"Virginia Press Review"

The following is a presentation of the Department of Public Affairs of WLUR. Virginia Press Review, a gleaning of the top events of this week, as reported in the pages of Virginia's newspapers. Here now is WAUR's chief correspondent and director of Public Affairs, John Dalberg. Good evening and welcome to this edition of Virginia Press Review. As usual, before we start our digest of this week's events, let's have a look at the headlines around the state at this hour. Congressional candidate Warren D. Saunders today opened his election headquarters in Lexington. The American party members said he thought that the seventh district race had narrowed down to a contest between himself and Republican incumbent M. Caldwell Butler. An employment decline in Virginia between mid -August and mid -September, according to a report issued

today by the State Department of Labor and Industry that came despite a worsening economic situation according to that department. A common cause poll of Virginia Congressional candidates issued today indicates most are amenable to supporting legislation requiring disclosure of financial interests if elected. And Lester Banks of the Virginia NAACP said today that his group is ready to file suit if there is not further progress in ending what he called discrimination in state schools. Those headlines from the Associated Press. If there is a lack of interest in the present congressional races and the coming November election, it certainly is not due to lack of money or to the Ballyhoo and publicity that money has bought. It could be a million dollar campaign as the Fredericksburg freelance star reports. Candidate from Virginia's 10 congressional seats already have spent more than 750 ,000 dollars campaigning for the posts and the figure may surpass one million dollars before the votes are counted November 5th. The figures were compiled from the latest campaign reports required by state law to have been filed with the State Board of Elections by midnight last Monday. The reports were for expenses and contributions

through October 14th. The biggest spend is so far of been Democrat Charles J. Horn of the 9th District and Republican Representative Stanford E. Paris of the 8th District. Horn and Amidon Millionaire businessman who is trying to ask Republican representative William C. Wompler of Bristol reported campaign expenses of $119 ,000 and contributions totally $130 ,000. Paris, a freshman congressman who won with less than a majority of the votes in 1972 and a three -way race had spent $91 ,000 and collected $102 ,000. Paris is opposed by Democrat Herbert E. Harris of Alexandria. In those races close to Lexington, the 7th District, the largest geographic district in Virginia, also has seen a lot of campaign money being spent. Republican Representative Jay Kenneth Robinson reported spending of $67 ,000 with contributions of $77 ,000. His Democratic vote, George H. Gilliam, reported expenses of $33 ,000 and contributions totaling $37 ,000. American Party candidate Warren D. Saunders has been the biggest spender in the 6th District,

reporting $34 ,000 in expenses. Republican Representative M. Colwell Butler reported expenses of $27 ,000 and Democrat Paul Puckett said he had spent $18 ,000. The Fredericksburg Freelance star will be presenting in the weeks before election reports on congressional races across the state as they appear in Virginia's newspapers. Last week, we featured the neck and neck race in the 7th District between Jay Kenneth Robinson and George Gilliam. Here with a report on the race in the 2nd District down on the tidewater is the Norfolk ledger star. Voters in Virginia's 2nd District appear to likely to buck this year's national trend away from Republicans and incumbents by re -electing GOP Representative G. William Whitehurst to his national television personality has made few political enemies during his Washington tenure and his favorite over Democrat Robert R. Richards and educator and a newcomer to the political arena. In addition, his position as 8th ranking member of the House Armed Services

Committee holds cloud in this heavily military district which includes Norfolk and Virginia Beach. Richards has opponent as Executive Director of the Educational Association of Norfolk Teachers Lobby. He was unopposed for the Democratic nomination last June. A Michigan native who has been in the area 8 years, he is not well known outside educational circles and suffers a voter identification gap. Richards and his staff, most of whom are in their 20s, have been campaigning hard but are hindered by limited funding and less than enthusiastic support from some party regulars. Whitehurst contributions are running more than 2 to 1 ahead of Richards and it is uncertain whether Democrats will be able to finance a television campaign in the final days of the race. Both candidates are focusing primarily on the economy, with incumbent Whitehurst calling for a control federal spending and opponent Richards urging a more aggressive program of tax reform, selective price controls and creation of public service jobs to combat unemployment. Richards charges that Whitehurst has neglected social legislation for big business and military interest and he regularly notes the low voting marks given the Republican Congressman by

groups such as the League of Women Voters, the League of Conservative Voters and the Consumer Federation of America. Whitehurst counters that Richards positions smacks of budget busting and says many of his own votes have been taken out of context by his opponent and rating groups. Richards also has been trying hard to make credibility an issue in the campaign. He has urged Whitehurst to go beyond the law enlisting campaign contributions and in revealing tax records. With considerable fanfare he has taken these steps himself. In moves dismissed by the opposition as theatrics and sheer demagoguery, Richards has staged press conferences outside of local utility company office to protest Whitehurst contributions from a board member and outside a new bank building to challenge Whitehurst appointment to the board of directors. A Watergate backlash resulting in low voter turnout in November 5th would probably work in Richards favor and the odds are good that the gap between the two candidates will be less than in Whitehurst last election. The race in the second district is viewed by the

Norfolk ledger's star. The responding series of textbooks have come under much attack in this state and in West Virginia. Speakers in Lynchburg earlier this week criticized those textbooks, the same series in use in Univista, Ronok and Bedford. Here is a report from the newspaper wire of the Associated Press. Mr. and Mrs. Mel Gabler of Austin, Texas, leaders in a fight against what they term dangerous trends in public school textbooks say children are being brainwashed to the point they can't grasp absolute values. The couple, speaking early this week in Lynchburg to some 100 people at an American Legion post, said educators are using behavioral modification methods to change the values of school children. The meeting was sponsored by the Lynchburg chapter of Citizens for Decent Literature, a group opposed to what it terms anti -American, anti -family, atheistic, blasphemous, anarchistic, revolutionary, and inciting textbooks. The Gablers said they had just come from West Virginia where most of the books they were using as examples were found in the schools.

The couple said most of the textbooks deal with problems such as poverty, racism, and pollution while failing to mention any corresponding positive values. They said a recent study at the University of Chicago shows that emphasis on problems brings frustration and a tendency towards delinquency in children. That from the newspaper wire, they associated press. With more educational news, we have this on a controversy at the University of Virginia in Charlottesville. This appeared in the news columns of the Lynchburg News. A Black student organization in the University of Virginia student council apparently have failed an efforts to block a campus appearance in February by controversial Nobel Prize -winning physicist William Shockley. Shockley has attracted wide attention with this theory that blacks are genetically inferior to whites. He will debate possible correlations between race and intelligence and their social implications on February 5th. Black student alliance spokesman said late this week that black students will pick the debate between Shockley and University of Virginia geneticist Richard A. Goldsby. William S. Cooper, chairman of the BSA, said were disappointed because

the opinions of Black students apparently were not considered in the decision to hold the debate. We objected to the Shockley presence on campus and we went through the proper channels but with no results. The test scores of Virginia's public school pupils have been termed abysmally low when compared with a national average. An explanation was offered this week at a legislative hearing in Richmond and the culpepro exponent has the story. The State Board of Education has told a legislative committee that Virginia students for the most part are performing at or above their ability levels despite scoring lower than the national average. Board chairman Preston C. Carruthers also informed the House Appropriations Committee that Virginia has a high failure rate on selective service exams. He said the tests indicate that funds spend on public education and the pupil teacher ratio directly affects student achievement. The report Carruthers delivered to the committee also said busing to achieve racial balance has had a depressing effect on the test scores average because some 10 to 15 percent of the state's children have been placed in private schools because of busing. Court ordered cross -town busing to achieve racial balance has resulted

in serious deterioration of neighborhood schools and has invoked the antagonism of many citizens the report said. Other factors that could be partly responsible for the poor showing of Virginia students on standardized tests include use of different tests in recent years and a change in the testing period from spring to fall the report said. The report also said the state school system has been required to assume responsibility for providing an education of many students it previously showed little concern for. Slow learners learning disabled emotionally disturbed mentally retarded et cetera test scores from these students would lower the average. That from the culpepper star exponent and last in education we have this Virginia's private colleges including Washington and Lee in our sister schools in the area they would stand a benefit of a statewide referendum offering them state aid were passed by the voters in November. This comes from the Norfolk ledger star. Apparently there is little awareness on the part of Virginia voters that when they go to the polls November 5th they will be confronted with a proposed state constitutional amendment that could have a vital bearing on the future of the state's independent colleges. The amendment would

permit the state to provide financial assistance to students in Virginia private colleges. It also would allow the state or any of its counties, cities or towns to contract with non -profit institutions of higher education for the provision of educational or other related services. The state already can make loans or grants to students in states supported colleges and universities and can make loans to students in private non -profit institutions which provide primarily non -religious instruction. The proposed amendment would permit grants as well as loans to those in private institutions. Although the amendment skirts the edge of the church state separation issue because so many private institutions are church affiliated its proponents appear to fear apathy more than antipathy. I don't think the voters generally are aware of it said delegate Archibald A Campbell of Withville who was chief patron of the General Assembly legislation which placed the question on the November ballot. He fears that those who are not acquainted with it may tend to vote no. The Council of Independent Colleges in Virginia is going to bat for the amendment in hopes of building up public interest.

During this past summer the Council has made 100 ,000 mailings requesting help in passing the amendment to persons with present and past connections with the 25 private colleges in the state. At recent sessions of the General Assembly spokesman for the Independent Colleges cited the ever widening gap in tuition costs at public and private institutions of higher learning. As a result they said enrollment has dropped sharply creating thousands of vacant spaces at private colleges. The amendment would be another step by the state in lending a helping hand to financially troubled private colleges. The Constitution now permits loans to students attending non -profit colleges whose primary purpose is to provide collegiate or graduate education and not to provide religious training or theological education. That last article on education from the Norfolk ledger's star. In economics news this week we have this story at the beginning of the week the governor's office enrichment released figures indicating that Virginia might run in the red next year that the Commonwealth government spending might exceed revenues by as much as $16 million. The next day the government started austerity measures.

Here's a report from the Richmond Times dispatch. Virginia Secretary of administration said early this week he whole plans will be firm soon to reduce Virginia spending during this fiscal year by some $16 .8 million. Maurice Rose said he and governor Mills Godwin were working on plans to reduce Virginia spending. His statements before the House Appropriations Committee followed his state economist testimony that Virginia's economy has turned down much more than was predicted last winter. Barry Lippmann an economist with the State Department of Taxation said most economic indicators were showing a recession for the national economy and the Virginia economy seems to be following along those same lines. The Office of Administration said it will increase its monitoring of expenditures by state agencies and take necessary action to reduce them during the rest of the current fiscal year. In general news we have these two stories. First Billy Graham has been planning an evangelical crusade in the tidewater for some time to be held in Virginia Beach and some of the local clergy came out this week against it.

Here's the Winchester Star. The preachers voted to denounce and repudiate Graham's evangelistic crusade. They branded Graham's ministry a serious threat to the work of viable believing Christians today. The attack on Graham, a southern Baptist, was spearheaded by Dr. Bob Jones Jr. long a theological grandfather who insists that he considers Graham a friend. Jones, chancellor of Bob Jones University, in 1966 ordered the staunchly fundamentalist BJU student body to boycott Graham's Greenville South Carolina crusade. With the warning then that Graham is doing more harm to the cause of Jesus Christ than any living man. The reason is expounded this week in a nutshell is that Graham is straight far from the straight and narrow road traveled by fundamentalists who interpret the Bible literally and view the ecumenical movement as heralding the end of the world. Billy has always been an opportunist. Chancellor Jones told his Congress audience. A high ranking BJU faculty member, Dr. George Dollar, was blunder in his criticism of Graham. He is Mr. Compromise Incorporated, said Dollar, a chairman of the Bob Jones

University Church History Department, and author of a history of American fundamentalism. That article from the Winchester Star. And last this from our headline writer's dream department an article from the Danville record. Harold Humphrey owes his quick rescue from a mountaintop trail to an acorn. When the 13 -year -old Virginia Episcopal School boarding student found himself lost on the Appalachian Trail in Amherst County Sunday afternoon, he picked up an acorn and put it into his pocket. When he heard the sounds of gas -powered horns rescue party members were using in the early hours of Monday morning, he tried to call out to them, but a strong wind was carrying his voice in the opposite direction. To gain the attention of his rescuers, he clasped the top, or a crown of the acorn in his two thumbs, and blue as hard as he could. The resulting sound was a shrill steady whistle. Humphrey became lost late Sunday when he fell behind the rest of his hiking group and wandered down an old abandoned trail. When he discovered his rescuers could not hear his calls, he tried the acorn. You can even play tunes with him, he said. That

article from the Danville record. We'll return after this for a look at this week's editorial comment and opinion from around the state. News nine times daily on WLUR. We'll bring you the news each morning and afternoon at 45 minutes after the hour, local as well as state, national, and international news. Then join us at 10 each weekday night for a home addition, a half -hour summary of the day's events. And Fridays at five we have perspective, a half -hour wrap -up of the top local events of the past week. News nine times daily on WLUR. Lexington, Munivista, and Rockbridge County's only source of daily local news. You're tuned to Virginia Press Review on WLUR. Virginia's editors this week continued to mull over President Ford's proposed program to Congress for controlling inflation. We had a look last week at the first editorials to be printed on the program, which in the main ass readers to hope for the best but to prepare for the worst. That strain continues this

week. Here first is the Petersburg Progress Index with a look at what many consider the most onerous clause of Ford's proposal. The tax surcharge on families with incomes above $15 ,000 and singles making more than $7 ,500. With tax rates and costs of everything what they are, we cannot imagine anyone welcoming an income tax surcharge. The kindness thing set about the 5 % surtax is that it should be pushed upstairs to apply to other people's incomes. At best it would be bitter medicine and in view of the inability of economists to reach agreement on the best ways to fight an inflation, we do not know that great authority can be cited in behalf of the feature. But the opposition is instant. Unfortunately, congressional opinion and public opinion do not appear to be coming up with a preferred alternative to the Ford program. In the Atlantic magazine and other quarters, one may read serious anti -inflation proposals, but so far public reaction to the administration program is one of opposing disagreeable features, especially the surcharge. Moreover, the gingerly approach of the administration to curbing government spending and programs seems to be shared fully by critics.

The president's program is clearly a product of compromise based upon reconciling views of white house economists and the administration's political advisors. It has been tailored to the hope of acceptability. In view of the cool reception, we can only wonder what a more spot and plan would he listen. And editorial from the Petersburg Progress Index, continuing with editorials on the Ford proposals for a curbing inflation, here is this from the Lynchburg Daily Advance, arguing for a free and strong economy. The president's recommendation is an oversimplification, increasing taxes for the bear existence income level. It is also dangerous for it would increase the status of many millions officially placed on charity, whether they like it or not. And it would increase the truly tragic willingness of so many to accept charity instead of working. Our form of government requires practical solutions through constituted agencies, and this has become too much ignored. Politicians seek instead to advance measures for relief to enhance their personal or party prestige. Those

political activists who seek to impose means other than democratic for operating the country are heavily supplied with material for advancing themselves when those empowers so inefficient and effective in finding tenable solutions for the leading problems of the nation. It is in viewing these problems of utmost importance to keep in mind that either we solve them or we withdraw from any pretensions of world leadership as we so obviously and grossly have at times indicated that we possessed. Our internal strength built upon a more level headed economy is vitally in need of prime consideration without cessation. The opinion of the editor of the Lynchburg Daily Advance, finally in a letter to the editor of the Norfolk Virginian pilot, a Navy Chief Petty Officer protests attacks on singles making more than $7 ,500 a year. President Ford's proposal to add a 5 % surtax on income has irked me to the point that I must voice my opinion. I only hope more single people choose to do so. Single people have already been singled out to pay the highest per capita income tax in the

good old USA. We have been discriminated against as poor credit and insurance risks, although in the past we were considered first and a good risk when the military draft was still an effect. In this overpopulated world and incentive should be offered to people to remain single and not have children. Instead, the larger the family, the more tax deduction. I think it's time we singles consider ourselves a discriminated against minority and ban together to have a louder voice in government as seems to be the vogue of these days. The opinion of a reader of the Norfolk Virginian pilot. Last week, Exit Leon Jaworsky, a special prosecutor in the Watergate cases, stating that he thought it was time to get on to other things. He received much editorial praise for his conduct of the Watergate investigation and the early stages of prosecution. First, we have this accolade from the Norfolk ledger star. Leon Jaworsky prepares to depart from Washington amid wide and deserve praise for his performance as Watergate's special prosecutor over the past year. This was an especially ticklish assignment, accepted under the painful circumstances of his predecessors dismissal for

insisting on the evidence he felt he needed to do the job. Mr. Jaworsky, though a respected lawyer in Houston, was largely unknown to the general public. There was considerable question at first as to how vigorously he would pursue the case and perhaps his close associations with a couple of fellow Texans, the late President Lyndon Johnson and former Governor John Conley, gave rise to additional suspicions. Mr. Jaworsky did pursue the case vigorously and expertly. Eventually, with the release of the White House tapes that came the impeachment resolution by the House Judiciary Committee and the resignation and disgrace of President Nixon a few days after his admission of early involvement in the cover -up. Mr. Jaworsky, you probably would have preferred never having come to Washington in the first place, can leave with a sense of achievement. He took on a most difficult challenge and he performed well. His job is in a large sense complete. In addition to this, his return to private life offers yet another signal to the nation that, though the business of Watergate may be far from over, the national preoccupation with it has diminished. The case can retreat mainly to the courtroom

and the legal process. Mr. Jaworsky, prudently, has decided, like the nation itself, to get on with other things. That from the editorial comms of the Norfolk ledger's star. And we have this from the other tidewater paper, the Virginian pilot, commendation for Jaworsky's finesse. Like a shrewd poker player, Watergate's special prosecutor Jaworsky is quitting while he's ahead. Mr. Jaworsky is cashing in on the mound of chips representing his successes against the Nixon White House Stonewallers and he is returning to Texas on October 25th. Mr. Jaworsky got into the game late and under considerable suspicion that he was there to rig it. To his credit and honor, he dealt off the top and called all bluffs. The special prosecutor's contribution to what is shaping up is the satisfactory culmination of the Watergate scandal cannot be gainset. He rallied to demoralize staff and carried on as though there had been no Saturday night massacre. When his work was done, the special prosecutor held back announcing his resignation to avoid publicity that might hinder selection of the jury that will try five nicks and associates on Watergate cover -up charges. The tragedy of Watergate is now in the

courts where it rightly belongs thanks to the special prosecutor's relentless execution of his duties. Having given the job his best, Mr. Jaworsky leaves with the gratitude of a nation he served well. The Norfolk Virginian pilot. Virginian's editors have not been slow to comment upon the ongoing racial strife in Boston, caused by cross -town busing to integrate schools. Last week we offered editorials from the Ronald Times and the Lynchburg News. Here is comment from the other end of the state, this from the Petersburg Progress Index, a strange note of tenderness. The unrest in Boston appears to have turned into a test of the president's willingness to enforce the court order calling upon Boston to cross bus white and black pupils in the Boston schools. The president has expressed his opposition to the busing order but has called upon Boston citizens to respect the law. He views the issue as one of forced busing not serving the purpose of quality education. Mayor White charges him with fanning the flames of resistance to school integration and possibly contributing to the endangering of Boston's school children. The mayor proposes not to cooperate in

further implementation of court ordered busing. President Ford's opposition to forced busing and his skepticism of the relation between it and quality education may warm the hearts of opponents of that means of accomplishing desegregation. On the ground they do not think busing should claim such large parts of time and energy. Its efficacy has been questioned by serious and apparently disinterested studies. But because busing long ago took on symbolism the two are addressing themselves to a symbol as much as to facts. Early in the anti -busing effort there were warnings that, if ever it succeeded, the reversal would come in time to apply to the non -south and leave the south with busing as a permanent factor in its systems of public education. Could this be the real significance of the Boston story? In President Ford's attitude, as in recent statements from HEW about the peculiar difficulties of desegregating the non -south, there is a strange and new note of tenderness. What a contrast this offers to

the position of the late President Eisenhower not often rated as one of the stronger chief executives in the little rock crisis. Mr. Eisenhower, in spite of an impression of lack of enthusiasm for the order, left no doubt the might of the United States would be used if needed to obtain enforcement. It did not say which service branches would be employed or which weapons would be taken out of the arsenal, but it sounded as if he meant business. An editorial from the Petersburg Progress Index. There is still controversy over the abolition of prayer in public schools. That stemming from a Supreme Court decision more than a decade ago. Several Christian groups in Stanton are trying to reinstate prayer and Christian teaching into the schools, and a member of one of those groups wrote this letter to the Stanton leader, which attacks the Supreme Court for fostering moral debatement. We do not need permission from God to have prayers and Christian teachings in schools, so who needs permission from nine heath and atheist in Washington? They have set themselves up as gods and banished the Lord onto a trash pile which is the first

step toward complete dictatorship and communism. Every edict they pass is only abomination to gods such as infant murder, called abortion, free sex love without marriage, legalized homosexualism and lesbianism, intermarriage and integrated whorism. How long can a nation stand under the dictatorship of nine infidels, called the Supreme Court, which has desecrated God and every principle of morals, honor and justice America was founded on? Small one of this country is ready for the wrath of God and Sodom Gamora destruction. A letter to the editor of the Stanton leader. This week, the Enrico County School Board set plans for creating a textbook review committee, largely in response to complaints about the responding series of textbooks. I remind our listeners that the same series is used in many of our area schools. Here's a letter to the editor of the Richmond Times dispatch endorsing such a committee. Hundreds of books have been expelled from school or public libraries. Richard Box, Jonathan Livingston's Seagull for its overtones of reincarnation. George Eliot's Salis Mariner, because you can't tell what that old man is doing with that child between chapters and Herman Melville's

Moby Dick because it contains implied homosexuality. Ironically, the Wall Street Journal noted a few weeks ago, other favorite banning and burning targets are Aldo Huxley's Brave New World, George Orwell's 1984, and Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451. All novels about totalitarian societies in which books are banned and burned. I applaud Dr. WE Campbell and Enrico County School Board for the formulation of a textbook review committee. This will prevent an excellent opportunity for the lay public to gain an understanding of how the responding series and other textbooks are being utilized in the instruction of Enrico's children. While I would like to see additional classroom teachers added to the committee, I have complete faith that it will not be utilized as a censorship panel. That a letter to the editor of the Richmond Times Dispatch. That was the week in Virginia, for the staff of Virginia Press Review, that is Joe Fitzgerald John Kingston, and he had Lee Lowell. This is John Dalberg wishing you a good week and looking forward to rejoining you next week at the same time. Good night.