Evening star., 1948-03-07
Welfare and School
Departments AssaiIed
In Virginia House
By the Associated Press

| BY the Associated Press
i RICHMOND, Va, Mar. 6.-Dele-
gate E. O.. McCue of Charlottesville
launched a bitter attack on the De-
partment of Education and the
State Department of Public Welfare
today and warned that, there was
another State agency which had
better improve.
In vigorous, hour-long speech
on the floor of the House Of Dele
gates, Mr.. McCue offered resolu-
tions for a thorough study of both
departments by the Advisory Leg
islative Council. The Albemarle
Delegate is chairman of the Advis-
ory Legislative Council.
In assailing the two agencies, Mr..
McCue said there was another de-
partment in the State government
on the "mourners' bench" and that
he was serving notice it would draw
his fire unlessit did better.
He made it plain he was referring
to the Commission of Game and
Inland Fisheries, headed by I. T.
Quinn.
Routine Session Held.
Mr.. McCue's speech was the only
thing to enliven an otherwise rou-
tine session of the General Assem-
bly,. Both houses ran through
their calendars preparatory to en-
tering their final week on Monday
with several pieces of major legis-
lation still before them.
One of these Is the highly con-
| troversial reorganization program
for State government agencies and
departments. To clear the way for
consideration of the program,
which will be carried out, If adopted,
as amendments to the State code,
both houses adopted a joint reso-
luton to give each house the right
to consider its own bills through
Tuesday.
The Senate Courts of Justice
Committee this afternoon met for
the third consecutive day to discuss
subcommittee reports on the re-
organization program which was
recommended by study commission
headed by former United States
Senator Thomas G. Burch of Mar
tinsville.
Changes Predicted.
Some observers have predicted
that if the reorganization amend
ments are reported on Monday by
the committee they may be sharply
revised from the original proposals.
With only one week left-unless
the session is extended-some men,
bers of the assembly have indicated
they consider it virtually impossible
to act on the sweeping proposals to
condense the 70-odd State govern
ment agencies and departments.
Principal action in the Senate
today was passage of bill intro
duced by Senator Charles w. Crow
der, of Richmond, to fix regulations
for catching rockfish during the
spawning season.
The bill, as amended and sent to
the House. cuts from 5000 to 1000
feet the length of haul seine which
may be used for this purpose.
Committee Amends Bill.
The Crowder bill also was amend
ed in committee to prohibit catching
rockfish of over 20 pounds in con-
trast to the present law which
allows up to Is pounds.
| Senate action today was almost
completely overshadowed by the
McCue speech in the House
The delegate from Albermarle said
the State had been pouring money
into the Department of Education
for years and had been getting
nothing from it. He also contended
that the advance in the pay of
teachers has failed to keep pace
with that of salaries in the depart
ment.
A bill to revamp the Department
OF Education. which would have
carried out a recommendation of
the advisory council made in re-
port the day the legislature con-
vened, died yesterday in the House
Courts of Justice Committee.
Education Group Censured.
Mr.. McCue also had words of cens
sure for employment of nonresi-
dents for higher paid positions and
for the Virginia Education Asso-
citation, which. he said, is always
criticizing salaries paid teachers,
thus hurting the profession.
He asserted that he was going to
suggest to the advisory council that
80 days notice be given before posi-
tions in the department can be filled
80 some Virginians can apply"
/ The Department of Public We'll
fare follows the same course, he
added, and had a native of Brooklyn
!, "dishing out money in the noun
!, tains of Albemarle County"
i Mr.. McCue said also that sales tax
bills had been introduced but that
If sales tax should be passed the
} Department of Education and public
welfare would waste the funds as
presently constituted.
At another point Mr.. McCue
termed vocational training as
hobby shops"
Delegate ]. w. Bland of Bruns-
, wick termed Mr. McCue,s attack
unwarranted and In the five min