Evening star., 1950-03-14
Assembly Fight
On School PAY
Casts Shadow
Future Political War
Seen as Gov. Bottle
And Whitehead Spar
By the Associated Press

BY the Associated Press
RICHMOND, Mar. 14.-Post-
mortem statements on the 1850
General Assembly pose two diff
ferent explanations for the House
of Delegates gyrations over 81
item for school teacher
pay.
They also project potential out
lines of political conflicts to come.
Both evolved from the Satur-
day night budget struggle in the
House, which first rejected and
then accepted the administration
backed conference recommended
tion to strike from the 1950-1952
budget bill a House amendment
adding. $4,000 yearly for raises
to experienced school teachers.
Gov. Battle himself gave the
administration viewpoint-House
members were confused over the
difference between revenues and
surplus. confusion which he at
tempted to clarity in conferences
with several Delegates between
votes.
Whitehead's Idea.
Delegate Robert Whitehead of
Nelson County, chief spokesman
for the, House amendment, of
fered the opposite slant-the ad-
ministration just wouldn't accept
something "it did not propose and
recommend" and so turned on the
heat to make the issue "a test of
loyalty"
Their comment also re-empha-
sized two conflicting financial in
ter pr eta tions. The admin
stration's was that the extra mil
lion dollars would have unbal-
anced the general fund budget:
Mr.. Whitehead's was that the
cash was there. and plenty more.
Mr.. Whitehead also went on
into other phases of the assembly
session, to lay down the broad
outlines of an indictment which
may serve as the anti-organiza-
ton rallying point in future cam
paigns.
The Nelson delegate, a major
supporter of Francis Pickens Mill
er against Gov. Battle in last
years Democratic primary, now
is regarded by both sides as the
strongest potential anti-organiza-
ton candidate for governor in
1858. p
The Situation
In its simplest terms, the Sat-
urday night action to which both
statements referred was this:
The House first voted, 48-47.
for the extra million, then re-
versed itself to vote, 48-44, against
the teacher money. It's first vote
threw the budget bill back into
House-Senate Conference Com
mittee.
Mr.. Whitehead said that in be-
tween votes advantage was taken
by the leadership and the Gov
ernor to corral certain members
OF the House. and sufficient pres
sure was brought to bear to get
them to switch over" He added:
Notwithstanding the avail
ability of funds. the administra-
ton was unwilling to permit for
schools an addition that it did not
propose and recommend. It drew
the line and made the issue a
test of loyalty
Battle Explains.
Gov. Battle said that any avail
able. funds were purely from sur
plus, not from anticipated reve-
nues, and should not be committed
to recurring expenses. He con-
tinued:
I think the confusion attend
ant on the session of Saturday
night, and the first rejection of
the conferees' report, in large
measure was occasioned by failure
to distinguish between anticipated
revenues. which are the only prop
er sources from which operating
expenses-technically referred to
as recurring charges-are paid.
and surplus funds, which should
be used only for capital expendi-
lures.
In these discussions, as report
ed to me, operating expenses such
as teacher salaries were confused
with capital expenditures, and
anticipated revenues were added
to prospective surplus, resulting
in misinterpretation and lack of
understanding.
When this situation became
apparent 7 did confer with some
members Of the Assembly in an
ATTEMPT TO clarity tho situation, -