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Many barriers to the development of Black political power remain. Drawing primarily from a case study of a Northern city, this paper examines the nonpartisan, at-large electoral system as a means of limiting and controlling Black representation on city commissions. This city adopted a modified at-large system (commissioners are nominated by district but elected at-large) designed to prevent the reelection of a militant Black commissioner. The primary election "keys" the white electorate to the "acceptable" Black candidate-in the general election, whites vote for the candidate with the poorest primary showing. Various strategies to either "beat" or "live with" the "Black Beater" are discussed. The paper also stresses the nature of ideological support for "good government" reforms which operate to the disadvantage of Black Americans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article presents information on government reports related to industries and commerce, labor and public finance in the U.S., as of September 1926. The Bureau of Statistics of the Interstate Commerce Commission has published the report "Freight Commodity Statistics, Class I, Steam Railways in the United States, Year Ended December 31, 1925." It has also published "Thirty-Eighth Annual Report on the Statistics of Railways in the United States for the Year Ended December 31, 1924." Bulletin number 13 published by the Bureau of Railway Economics, in the series "Commodity Prices in Their Relation to Transportation Costs," relates to cotton. This article also presents a list of bulletins issued by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. The preliminary report on "Statistics of Income From Returns of Net Income for 1924 Filed by Individuals," has been compiled by the U.S. Bureau of Internal Revenue. The U.S. Bureau of the Census has issued its annual report "Financial Statistics of States, 1924."

The HC report contains over a hundred numbered or lettered recommendations. The subjects include broad topics such as taxation, insurance, chartering, branching, and regulation of several types of financial institutions. At the other extreme it contains some rather detailed points about the operation of trust departments of commercial banks. The discussion ranges from a broad consideration of social goals to some rather interesting details about the recent history of credit unions, and the operation of life insurance companies. This review will start with a brief look at the financial history of 1969. It will then compare the HC accomplishments with those of earlier commissions. In doing so, this review will focus on those subjects the HC itself seemed to give highest priority: Regulation Q, broadening the operational scope of specialized financial intermediaries, steadying the flow of mortgage funds, and the organization of Federal financial regulation. Lesser topics must, unfortunately, be neglected. The review will end with a look at some issues dodged or treated quite inadequately. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author reflects on the optimism towards the prospects for nuclear power in the U.S. He said that the feasibility of using nuclear energy to provide the fuel for electric power was never in question. He mentions technical problems that contributed to high costs in nuclear power. He also discussed the market for plutonium and the study of energy requirements by the U.S. President's Material Policy Commission. A call in support for the Atomic Energy Commission is expressed by the author.

The article discusses the condensed edition of the 7th semiannual report submitted to the U.S. Congress by the Atomic Energy Commission. The report focuses on the research activities of the commission in the field of physical science in which a large percentage of it is done mostly in the commission's laboratories. Most of the research is focused on nuclear physics and chemistry to integrate with the commission's enterprise which is the production and improvement of nuclear weapons Moreover, it details on the accomplishment of the commission in other endeavors such as the fellowship and training program of the commission and special services in the form of radioisotopes, information services and irradiation of materials.

This article reports on the involvement of sociologists in the recent report of the National Commission on Population Growth and the American Future as of May 1972. The reports prescribe strong medicine rather than weak bromides. The report was two years in the making and involved a number of sociologists on the process, including Otis Dudley Duncan, Margaret Bright, and Bernard Berelson as members of the presidentially appointed commission itself; Charles Westoff as executive director of the commission staff; Robert E. Park Jr. as deputy director; Peter Morrison, Norman Ryder, and Irene Taeuber as special consultants; and a legion of other colleagues as authors of commissioned research papers and general consultants. The commission's basic proposal is that the nation shift toward a more stabilized population, citing evidence of slower population growth and setting an average of two children per couple as a desirable goal. Certainly the commission's most controversial recommendation concerns the desirability of a national policy of abortion-on-demand, modeled after the new statute in New York State now undergoing attempted repeal. Here the commission was not unanimous, and the report includes minority statements.

The article focuses on the report of the American Institute of Physics submitted to the Manpower Office of the National Security Resources Board proposing recommendations for mobilization. Henry L. Barton, director of the American Institute of Physics, suggested that appropriate regulations be mandated to expand the scope of Selective Service to include Scientific and Technological Service as well as Military Service. The report also includes a proposal to create a National Board of Scientific and Technological Personnel to insure proper utilization of resources.

Discusses the internal and external functions of the U.S. Council of Economic Advisers. Precepts for behavior in the inside role of the U.S. Council of Economic Advisers; Guidelines for the behavior of the U.S. Council of Economic Advisers in their external function; Policy implications on industrial relations.

The article presents information on a report of the Wooldridge Committee. The Committee report praised the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) for its achievements uptil now. The Committee's two main recommendations were, the establishment of a new advisory group to assist the Director of the NIH, and to give more authority and responsibility to university executives in administering NIH funds. The Committee plans to set up a new advisory council to determine NIH's collaborative program effort and to decide how much and the kind of research to be conducted. The report states another recommendation of the Committee, that the NIH should modify its procedures to strengthen the authority and increase the responsibility of its grantee institution.

The Committee for Economic Development has decided to set up a national monetary commission in the U.S. Need for a monetary commission has been felt for very long time. The author discusses agenda and elaborates problems to be studied by the commission. The commission's financial structure has been the central theme of the discussion. The commission's interest in the financial structure may usefully be divided into two parts. One part is concern with the relations of the financial structure to the over-all level and stability of the economy, essentially with aggregate demand effects. The second part is concerned with effects of the financial structure upon the allocation of capital among intermediaries, users and uses.

The decision of the Executive Committee, in April, 1944, to set up a committee on the undergraduate teaching of economics and the training of economists was an event of major importance to the economists of the United States. To be sure, this expression of interest and concern for the better teaching of economics was not with precedent. In 1909 and again in 1911 significant conferences on the teaching of economics were held and during the next thirty years occasional round-table discussions took place, and articles on the subject were published in various professional journals. Nevertheless, the conditions which brought about the 1944 decision were entirely unprecedented. The great depression of the thirties and World War II had forced a broad re-examination of economic science and educational philosophy. As a result of this re-examination a major revolution in economics took place. The concept of general education was still in the incubation stage as far as the rank and file of college teachers was concerned although the course in contemporary civilization at Columbia had been functioning for twenty-five years.

The article presents information on reports, documents and legislation related to money, prices, credit and banking published in the U.S. In June, 1913, George C. Van Tuyl, superintendent of banks of the state of New York, appointed a commission to look into the banking conditions of the state and to make a thorough revision of the law relating to banks. This commission conducted many public hearings; sought information from banking experts in this state and in other states; made a careful study of the state; and finally, on February 25,1914, they presented a report in the form of a bill of some 500 pages. After a good many amendments had been made to appease conflicting interests the bill was passed and became law on April 16,1914. The new law was the outgrowth of the general agitation for banking reform which had swept over this country following the panic of 1907. The inciting cause was the passage of the Federal Reserve Act which made it necessary to revise the state law so that the state banks either might join the federal system or be in position to compete successfully against national banks of the state, whose powers had been considerably enlarged by this act.

The final report of the National Waterways Commission is one of the most important documents on the U.S. waterways that has been issued. There is no doubt that the solution of the U.S. transportation problems, in so far at least as the water courses are concerned, has been delayed by stubbornness on the part of individuals and associations in making their special hobbies the pivotal matter of the situation. The two main issues which have distressed waterway conventions are the desired depth of water to be attained in the Mississippi River.

This article presents a brief information on the symposium titled Population and the American Future, the Report of the Commission on Population and the American Future, held in Washington D.C. This symposium must be viewed as a major landmark in the social history of the United States, for in its conclusion that no substantial benefits would result from continued growth of the nation's population, and people, at last have a formal repudiation of the outdated historical growth ethic that "more is better." The Report is the product of two years work, nearly two million dollars, unlimited access to official government statistics, and the combined professional skills of a Commission of 24, a staff of 40, and several dozen special consultants. Sociologists and demographers are of course well represented both on the staff and among the list of consultants. From Charles Westoff, as Executive Director, the sociological input includes such names as Bernard Berelson, Otis Duncan, Norman Ryder, and Irene Tacuber. In addition, the differing and controversial demographic viewpoints expressed in the literature over the past few years are well represented, in the Report.

Discusses key issues relevant to the political role of the U.S. Council of Economic Advisers. Involvement in internal politicking within the executive branch; Duties and responsibilities of the U.S. Council of Economic Advisers; Policy implications on industrial relations.