University of Virginia Library

Howell Supports Selection
Of Negro Board Member

By Rob Buford
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

Photo By Bob Gill

Lieutenant Governor Fred Pollard Responds To A Question At Last Night's "Face The Press" In Old Cabell Hall

State Senator Henry Howell And Charlottesville Attorney John Battle Mr. Pollard As The Panel Of Reporters Look On

"If elected Governor, I
would find a black Virginian
who had a contribution to
make and appoint him to the
Board of Visitors of the University,"
said State Senator
Henry E. Howell last night.

The remark came in answer
to one of many questions put
to the three candidates for the
Democratic nomination for
governor of Virginia. The
others are William C. Battle and
Lieutenant Governor Fred G. Pollard.
They appeared at a question
and answer session sponsored by
the Student Legal Forum in Cabell
Hall auditorium.

A panel of reporters familiar
with Virginia politics included
Helen Dewar of the Washington
Post, Melville Carico of the
Roanoke Times, James Latimer of
the Richmond Times-Dispatch, and
John Masterman of NBC News in
Washington, who served as moderator.

Responding to the question of a
black member of the Board of
Visitors, neither of the other two
candidates would commit themselves,
Mr. Pollard expressed pride
in the record of the Godwin
administration in making fair
appointments.

Mr. Howell further stated that if
elected he would see to it that a
student served on the board of
visitors of every state-supported
college and university in Virginia.

Along the same lines, Mr. Battle,
former ambassador to Australia,
said that he has formed an advisory
committee of students from all over
Virginia for his campaign, and that
if he is elected this group would
continue to serve as a counseling
body to the Governor.

Student Protest

Miss Dewar queried the three
men on their feelings concerning
the legitimate limits of student
protest.

"I believe emphatically," said
Mr. Battle, "that there is no place
on the campus or in the high
schools for the type of violence we
have recently witnessed. Civil disobedience
is not the proper means
of achieving social reform. There
must be forums for discussion on
the issues."

Mr. Pollard said, "Students in
Virginia are to be congratulated on
their cooperation thus far on many
issues."

Mr. Howell criticized what he
labeled Governor Godwin's willingness
to cut off or limit state funds
to colleges because of political and
social issues. "We must maintain
academic freedom and materialism
often opposes this."

Building Takeover

Mr. Carico asked the candidates
what each, as Governor, would do
in the event that a college building
was taken over by students.

Mr. Howell responded that he
would "give the president 24 hours
to handle the problem and then
consider what further action might
be necessary" to handle the problem.

Mr. Pollard stated, "If the
University could not handle the
situation I would not hesitate to
use whatever force might be necessary
to remove such a seizure." Mr.
Battle was in basic agreement with
the Lieutenant Governor.

On the question of lowering the
voting age to 18 years old, both
Messrs. Battle and Howell favored
such a move. Mr. Pollard said that
he favored retaining the present age
limit. Mr. Battle said, "Young
people would respond tremendously
to this and I support it."

Miss Dewar asked the candidates
what role the faculty should play in
solving problems of disagreement
between students and administrations.
Mr. Pollard said that the
question was too vague and that he
could not answer it.

Senator Howell stated that "the
faculty is closer to the students
than anyone — they know the
students and their desires — and
this could be very useful."

I would hope," said Mr.
Battle, "that the faculty, because
they are perhaps on a closer
wavelength to the students, could
create a good response among
them."

Asked by Mr. Carico whether or
not University employees should be
permitted to "organize, bargain
collectively and strike," Mr. Battle
said that it would be impossible to
give this right to University employees
and not to all state workers — a
move which he said "would create
an unhealthy situation".

Right To Strike

Mr. Pollard agreed, saying, "The
right of public employees to strike
would not adequately protect the
public. Mr. Howell cited a need for
changes in arbitration rights on a
national level.

A crowd of about 500 persons
attended the first face-to-face confrontation
of the candidates since
the campaign opened.

At several times during the
question and answer session, an
unidentified person in the audience
interrupted the proceedings with
calls and defiant statements. The
event was covered by a large
entourage of press.