Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-07
Virginia Referendum
Faces Court Test
Attorney Acts
To Block Vote
On School Issue

On School Issue
RICHMOND, Dec. Z (P.-The
State faced a court challenge
today to its plans for a January
10 referendum on whether a con-
ivention shall be called to amend
the State constitution to deal
with the school segregation issue.
In a surprise move, Joseph A.
Jordan, jr., a Norfolk colored
attorney, filed an Injunction pc
tition in Richmond Circuit Court
late yesterday in an effort to
block the referendum.
/ Mr.. Jordan said the referen-
dunn would be illegal because it
seeks to give the State means
of getting around the Supreme
Courts decision outlawing seq
regation in public schools.
Stanley COnIeFS
| Elsewhere there were these
Developments pertaining to the
amendment plan:
! l. Gov. Stanley moNed on to
Petersburg for new conferences
with State legislators on meth
DDS to push the amendment pro-
Iposal.
2. Delegate John Webb Of
Fairfax. who tried to XIII the
plan in the Legislature last week,
ANNOUNCED he would vigorously
work for its defeat in Northern
Virginia.
8. Attorney General J. Lindsay
Almond. jr., spelled out in pre-
else detail who'll be eligible to
vote January 8.
Mr.. Jordan's petition specifi-
cally asked that State Controller
Sydney Day. jr.. and State Treas
urer Jesse Dillon be enjoined
from making any expenditures
lin connection with the referen-
dunn or the special session of the
Legislature last week.
| Assemblymen Paid
Mr.. Day said members of the
General Assembly, who set up
the referendum at their special
Efour-day meeting, had already
been paid $40 each for coming
to Richmond. But he said no
funds have been spent as yet for
the referendum.
The petition asked that argu-
Iments be heard December Is.
'IMr. Jordan's attorneys said he
had filed the case on his own
and the action was not being
sponsored by the National Asso-
citation for the Advancement OF
Colored People.
| A favorable vote in the refer
endum would give the go-aheao
to a convention to amend the
State constitution to permit the
Commonwealth to provide tuition
grants for private schooling.
j The tuition grants would be
available to parents who pre-
ferred not to send their children
to integrated schools and In
areas where local authorities
might suspend public school
operations rather than permit
indignation.
Mr.. Jordan said Virginia citi-
zens would suffer "irreparable
injury" If the tuition payments
were made.
Stanley In Petersburg
Gov. Stanley. meanwhile, was
slated to be in Petersburg during
the day to confer with the areas
legislators on plans for pushing
an about yes" vote on the
amendment plan.
/ In huddleS with Norfolk and
Newport News area lawmakers
yesterday the Governor stressed
the need for giving the people
"all the answers" on what the
plan would do.
A number of legislators have
expressed the belief an intense
selling job must be done to
counteract the fear among some
persons that the public school
system would be endangered.
In debate in the Legislature,
pro-amendment forces argued
the plan will not harm the pub
lie school system and will pro-
vide the means of assuring edu-
cation in southside areas where
threats to abandon schools have
been voiced.
, Gov. Stanley said yesterday it
was his sincere hope" that no
public school buildings would
have to be disposed of.
Webb Continues Fight
In Northern Virginia. Mr..
Webb served notice he'll carry
his fight against the plan to the
people of his area. Mr.. Webb.
who led an abortive attempt to
block the referendum in the Leg
Iislature, announced plans for a
series of television shows in OPP
position.
The Attorney General. in an
opinion late yesterday, con-
firmed and amplif1ed the major
points of eligibility he had set
forth earlier in an informal
statement
In general, any person who
was eligible to vote in the Nov.
g, 1855, general elections or is
qualified to vote in the June IL,
1856. general elections can vote
January 8
Those presently not qualified
may qualify by paying up what
ever poll taxes they owe on or
before December IL. They must
then register, unless they've al
ready done so.
The registration deadline in
-s4 IL. Il