Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-10-20
Tuthi||, BIevins
Charges

Curtis E. Tuthill, candidate
for the Arlington County Board,
said today that an organization
backing his opponent was re-
sponsible for State ruling ban
ming integrated audiences at
campaign debates.
His opponent, DR.. L. H.
Blevins. quickly rejoined that
this was a panicky statement of
a losing candidate. Mr.. Tuthill's
statement also was fatty denied
by the pro-segregation organi-
cation, the Defenders Of State
Sovereignty and Individual
Liberties.
Mr.. Tuthill. a nominee of the
Arlingtonians for a Better
County, again was challenged on
a comment that the Defenders
are backing his Arlington hide
pendent Movement opponent.
Last Years Campaign
The intense interest by both
candidates in the activities of the
Defenders can be traced to the
results of last years School
Board campaign. The Defenders
had publicly backed AIMS three
School Board candidates, none
of whom were elected.
Earlier this week, Attorney
General J. Lindsay Almond, jr.,
said State law requires that
audiences at the Arlington joint
candidate meetings be segre-
gated by race.
The Arlington School Board,
he said, is responsible for des-
ignating segregated seating be-
cause the County Board cam
paign debates are being held in
public school buildings.
Mr.. Almonds opinion was
given at the request of Arlington
Commonwealth Attorney william
j. Hassan. who had expressed an
opposite view to that Of the at
torney general. Mr.. Hassan had
asked for Mr.. Almonds ruling
after the Defenders challenged
the legality of permitting inte-
grated audiences.
TuthilI Statement
The Attorney Generals opin-
ion drew this statement from
Mr.. Tuthill:
There appears to be no limit
to the extremes to which the
AIM-Defenders coalition is now
willing to go in stirring up racial
animosities in Arlington.
In a written statement the
nominee OF the more liberal ABC
group went on to say that the
Defenders are circulating litera-
ture" urging the election of Dr.
BievinS
In support Of this comment
Mr., Tuthill produced a mailout.
carrying the letterhead of the
Arlington Defenders. which in
cluded the statement: "Remem-
Der the segregation candidates.
1T. Coleman Andrews, REPRE-
sentative) Broyhill and Blevins."
A spokesman for the Defend
ers. Jack Rathbone, said the
chapter was absolutely neutral"
on the county board race. Mr..
Tuthills statement linking AIM
with the Defenders in regard
to the attorney generals ruling
was also fatty denied by Mr..
Rathbone.
NAACP 10 Attack Law
Meanwhile, Edwin C. Brown.
legal adviser for the NAACP in
Northern Virginia. said his group
probably would develop a court
case to test the validity OF the
State law on which Mr.. Almond
ruled.
We're still holding confer7
ences on the matter he said.
THE plans have to be well
worked out"
He said that when the test
came at a future candidates
meeting. spectators will take the
seats they want and "let the ar
rests occur" He added that I'VE
have a number OF people who
are willing to be arrested to
force a test"
Meanwhile. Arlington school
officials have decided that school
buildings will still be available
for the final two campaign de-
bates
II the meetings are held as
echeduied they said the STATE