Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-13
Richmond Editor Fovors
Challenge to High Court

Snd!len9e &c
A Richmond newspaper editor
said last night that while the
Gray Commission plan is the
best way for virginians to work
within the authority OF the SUI
preme Court desegregation de-
cision, perhaps we've meyer paid
enough attention to the posi-
bility Of challenging the courts
authority"
James j. Fitzpatrick, editor of
the Richmond News Leader. said
that the Gray Commission offers
the best possible State wide plan
for avoiding indignation In the
IIpublic schools. He urged that
voters in the January 9 referen-
dunn approve a convention to
amend the State constitution &C
,cording to the commissions rec
concentrations.
But, he said, this may be the
|, time for Virginians to rally
around a principal first enun-
ciated by Jefferson and Madison
that if the States see the CEN
trial government encroaching on
their sovereignty, "the States
have a right and responsible
ity to interpose resistance to
that evil"
! Fight Grows Hotter
The Gray Commission contro-
Iversy continued to rage on sew
leral fronts, meanwhile.
Delegate John Webb of Fair
fax warned on a television
broadcast that approval Of the
Gray Commission plan might
Iinvalidate the constitutional
mandate for a public free school
system.
Delegate Kathryn Stone of Ar
Ilington told a meeting in Fair
Ilington she did not believe the
private school tuition system
would hold UP in court.
And in Alexandria, State SEN
Iator-elect Armistead L. Boothe
Opposed the Gray program while
his successor in the House OF
delegates. James M. Thomson,
urged its approval at the polls,
| 400 Hear Editor
/ Mr.. Fitzpatrick spoke to an au-
dience Of nearly 400 persons in
the Falls Church High School.
| He drew applause more than
once as he said, Il think the
time has come to rise up to the
Supreme Court and say halt.
II think that time has come now !;
i I pray Almighty God we make
that time now"
! The meeting was sponsored by
the newly formed Fairfax Citi-
zens' Committee for the Consti-
tutional Convention to Prevent
Forced Indignation.
/. Mr.. Fitzpatrick licked of what
he said were the commonest OBJ
ljections to the Gray plan and
ito the January referendum pro-
.posal. He answered each in
detail.
Although some sections of the
State will require only the pupil
ireassignment plan to prevent
most school migration, Mr.. Kill
patrick said. other parts Of the
State should be allowed the adj
ditional protection" Of the tut
tion-grant plan.
), That is necessary, he said. be-
cause the first plan could not be
100 per cent effective. and there
are many persons who feel you
cannot be a little bit integrated
any more than you can be a little
bit pregnant"
The editor said that statements
that the Gray Commission plan
will mean the end of public edu-
cation in Virginia are foolish. "
The plan cannot be such a
threat as some of the smoke
screen boys would make it," he
said. II believe little COMPETE
ton from private school system
would not be wholly destructive. "
Calls Sentiment Deep
Mr.. Fitzpatrick said the depth
Of sentiment In Virginia against
the Supreme Courts segregation
ruling can be explained on three
counts:
l. Virginians make a peculiar
indoor sport" Of constitutional
exposition. I'VE have a great
reverence for the Constitution
in fact we are disposed to say it
Is ours
2. I'VE resent compulsion
Ours is voluntary society: that
is the essence of our conser-
vatism. I hope we continue to
resist compulsion."
( 3. There is a tradition in the
South of a dual society "a tradi-
ton badly misunderstood out
side our region" The basis Of
the tradition is "a wide dis.
parity in the moral. sexual and
health backgrounds of the two
separate races. which finds Ne
groes contributing dispropor-
tionately to the States crime,
disease. illegitimacy and illitera-
cy rates."