The Detroit Tribune

Roundup On Urban League Confab In Washington

NEW YORK - Top Urban League professionals from 62 communities across the country are back home this week heartened by the results of an unprecedented three-day conference with cabinet members of the Kennedy Administration and their key aides in the nation's capital.

The Washington meeting was attended by 72 members of the Urban League's professional staff—specialists in community organization, vocational guidance, youth employment and job development, family services and housing. They were invited by the Federal Government to serve as consultants to the Departments of Labor, Health, Education and Welfare, and the Housing, Home and Finance Agency.

They gave the officials the benefit of their views on the problems of their local communities by which the Federal departments can serve the nation better through local and state agencies.

The nationwide delegation of League leadership was headed by national President Henry Steeger and executive director, Whitney M. Young, Jr. Labor Secretary Arthur Goldberg, HEW Secretary Abraham Ribicoff and HHFA Administrator Robert C. Weaver, set the tone for each of the meetings concerned with the specific programs for which each official is responsible.

The first day of discussion, held at the Labor Department, included apprenticeship and training, occupational trends, youth motivation and area redevelopment. Arthur Chapin, assistant to the Secretary, served as chairman.

Among other key Labor officials who participated were Assistant Secretaries George L. P. Weaver and Esther Peterson; and Seymour Wolfbein, deputy assistant secretary.

Also in attendance were: Robert C. Goodwin, administrator of the Bureau of Employment Security; Commissioner Ewan Clague of the Bureau of Labor Statistics; Arthur W. Motley, director of the Bureau of Labor Standards, Herbert Salinger, executive director. President's Committee on Youth Employment; and David Hackett. executive director. President's Committee on Juvenile Delinquency.

A panel of officials of the Civil Service Commission discussed careers. in-service training. and promotion in government. This panel included Commissioner F. Lawton; Don R. Harvey, director of the Commission's Bureau of Recruitment and Examining and Robert Mell, Director for the Division of College Relations and Recruitment.

The work of the President's Committee on Equal Employment Opportunity was described in great detail by key officials, including John Feild, Director; and Hobart Taylor, Special Counsel.

Berl I. Bernard. Director of the Commission on Civil Rights. outlined the Commission's program.