Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-23
Democrats Vote
No harrington
|0n GrayP|an
Executive Committee
Ballots, 80 to 26,
Against Convention

AgQinSt Convention
The Arlington Democratic Ex-
Iecutive Committee is on record.
80 to 26. urging a vote January
% against holding a constitutional
convention to authorize State
grants for private education.
The committee met last night
lat Lyon Park Community House.
Ernest L. Lyons, chairman, said
II committee members were alb.
sent.
The tuition grant proposal is
la recommendation of the Gray
Commission approved by a spe-
Icial session of the General AS
Isembly earlier this month in a
move to avoid forced migration
in public schools.
For and Against
Speaking in favor of the Gray
Commission proposal last night
were State Senator Charles r.
Fenwick, a member of the COM
mission, and Parke Payne.
Speaking against calling a con-
Ivention were George Havercheck
and Mrs. Eleanor Zimmerman.
Mr.. Lyons said an unusual
roll-call vote was held after the
debate. Usually votes are taken
by a show of hands or voice vote.
1--WE are generally one big
happy family" he said, but last
night everybody wanted to stand
up and be counted. After the
referendum in January they'll
all get together again."
/ Meetings of the committee are
closed to the public and the
press.
Sees Stanley Caught
| Warren Quenstedt, chairman
of the Save Our Schools Com
mittee of Fairfax County, said
Gov. Stanley lis caught in his
own complex trap" by the stand
announced by Senator Byrd last
Saturday.
The Senator, in advocating a
favorable vote in the referen-
dunn, said he saw no need for
I"precipitous action in the inn
mediate future" in enacting the
remainder of the Gray Commits
sion's legislative program.
Subsequently, Gov. Stanley
said he would await the results
of the referendum vote before
deciding what portions of the
Gray program to recommend to
the Legislature. Mr.. Quenstedt
said:
There is no question of the
fact that Gov. Stanley intends
to cloak a favorable referendum
with the mantle Of public man
date and then ram through
the currently unknown laws af-
fecting our taxes and public
schools which his political adj
visers are now planning.
Described as Dangerous
1.-THE roster of State officials
Gov. Stanley has corraled to
support his headstrong circum-
vention of the Supreme Court
Ipresents a manifestly dangerous
situation-made dangerous first
and foremost by the Governor
himself.
Now that Senator Byrd, in
his political wisdom, has cau-
toned him to go slow, Gov.
Stanley is caught in his own COM
tplex trap Of will without reason.
:. Yet the Governor continues
forcefully to urge voters to give
him this blank check referendum
without letting them know be-
fore January 8 what the conse-
quences will be-"
The Laymen's League of the
Arlington Unitarian Church an
nounced today it has unani-
mously recommended a vote
against the referendum question.
Asks for Stand
In another development, Mr..
Fenwick called on three Dele
gates who voted against the con-
stitutional convention referen-
dunn at the recent special session
of the Legislature to state
whether they are for or against
forced indignation.
The three he named are Mrs.
Kathryn Stone of Arlington.
IOmer l.. Hirst and John C..
Webb of Fairfax.
Mr.. Fenwick quoted press re-
ports that the three would sup
port the assignment plan of the
Gray Commission but are OPP
posed to the tuition grants in
Ivolved in the January 9 refer
Iendum.
Harley M. Williams. chairman
of the Virginia Citizens Com
mittee for Better Schools, yes
Iterday criticized State Senator
John A. K. Donovan of Fairfax
for having voted in the Legis-
Ilature to authorize the referen-
dunn and now speaking against
a favorable vote.
Mr.. Donovan explained at the
time he would vote in the Senate
to give the people a chance to
decide the issue although he had
doubts about the legality of the
proposed change.