Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-31
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AS School 'MeddIer'
Tuck, Almond
See Attempt to
Swuy Voters

ment official today stood &C
cused by Representative Tuck,
Democrat of Virginia, and State
Attorney General j. Lindsay Al
mond, jr., of meddling in Vir-
Iginia's constitutional amendment
campaign.
Target Of their sharply worded
attacks was the view expressed
by this administration official
Wednesday in Washington that
a court test would upset any
plans by a State to avoid pupil
indignation merely by changing
the name of its schools from
public" to private"
The Justice Department on
cial expressed doubt such a pro-
gram would stand up in court
if public funds were used to
support the private" schools.
( He had added, however, it was
difficult at this time to deter
mine the end results Of Virginia's
program because of the steps
entailed.
Tuck Demands Identity
Mr.. Tuck, former Governor of
Virginia, sent a telegram to At
torney General Brownell in which
he spoke of "gestapo" tactics by
the Justice Department and
called for identification "of this
assailant who hides behind the
cloak of anonymity. :"
He charged the administration
officials remarks Wednesday:
CONSTITUTES a fragrant and
unbridled attempt by some mem
Der of your department to null
lily and declare unconstitu-
tional our laws before they are
enacted;
"And to coerce and intimidate
the voters of Virginia" prior to
the January 8 referendum:
"And to influence the OUT
come of the election in favor Of
racial Indignation, thus prevent
ing Virginia from holding a free
and untrammeled election"
Interference AssaiIed
! Mr.. Tuck said his attention
had been called to an Associated
Press dispatch concerning the
Justice Department officials
comments. and statements in the
same article that the activities
of individuals and groups in the
Southern States are being in
lvestigated."
Mr.. Tuck called on Mr..
Brownen to disclose the "identi.
ty of this assailant who hides
behind the cloak of anonymity
and to know by what authority
the Justice Department has set
up q secret gestapo to impose
upon the people and the gov
Iernment Of sovereign State o
super-monitorship."
Mr.. Almond. in a pro-amend-
ment speech at Amherst, said
THE unidentified Federal official
has made "a braZen and cow
ardly attempt" to influence the
January 9 vote.
GAS a Virginian." he said. 81
deeply resent this outside alien
interference with the electoral
processes of my State"
Justice Department Silent
According to press accounts
emanating from north of the
Potomac" he said. some inter-
looping, intermeddling, political
tool of the NAACP. allegedly a
high mogul in the United States
Department of Justice. whose
name and the color of whose
philosophy was withheld from
public scrutiny, is indirectly
quoted as threatening to strike
down and destroy the tuition
grant plan if approved by the
sovereign people Of Virginia on
January g."
/ Mr.. Almond said the remarks
constituted interference with
the freedom" of the people Of
Virginia to vote as they please
and ito exercise their own In
dependent Judgment -"
Informed of the statement by
Mr.. Tuck and Mr.. Almond, q
Justice Department press officer
said the department would have
no comment. q
Voters in Virginia will decide
January 9 whether a convention
should be called to amend the
State constitution to permit pub
lie grants for children attending
nonsectarian private schools, an
anti-integration proposal made
by the Gray commission.
Both Advocate Plan
Both Mr.. Almond and Mr..
Tuck are strong advocates Of the
tuition grant proposal.
Former Gov. Colgate w. OAR
den, jr.. president of the Uni
tversity of Virginia, said in tele-
vision talk yesterday both advo-
Gates and opponents OF the tut
ton grant plan should vote for
the constitutional change pro-
posed in the referendum.
His appeal was based on
grounds that amendment of Sec
ton l41 of the State constitu-
ton is necessary to restore GER
tain student aid programs to
which the State has long been
committed. He listed these as
including financial help to war
orphans, Negro graduate stu
dents and rehabilitation cases.
Following Mr.. Darden's 30
minute speech over WTAR-TV,
Norfolk, Alonzo G. Moron, presi-
dent of Hampton Institute, sent
a telegram to the station asking
time to reply.
Mr.. Moron said he wanted
particularly to clarity the ref
erenceS made to Negroes and the