University of Virginia Library

A Force Of Reason

In the last decade, America has entered into
an era of emotionalism different from
anything in its past. For many it has meant
an increased awareness of national and world
affairs, and for some an increased skepticism
of the ability and motives of the men who
handle these affairs. Politicians have stirred,
excited, and angered the public–and the
public has responded in turn with votes,
protests, and bullets. The McGoverns,
Wallaces, and Agnews have successfully
exploited issues, gained notariety, and arrived
in positions of national prominence and
influence.

In this day of loudmouth, media-oriented
politics, an elected official who stears clear of
microphones and cameras, quietly and
rigorously performs his duties, and judges
each issue on its individual merits rather than
from a set political ideology certainly seems
an anachronism. Yet because this era of
emotionalism has had more negative than
positive repercussions, the prospect of a
low-key, responsible, sincere politician seems
unusually appealing, particularly when that
politician has as impressive a record as
Senator William B. Spong, Jr.

Sen. Spong is currently running for
re-election to the seat which he won from A.
Willis Robertson in 1966, and rarely in
Virginia politics has a man's re-election been
as deserved and vital to the state, especially
when one considers the alternatives. The
necessity for his success on Nov. 7 stems from
his having proven himself in the last six years
to be the closest thing to an enlightened and
open-minded politician Virginia has seen in
many a decade of Byrd-brained
representation.

Without sensationalism, Sen. Spong has
addressed himself to problems in Virginia
which his predecessors either didn't know or
didn't care to know existed. His controversial
1969 "hunger tour" and subsequent
disclosures of widespread malnutrition and
anemia drew severe criticism from many
conservative quarters around the state yet
resulted in greatly expanded food stamp and
commodity programs in all regions of the
state, as well as extensive Spong-sponsored
legislation to expand nutrition education,
increase food stamp appropriations, and
expand family services.

Efforts such as this have led the far
right-wing faction of Virginia voters to look
upon Spong as a raving liberal, while the far
left paradoxically views him as too much of a
conservative, citing his opposition to federal
open housing legislation (a position which
does seem hard to justify in light of his other
stands). While Spong's positions on issues
cover the political spectrum, they are
well-reasoned and most of them are in accord
with our own.

Spong has consistently voted for bills to aid
higher–and lower–education and for
increased loans to students. He has
participated in hearings on the Higher
Education Act and the Elementary and
Secondary Education Act, and advocated the
formation of a commission to look into ways
of arranging an advanced-funding procedure
for education programs. Though an active
opponent of forced busing, he has worked
diligently for a uniformed desegregation of
public school systems in the North and South.
He places education high on his list of
priorities because it is his firm belief that "the
war on poverty and the fight for economic
development will be won in the battle of the
classroom."

Sen. Spong has also introduced major
environmental bills, voted against the SST,
and against the loaning of additional funds to
Lockheed. His votes on President Nixon's two
rejected Supreme Court nominees (for
Haynsworth, against Carswell) were
thoroughly researched and politically
courageous.

And his stance on Vietnam has always been
conscientious and cautious, opposing the
McGovern-Hatfield amendment out of
concern for the P.O.W.'s and national unity
yet supporting the Cooper-Church and
Cooper-Brooke amendments to oppose
unnecessary expansion and continuation of
the war.

Sen. Spong has, in the unanimous opinion
of the Managing Board of this newspaper,
earned re-election. Yet even if his record was
only of barely passable quality, he would still
be infinitely preferable to his principal
opponent, Republican Congressman William
Scott. Rep. Scott has not only voted the
opposite of Spong on most major issues such
as the SST, Lockheed, education, and the 18
year-old vote, but he has voted for such
legislation as the "no-knock" clause, and in six
years in Congress has not introduced a single
major bill. Not only is the man politically
asleep, but (basing our assertion on
statements made by his colleagues and
co-workers) he is morally suspect.

To say that Sen. Spong is "the only
absolutely modest man in concert with
ninety-nine prima donnas," as biographer
John P. Frank writes in the December 1971
Texas Law Review, may be a bit of an
exaggeration. But to know that the man who
represents you in the United States Senate is
not above open self-criticism and sincerely
believe that he places his state's and country's
future ahead of his own is both refreshing and
reassuring.

It is necessary in this election year to offset
the force of passion in American politics with
a "force of reason" (to borrow one of Mr.
Frank's phrases), and we feel that, of the
Virginia senatorial candidates, the man who
most embodies this force of reason is
unquestionably William Belser Spong, Jr.

(The Cavalier Daily will accept one article
supporting each opposing candidate whose
name appears on the Virginia ballot. The
article must be submitted by an authorized
spokesman for the candidate or his campaign
organization.-Ed.)