Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-11-11
Thomson Report Asks
Probe Continuance


Continued From First Page
from the 1856 Legislature. The
committee was instructed to
obtain information to deter
mine "the effect which inte-
grafton or the threat of inte-
grafton could have on the oper-
alton of the public schools in
the State or the general well
fare Of the State. :"
Textbook Data
An inquiry in this direction
resulted in a division among
committee members when Mr..
Thomson sought certain de-
tailed information on text
books and reference materials
in the public school systems Of
the nearby area.
Arlington Supt. Edward T.
Rutter agreed to supply avail
able lists of textbooks, but de-
clined to furnish detailed data
which was not Immediately
available. Two members of the
Thomson Committee, Delegate
Charles B. Cross. jr., of Ports
mouth, and Senator Mills E.
Goodwin of Suffolk, announced
they had not been consulted
before Mr.. Thomson made this
request. Here is what today's
report had to say about it:
This inquiry Con the effects
Of integration) was preliminary
In nature and was initiated by
the chairman to determine
whether or not there was suffi-
cient information to refer to
the full committee for action.
The sole area of the inquiry
was that relating to textbooks
and reference books used in
the public high schools in the
10th congressional district.
Unfortunately this inquiry
was not commenced until the
last month of the committees
work and no final determine
ton can be made as to the
facts nor is the committee pre-
pared to make a positive find
ing at this time. Sufficient in
formation has come to the COM
mittee's attention. however. to
necessitate a recommendation
that further study should be
made by an appropriate agency
Of the State government"
No Recommendations
The Thoms son committee
made no recommendations on
two other directives from the
General Assembly. One was to
determine the need, or lack
of need. for legislation govern
ing organizations seeking to in
fluence, encourage or promote
racial litigation, relative to
State income tax laws and the
tax status of donations to such
organizations.
The report quotes Tax Com
missioner c. H. Morrissett as
saying no income tax is i'm
posed on any corporation which
is mot organized or conducted
for pecuniary profit"
Then Mr.. Morrissett went on
to say:
"A tax approach to the prob
lens presented by the activi-
ties of the organizations above
mentioned would not seem to
me to be very promising. The
reason is that in order to
subject them to the income
tax, it would be necessary to
broaden the income tax law
so as to include not only them,
but also all other organizations
having the same general legal
classification"
The com m ittee said the
NAACP and the NAACP Legal
Defense and Educational Fund,
Inc. both New York corpora
tions. have been doing bust
ness in this State for many
years. but neither corporation
was qualified to do business in
Virginia until 1856"
What Steps?
The committee then asked
the State Corporation Commits
sion what steps had or would be
taken to enforce penalties
against corporations doing bust
ness in Virginia without pre-
viously having qualified. The
commission replied, according
to the report. that it was not
the policy of that agency ito
inquire into past activities of
foreign corporation in this State
If it makes application for q
certificate to do business, and
that no proceedings are pend
ing before the commission, or
are contemplated. =
However. the report went on.
the State Tax Department in
formed the committee that mo
donation or contribution to
these organizations is deducti-
BILE from the tax returns Of
those making such donations
or contributions.
THE committee refrains from