Evening star., 1955-11-29
Seeks to Muster
One-Fifth Of Vote
To Halt Program
BY ALEX r. PRESTON
star stan correspondent

RICHMOND. Va. Nov. 2s.-
Delegate John C. Webb Of Fair.
fax win lead opposition at to-
morrow's special session Of the
General Assembly which has
been called to permit Virginia to
subsidize private education.
He arrived here yesterday. two
days before the Legislature is to
convene, to confer with oppo-
nents Of the Gray Commission
program designed to meet the
Supreme Courts decisions BAN
ming segregation in public schoolE
Mr.. Webb said he would meet
this afternoon with a group Of
lawmakers who plan to fight the
program for which, Gov. Stanley
has called the special session. He
refused to identify those who
would attend.
The Fairfax delegate said he 10
ready to offer a substitute plan,
but that he is not ready to dis
close the details.
Outline Of Gray Plan
Chief features Of the program
recommended by the special
commission headed by State Sem
|ator Garland Gray of Waverly
Iare these:
Amend the State constitution
ito permit the spending Of public
funds for private education in
localities which might abolish
their public school system or to
provide State grants for childreA
whose parents object to their at
lending integrated classes.
Legislation to broaden the au-
Ithority Of local school boards to
assign students to specific schools
for reasons other than race.
Most of the Gray commission
lprograll. is scheduled for the reg.
Iular session of the General AS
|sembly which convenes January
III. Tomorrow's special session
was called by Gov. Stanley to
rush the procedure for q consti-
Itutional convention to make pos
Isible the education subsidy plan.
Four -Fifths Vote Needed
Mr.. Webb said opponents are
pinning their hopes on defeat
ing the amendment proposal on
the fact that it win be an emer-
Igency bill. This means it viii re-
lquire a four-fifths vote Of both
houses for passage.
1 Thus tt would need the ap-
tproval Of at least 80 Of the 100
members Of the House of Dele
Igates and at least 80 Of the
members of the Senate.
Mr.. Webb said he is opposed
to the Gray Commission pro-
gram on legal. political and
moral grounds "and I expect
while I'm here to talk on them
in that order"
This is such an obvious move
to circumvent the Supreme
Courts decision 1t is repugnant
to me as a lawyer" Mr.. Webb
said. This would end up In an
endless round Of litigation.
Politically we have to recog-
Inize that this question is bigger
than the State Of Virginia. What
We do here is not only being
watched around the Nation but
around the world ITSELF"
Sees Much Dissension
Mr.. Webb predicted violent
disagreement when the Legisla-
|ture convenes to deal with the
problem. He said he had the
highest regard for the 80 mem
bers Of the Gray Commission,
"but we just happened to have
reached different conclusions on
this question"
The Legislature will be asked
by Gov. Stanley to approve q
bill authorizing a referendum on
the question of creating q con-
stitutional convention.
II think" MIR. Webb said, ''the
majority Of people are in favor
Of segregated schools, but the
issue in the referendum is not
clear cut enough. I'm afraid
there's too much confusion -
that some people will regard this
as a simple matter of local
option when. in fact, the real
issue is whether we continue the
free public school system or
pr0vida the means for itS even.