Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-08-15
Almond Gives
Amity Pledge

q Northern Virginia, which
more than once has been slap
ped by State leaders for stray
ing from Richmond dictated
doctrines. today had the pledge
OF Attorney General j. Lind
say Almond. jr.. that he won't
tolerate such political punish
ment If he is elected governor.
In his strongest bid to date
FOR Northern Virginia support,
the Democratic gubernatorial
nominee issued a statement
last night in which he said:
Il do not share the views of
those who seek to impugn the
honesty and integrity Of people
who In the exercise Of their
right may disagree with me.
II know of nothing more
'unwholesome toward the build
ing Of that harmony which we
must have than an effort on
the part of others in branches
of State government to penal
.ize and caStigate any area Of
Virginia whose representatives
may hold views in divergence
to the views maintained by
Others"
f. Promises Cooperation
He declared that "the people
Of Northern Virginia, in the
exercise Of their own good
Judgment, select their repre-
:sentatives to the General AS
.sembly. and / am happy to
assure them that that judg-
:ment will not only be respected
during my administration as
Governor. but I shall be eager
and happy to cooperate with
their chosen representatives In
all matters pertaining to the
welfare Of the people whom
they represent.
Divergence of viewpoints and
differences of opinion. said Mr..
Almond, will be recognized as
far as possible through mutual
respect and confidence and
through due recognition of the
peculiar circumstances which
may prevail n this or any other
area of the State"
The Attorney Generals state
ment came after he conferred
with Delegates Omer Hirst and
John Webb of Fairfax County
Falls Church about campaign
plans in Northern Virginia.
Also attending the conference:
j. Fletcher Wellemeyer. chair
man Of the Fairfax Democratic
Committee. and the Demo-
cratic campaign co-chairmen
for the county. Augustus c.
johnson and Walter T. Skal-
lerup. jr.
Pledge Party Support
Mr.. Hirst and Mr.. Webb
pledged their support OF the
State Democratic ticket led by
Mr.. Almond, and Mr.. Almond
in turn promised Mr.. Hirst and
Mr.. Webb his full support Of
their candidacy for reelection.
Mr.. Almond and the two
Fairfax-Falls Church delegates
acknowledged there we're "di-
vergent views" over school seq
regation, but Mr.. Almond said
I'VE have confidence we can APP
proach them on a common
sense basis and bridge any gap
Of differences that may exist. "
Segregation has been a major
issue dividing Northern Vir-
ginia from the rest Of the State.
Mr.. Webb and Mr.. Hirst both
opposed the anti-integration
legislation sponsored by Gov.
Stanley at the last session OF
the General Assembly.
The outstanding example Of
legislative punishment occurred
when Arlington County lost its
right to elect school board
members after announcing a
tentative migration program.
But for the time being, at
least. Mr.. Almond. Mr.. Webb
and Mr.. Hlrst buried the seq
iregation Ratchet to put forth
"a solid Democratic front for
the voters in the November
election. Northern Virginia
went Republican in the last
guhernatorial election when
Republican State Senator Ted
Dalton came close to defeating
Gov. Stanley. Senator Dalton