Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-10-23
ScuIl Again Refuses
To Answer Quiz
Thomson Group
To Seek Citation
For Contempt

ADS4 W aAAoWCA 4USDtAQlA-
before Virginia's Thomson
Committee investigating racial
activities.
He previously refused to
testify at a Thomson Commit
Tee hearing September 20 and
was ordered to answer questions
following a hearing in Arliug.
ton Circuit Court last week.
Leslie Hall. chief counsel for
the Thomson Committee, in
dicated the committee would
seek contempt citation in Arl-
ington Circuit Court as a re-
suit Of today's refusal.
Stand ReafIirmed
Mr.. Scull. in a statement to
the committee today, said:
II am still convinced that
this committee Is uncorstitu-
tional in its authority, unla wful
in its objecLives, and immoral
in its methods"
Mr.. Soul told reporters that
he was fully aware Of all that
might happen" as a result Of
his refusal to answer questions.
Mr.. Scull, a Quaker, said he
was trying to carry out my re-
ligious convictions"
In his statement to the COM
mittee, which is headed by Del
egate James M. Thomson Of
Alexandria, Mr.. Scull dashed
out at the committee and the
States policy of massive re-
sistance to the Supreme Court
indignation edict.
He said:
1T is sad to see men in pub
lie office, who could be capable
Of so much good and construc-
tive work in a time which cries
out for craftsmanship. so
blinded by prejudice, driven by
fear or greedy for political ad.
vantage that they stoop to acts
which make a mockery of our
pledge of liberty and justice to
all. Among the present instru-
ments Of oppression is the
Committee on Law Reform and
Racial Activities Thomson
Committee, founded on the
presumption that Virginia need
not extend the equal protection
of its laws to its Negro citizens.
i am sorry for its members
because / believe they will one
day realize the evil they are
doing"
Mr.. Scull has refused to
testify. because he claimed the
legislation setting up the COM
mittee is unconstitutional and
that it is violating the civA
rights of persons called before
it.
No Privilege Claimed
II have nothing personally
to hide, and I have most
emphatically not claimed any
privilege against self-incrimi-
nation" said Mr.. Scull. vice
president Of the Fairfax County
Council on Human Relations"
He continued:
But there are men and
women in Virginia who be-
cause of their own personal
circumstances or because Of
the force of public opinion in
their own communities are
much more vulnerable to social
and economic pressures than
] happen to be, who may in
deed be subjected to extreme
personal violence If it is pub,
licly known that they support
q cause which is highly UNI
popular among their neighbors.
These citizens, white and Negro.
must be guaranteed the right
to help achieve justice in the
courts for any cause in which
they believe, without being
subjected to hostile shopping
into their private affairs under
the guise of legislative investi-
CATION. These tactics. now
used against the NAACP and
others in the integration con-
troversy, could. if allowed to
stand unchallenged, be used In
the future against any other
unpopular cause.
Mr.. Scull was ordered to
testify by Judge Emery N. Hos
mer. Judge HoSmer refused to
suspend the order pending an
appeal of the decision to q
higher court.
Warren Refuses Plea
Mr.. Scull also tried to get
the Virginia Supreme Court of
Appeals to suspend the order
but was turned down, and yes
terday Chief Justice Warren
of the United States Supreme
Court refused a similar request.
Mr.. Thomson has said he
wants to question Mr.. Scull on
whether he Is a member Of
several organizations which
send mail to his post once box
in Annandale. and whether the
organizations are racial in
character.
The main target Of the
Thomson Committee is the
Mr.. Scull told report
ers today that 1t is public
knowledge that he has been a
of the NAACP for four
years.
Stur Film 70 Be Seen