University of Virginia Library

Delegation Confers With State's Senators,
Spong Found Responsive, Byrd Uninformed

By Jeff Ruggles
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

The University delegation which visited
Senators Harry Byrd and William
Spong Monday afternoon was largely
disappointed by Mr. Byrd's ignorance of
the events occurring here and by his
tendency to talk in circles but was more

impressed by Mr. Spong's forthrightness
in giving his views.

The two sessions, which were held in
meeting rooms in the Senate Office
Buildings, were attended by about 80
persons, among which was Charles McDowell,
columnist for the Richmond-Dispatch.

Council President Jim Roebuck began the
session by reading Mr. Shannon's letter, and he
conveyed to the Senators that by that time 4600
members of the University had signed the
letter. Mr. Byrd said the letter "sounded
reasonable to me," but that he would have to
study it more to give a valid comment.

Knowledge Of Events

Mr. Spong said that he had been following
the events here at the University in the paper,
and was glad to hear that we had agreed on
something. He said he shared some fears of
anti-intellectualism, and that he expected the
relationship of the senate to the President
would be the subject of a debate in the Senate
very soon.

After the reading of the letter, the meeting
with Mr. Byrd became a general discussion,
primarily on the Vietnam War. Mr. Byrd said it
was "a grave error of judgment to become
involved in a war on the Asian Mainland," the
way the war was conducted by Johnson and
MacNamara was not good, and that we should
give "full support to whatever troops are in
Southeast Asia."

When asked if he would vote to repeal the
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, Mr. Byrd said he
would be somewhere inclined to, but wouldn't
want to make a categorical statement." He
remarked that Mr. Nixon says he is removing
the troops as fast as possible, and "we have to
leave the decision to somebody.

One student asked about the draft, and Mr.
Byrd answered by saying, "I don't think each
individual citizen can make his own as
to which war he will fight in" which seems to
imply that there is not only a war in Vietnam,
but also one waged by the youth at home, and
that students are not capable of deciding which
war they will fight in. When asked by another
student to comment on the rather unrestricted
use of State Police at the University, Mr. Byrd
said he really didn't know what was happening,
except he had heard something about an
American flag being misused. At this point,
there was some rustling among the students.

Mr. Spong said he had met with a group of
law students on Friday, so he was pretty aware
of what was happening. A student congratulated
Mr. Spong on his vote against Judge
Carswell, and Mr. Spong replied, "I'd like you
to answer some of my mail;" Mr. Spong joined
heartily in the laughter which followed.

Polarization Of State

Mr. Spong spoke at some length on the
forces contributing to polarization. "It is very
important for us to be talking about these
things to the older people in the state," he said;
"talk to your parents." Much of this action is
counter-productive, he said referring to some
student activities. "Forces are present which
play upon emotion," rather than on reason.

Covering the various bills currently before
the Senate on Cambodia, Mr. Spong revealed he
has reservations on all of them. He said the
errors of Cambodia have an "effect on the
world situation generally," and "divisiveness
here at home."

Mr. Spong gave three reasons why the
United States should withdraw gradually from
Vietnam: "the effect upon our posture with
regard to other nations," the possible slaughter
of the people who come from the North to the
South, and the protection of our own people.
He also said he doesn't think the Domino
theory has been completely discredited.