Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-03-01
Virginia Probes
U. 5. Employe
Holders
Delegates to Check
If Any Violate Low
As PoIicy-Mokers

4
Star star Correspondent
| RICHMOND, Mar. IA legis-
|lative inquiry into whether some
Federal employees are serving on
Northern Virginia school boards
contrary to State law was under
way today by q House Of Dele
gates subcommittee.
Federal employees failed to win
a clear-cut victory when the
House Education Committee
killed the Boatwright bill by an
8-to-8 tie vote yesterday. The
bill would have barred all Fed
Ieral employees from holding local
offices.
The committee went into ex-
ecutive session and appointed a
lthree-man subcommittee to draft
a joint resolution for submission
ito the General Assembly. Pur-
pose of the measure would be to
call attention to the law which
now permits only clerks and
Iemployes" of the United States
to serve on school boards.
Delegate Charles Green Of
Bedford, who was among those
who voted to kill the bill of Dele
gate John B. Boatwright, initiat-
ed the move for a Joint reSolu-
ton. He was named to the sub
committee which also includes
Delegate Roy Smith Of Peters,
burg, chairman. and Delegate
Robert Whitehead Of Nelson
County.
Plans to Be Worked Out
The scope and intent of the
resolution we're not clearly de-
fined and the subcommittee was
to work out a plan later today.
Mr.. Smith said, ct has been
brought to our attention that
some school board members may
be holding Office contrary to law.
In killing the Boatwright bill, we
decided that the difficulty may
not be the present law, but what
has been done under the law"
At present. the law banning
Federal employees from holding
State or local Offices lists IA ex-
emptions. The statute says it
shall not be construed, among
other things. Ito prevent clerks
and employees of the Federal
Government engaged in the de-
Ipartmental services in Washing
ton from acting as school truss
tees" (board members).
/ Or, ito prevent any United
States Government clerk from
holding any Office under the
government of any town or CITY,"
Mr.. Boatwright's bill would
have. abolished these exemptions
so that the Federal ban would
have applied against clerks and
iemployes."
| Mr.. Green said, ~ made the
motion for the study so we
could determine whether there
are members of school boards In
Virginia who are in policy
making positions and therefore
would not be classed as clerks
or employees.
IF so. then we will prepare a
resolution declaring it the sense
of the General Assembly that
appropriate steps be taken in
each case to see that the law is
compiled with"
Mr.. Green said he could not,
at this time. state what zap
propriate steps" he had in mind
Indignation Conflict
Yesterday, when Delegate
Frank P. Moncure of Stafford
appeared before the Education
Committee to indorse the Boat
wright bill. he said:
II don't mind if the people
know how I feel about Arlington
and its Federal employees. / say
that no man can serve two mas
tiers.
1--WE all know that the adj
ministration in Washington is
dedicated to indignation. We
know that every Federal en-
lploye is sworn to uphold the laws
Iof the Federal Government, and
lii he deviates from that he's a
Igone gosling."
He also likened the situation
lin Northern Virginia to "a can
Ger in the side of Virginia"