Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-12
'Tax.Rise Seen
If Gray Plan
Is Defeated
Northern Virginia
Warned by Mann Of
Enormous Increase

Warmed by Mann of
Enormous Increase
Northern Virginia residents
might be saddled with an
enormous rise" in State income
taxes If the Gray Commission
plan to prevent forced integra-
ton fails to pass, Delegate Har-
rison Mann of Arlington warned
today.
Mr.. Mann is a supporter of
the Gray plan, which would
allow tuition grants for children
to attend private schools instead
of integrated public schools. A
referendum will be held Janu-
airy 8 to decide whether a Con-
stitutional convention should be
held to amend the State Consti-
tuition according to the Gray
Commissions recommendations.
"a large increase in taxes
would become necessary should
the State itself be forced to go
into many communities where
public schools should have been
abandoned because of forced in
Itegration," Mr.. Mann predicted.
This would mean that Arlington
and other areas which are carry
ing their own burden would be
called upon to help carry an ad-
ditional burden for a purely State
system. Under the Gray COM
mission plan, this would not be
necessary"
Foes Use Similar Argument
/ Opponents of the Gray plar
have used q similar argument
against it. They have pointed
GU that the Gray plan would al.
low localities to abandon public
schools. and the State would bt
forced to step in - with ta1
money collected from other parts
of the State. Under the Gray
plan, however. these localities
might be discouraged from clos
ing public schools because they
would get no State financial help
/ for tuition grants if they did.
II would hate to see the State
forced into direct operation and
administration of Schools" Mr.
Mann said. IF this occurred, it
would be inevitable that all
schools in the State would even
tually be operated from Rich
Imond. Under a centralized State
system, the people would lose
control of their schools on a To-
cal basis"
Panel Discussion Tonight
Opponents of the Gray plan
meanwhile organized a panel
discussion to be led by Delegate
John Webb of Fairfax County
over television Station WTTG
at tbs o'clock tonight. Mr.. Webb
lied the unsuccessful fight in the
Legislature to defeat the pro-
posed constitutional convention
| Editor James J. Fitzpatrick of
the Richmond News Leader will
speak at a mass meeting at 8
O'Clock tonight in the Falls
Church High School, sponsored
by the Fairfax Citizens Commit
tee for the Constitutional Con-
vention to Prevent Forced In
tegration.
/ Other speakers will be Fred
w. Robinson, member of the
Fairfax School Board. and Stuart
DeBell, member of the Fairfax
Board of County Supervisors.
Both are members of the COM
mittee, headed by Paul Lee
Sweeny.
Arlington Meeting
! The Committee for the Con-
stitutional Convention will spon-
sor a meeting at 8 pm. Thursday
at Thomas Jefferson Junior
High School in Arlington. Ed
ward o. Poole. chairman. said
the Gray Commission plan would
be explained by Mr.. Fenwick
and Mr.. Mann.
Richard M. Carrigan. presi-
dent Of the Arlington Education
Association, today made public
a resolution passed by the or
ganizations legislative council
asking for Qualification of the
Gray plan.
Mr.. Carrigan said the teachers
feel the issue involved is ex-
tremely complex - there is no
easy or simple way to explain
it." Speaking as an individual,
Mr.. Carrigan said he felt it was
the duty of those who support
the Gray proposal ito supply the
facts necessary TO inform the
electorate"
The Rev. George F. Tittman,
rector of St. Mary's Episcopal
Church in Arlington, yesterday
told his congregation the real
issue in the coming referendum
is 1.-The place If the Negro in
Southern society" He added:
g. The real issue, the deep
est issue confronting our Com
monwealth Is the status of the
Negro among us, not matters of
education and law - important
though they may be-"
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