Evening star., 1945-05-14
PIunkett Draws
LIST Of Queries
Aimed at Tuck
Virginia Candidate
Challenges Opponent
On Poll Tax Issue
By the Associated Press.

RICHMOND, Va, May 14.-Moss
A. Plunkett, Roanoke, opponent OF
1t. Gov. William M. Tuck for the
Democratic nomination for Gov
ernor, is beginning campaign this
week "to make Tuck talk"
Here over the week end, Mr.
Plunkett issued statement con-
tanning q number of questions for
his opponent.
Let's make Tuck talk about the
things vital to Virginia-taxes
schools, poll tax repeal, health, pub
lie welfare" he said.
Wants to Air Major Issues.
Il intend to continue to call at
tention to the issues until Mr.. Tuck
the Byrd machines candidate for
Governor, condescends to take the
voters of Virginia into his con-
fidence."
Mr.. Plunkett, here for a confer
ence of the State organization OF
the Committees of 100, said he i'm
tends to keep up his insistence that
his opponent tell the voters where
he stands on the major issues of the
campaign.
Among the numerous questions he
asked was whether Mr.. Tuck will
deny that he intends" to dismiss DR..
Dabney 8. Lancaster as superin-
tendent of public instruction. An
other wanted to know If Mr.. Tuck
will reappoint or replace w. F. Rob-
inSon as member of the State In
dustrial Commission.
Mr.. Plunkett pointed out that Mr..
Robinson's term expired in October
and that no successor to him has
been made and declared:
THE studied procrastination of
Gov. Darden in this matter has
proved beneficial politically for the
machine in that it has kept the
abor group split up"
Poll Tax Question Raised.
Discussing the poll tax issue, the
repeal of which he long has advo-
Gated, Mr.. Plunkett demanded to
know whether his opponent will
ell us whether he will support re-
peal of the poll tax or whether he
will submit it to the people and then
fight against its repeal"
Mr.. Plunkett asserted that so far
Mr.. Tuck had said but three things
That he favors Gov. Darden's
school program; that he will recon-
mend submitting the poll tax issue
to the people in 1948 (after the poll
takers control the next senatorial
and congressional elections) and
that he favors an adequate Army in
peacetime."
HE favors Darden's school pro-
sram," the statement continued, and
asked Where is Tuck's program?
Does he not propose to go to the
sales tax and burden the poor man
further to finance this program Gov.
Darden has left to his successor
providing any visible means
Of supporting it?"
Asking If the Lieutenant Governor
will advance his democratic recon-
for submission of the
poll tax so that the people may vote
on the issue in 1916, Mr.. Plunkett
declared that "it isn't too late"
States Income Tax Raped.
"The Neff-Muse poll tax repeal
resolution is pending before the
Senate Privileges and Elections
Committee and can be taken up
when the Assembly reconvenes to-
day. This is probably an idle ques-
ton because what Senator Byrd
wants, his General Assembly usually
does-it's much healtier politically" !"
Mr.. Plunkett stated, adding:
Il intend to ask many more ques-
tions as this campaign progresses,
because the people of Virginia do
not want another Governor to 60
in on a platform like Gov. Darden's
"a pledge against pardoning
drunken drivers, promise to re-
duce killings on the highways and
infinite faith in the power of a
poll tax-controlled machine.
Let's make Tuck talk bit and
not about the value of an Army in
peacetime. Let's make Tuck talk
about the things that are vital to
Virginia-taxes, schools, poll tax re-
peal, health, public welfare.
Maybe, before he's through, he'll
tell the people of Virginia why their
income tax payments to the State
last year went up 36 per cent as
compared with the year before while
collections in corporation income
taxes declined % per cent" he said.