing and operating the services their neighborhood needs and wants these efforts are almost unique in the country and show what can be done when funds are used in a creative way not merely to add to present facilities and personnel there by often adding to fragmentation of health care which results in extravagance and loss of life and productivity the proposed combination in the city to combine all of the city health departments house possibilities of improving service and it is said to save dollars I'm terribly enthusiastic Mr Mayor about the former I'm a little skeptical about the latter. One other development in New York will be helpful and that is including family planning as an enterable part of medical and health service there been tremendous Mendus changes all over the world about this subject in the past three years no where has the change perhaps been as great as in our own country we now know that we like Asia and South America have many problems associated with our rapid population growth the openness with which the subject is discussed is brand new in one nine hundred sixty four the federal government opened the door for expansion of birth planning services in old tax supported health institutions by indicating the desirability of assuring full freedom of choice of method including the rhythm method approved by the Roman Catholic Church an obvious parallel requirement without which there can hardly be freedom of choice is the necessity of access regardless of economic and social status to all necessary information and service these are the conditions where to permit each individual to choose friend desire that method of family planning which is in keeping with that individual's creed and conscience I finally would like to suggest that much of what I have said and a case that part New York City really needs the most is a revival a revival of the neighborhood concept people need to belong to feel they have a part in determining what goes on. Anyone who has heard girl councils in London talk about where the local bus stop shelter should be or sadly and on a New England town meeting knows what I mean I believe that we can make neighborhoods mean something and that as we succeed vandalism maybe crime and a host of other problems may recede and certainly a greater happiness and beauty will creep back into our town beauty remember is something is becoming something again that Americans are willing to work for well of course the skeptic says and this is my last kept it can't be done and I say just look what New Yorkers did on the night of the blackout and for those long twelve days of the strike look at the ingenuity and the courage and the determination yes even the humor with which they tackle these problems why not harness that human power to the real problems of making the city the kind of place in which it is healthy pleasant and terribly exciting to live where will the women sit club fit in that something the members will have to figure out they have the brains and the ability to do so. The tradition they have established going out to sea of discovering facts firsthand seems an excellent way to tackle many of them problems that confront New Yorkers many work in the city but lavish their affection on volunteer work around suburban or country homes the inner city is Starr for attention those who work in schools hospitals course too often feel neglected and would I believe give better service if they knew that people cared if there were an alert active community presence which is what the women City Time can be can the members of this club have enough space and the possibility of making New York a more livable place that they will help generate the energy to move the job along looking backwards again at their fifty years of accomplishments and failures the answer is yes. Thank you and.