A01 0010    The Fulton County Grand Jury said Friday an investigation
A01 0020 of Atlanta's recent primary election produced "no evidence" that
A01 0030 any irregularities took place.   The jury further said in term-end
A01 0040 presentments that the City Executive Committee, which had over-all
A01 0050 charge of the election, "deserves the praise and thanks of the
A01 0060 City of Atlanta" for the manner in which the election was conducted.
A01 0070    The September-October term jury had been charged by Fulton
A01 0080 Superior Court Judge Durwood Pye to investigate reports of possible
A01 0090 "irregularities" in the hard-fought primary which was won by
A01 0100 Mayor-nominate Ivan Allen Jr&.   "Only a relative handful
A01 0110 of such reports was received", the jury said, "considering the
A01 0120 widespread interest in the election, the number of voters and the size
A01 0130 of this city".   The jury said it did find that many of Georgia's
A01 0140 registration and election laws "are outmoded or inadequate
A01 0150 and often ambiguous".   It recommended that Fulton legislators
A01 0160 act "to have these laws studied and revised to the end of modernizing
A01 0170 and improving them".   The grand jury commented on a number
A01 0180 of other topics, among them the Atlanta and Fulton County purchasing
A01 0190 departments which it said "are well operated and follow generally
A01 0200 accepted practices which inure to the best interest of both governments".
A01 0210 #MERGER PROPOSED# However, the jury said it believes "these
A01 0220 two offices should be combined to achieve greater efficiency and reduce
A01 0230 the cost of administration".   The City Purchasing Department,
A01 0240 the jury said, "is lacking in experienced clerical personnel
A01 0250 as a result of city personnel policies". It urged that the city "take
A01 0260 steps to remedy" this problem.   Implementation of Georgia's
A01 0270 automobile title law was also recommended by the outgoing jury.
A01 0280    It urged that the next Legislature "provide enabling funds
A01 0290 and re-set the effective date so that an orderly implementation of
A01 0300 the law may be effected".   The grand jury took a swipe at the
A01 0310 State Welfare Department's handling of federal funds granted for
A01 0320 child welfare services in foster homes.   "This is one of the
A01 0330 major items in the Fulton County general assistance program", the
A01 0340 jury said, but the State Welfare Department "has seen fit to distribute
A01 0350 these funds through the welfare departments of all the counties
A01 0360 in the state with the exception of Fulton County, which receives
A01 0370 none of this money.   The jurors said they realize "a proportionate
A01 0380 distribution of these funds might disable this program in our less
A01 0390 populous counties".   Nevertheless, "we feel that in the
A01 0400 future Fulton County should receive some portion of these available
A01 0410 funds", the jurors said. "Failure to do this will continue to place
A01 0420 a disproportionate burden" on Fulton taxpayers.   The jury
A01 0430 also commented on the Fulton ordinary's court which has been under
A01 0440 fire for its practices in the appointment of appraisers, guardians and
A01 0450 administrators and the awarding of fees and compensation. #WARDS PROTECTED#
A01 0460 The jury said it found the court "has incorporated into
A01 0470 its operating procedures the recommendations" of two previous grand
A01 0480 juries, the Atlanta Bar Association and an interim citizens committee.
A01 0490    "These actions should serve to protect in fact and in effect
A01 0500 the court's wards from undue costs and its appointed and elected
A01 0510 servants from unmeritorious criticisms", the jury said.   Regarding
A01 0520 Atlanta's new multi-million-dollar airport, the jury recommended
A01 0530 "that when the new management takes charge Jan& 1 the airport
A01 0540 be operated in a manner that will eliminate political influences".
A01 0550    The jury did not elaborate, but it added that "there should
A01 0560 be periodic surveillance of the pricing practices of the concessionaires
A01 0570 for the purpose of keeping the prices reasonable". #ASK JAIL
A01 0580 DEPUTIES# On other matters, the jury recommended that: _(1)_
A01 0590 Four additional deputies be employed at the Fulton County Jail and
A01 0600 "a doctor, medical intern or extern be employed for night and weekend
A01 0610 duty at the jail". _(2)_ Fulton legislators "work with city
A01 0620 officials to pass enabling legislation that will permit the establishment
A01 0630 of a fair and equitable" pension plan for city employes.
A01 0640    The jury praised the administration and operation of the Atlanta
A01 0650 Police Department, the Fulton Tax Commissioner's Office, the Bellwood
A01 0660 and Alpharetta prison farms, Grady Hospital and the Fulton
A01 0670 Health Department.
A01 0680    Mayor William B& Hartsfield filed suit for divorce from his
A01 0690 wife,
A01 0695 Pearl Williams Hartsfield, in Fulton Superior Court Friday.
A01 0700 His petition charged mental cruelty.   The couple was married
A01 0710 Aug& 2, 1913. They have a son, William Berry Jr&, and a daughter,
A01 0720 Mrs& J& M& Cheshire of Griffin.   Attorneys
A01 0730 for the mayor said that an amicable property settlement has been agreed
A01 0740 upon.   The petition listed the mayor's occupation as "attorney"
A01 0750 and his age as 71. It listed his wife's age as 74 and place
A01 0760 of birth as Opelika, Ala&.   The petition said that the couple
A01 0770 has not lived together as man and wife for more than a year.
A01 0780    The Hartsfield home is at 637 E& Pelham Rd& ~NE.
A01 0790    Henry L& Bowden was listed on the petition as the mayor's attorney.
A01 0800    Hartsfield has been mayor of Atlanta, with exception
A01 0810 of one brief interlude, since 1937. His political career goes back to
A01 0820 his election to city council in 1923.   The mayor's present
A01 0830 term of office expires Jan& 1. He will be succeeded by Ivan Allen
A01 0840 Jr&, who became a candidate in the Sept& 13 primary after Mayor
A01 0850 Hartsfield announced that he would not run for reelection.
A01 0860    Georgia Republicans are getting strong encouragement to enter
A01 0870 a candidate in the 1962 governor's race, a top official said Wednesday.
A01 0880    Robert Snodgrass, state ~GOP chairman, said a meeting
A01 0890 held Tuesday night in Blue Ridge brought enthusiastic responses
A01 0900 from the audience.   State Party Chairman James W& Dorsey
A01 0910 added that enthusiasm was picking up for a state rally to be held Sept&
A01 0920 8 in Savannah at which newly elected Texas Sen& John Tower
A01 0930 will be the featured speaker.   In the Blue Ridge meeting,
A01 0940 the audience was warned that entering a candidate for governor would force
A01 0950 it to take petitions out into voting precincts to obtain the signatures
A01 0960 of registered voters.   Despite the warning, there was a
A01 0970 unanimous vote to enter a candidate, according to Republicans who attended.
A01 0980    When the crowd was asked whether it wanted to wait one
A01 0990 more term to make the race, it voted no- and there were no dissents.
A01 1000    The largest hurdle the Republicans would have to face is a
A01 1010 state law which says that before making a first race, one of two alternative
A01 1020 courses must be taken: _1._ Five per cent of the voters
A01 1030 in each county must sign petitions requesting that the Republicans be
A01 1040 allowed to place names of candidates on the general election ballot,
A01 1050 or _2._ The Republicans must hold a primary under the county unit
A01 1060 system- a system which the party opposes in its platform.
A01 1070    Sam Caldwell, State Highway Department public relations director,
A01 1080 resigned Tuesday to work for Lt& Gov& Garland Byrd's
A01 1090 campaign.   Caldwell's resignation had been expected for some
A01 1100 time. He will be succeeded by Rob Ledford of Gainesville, who has
A01 1110 been an assistant more than three years. When the gubernatorial campaign
A01 1120 starts, Caldwell is expected to become a campaign coordinator for
A01 1130 Byrd.
A01 1140    The Georgia Legislature will wind up its 1961 session Monday
A01 1150 and head for home- where some of the highway bond money it approved
A01 1160 will follow shortly.   Before adjournment Monday afternoon, the
A01 1170 Senate is expected to approve a study of the number of legislators
A01 1180 allotted to rural and urban areas to determine what adjustments should
A01 1190 be made.   Gov& Vandiver is expected to make the traditional
A01 1200 visit to both chambers as they work toward adjournment. Vandiver likely
A01 1210 will mention the $100 million highway bond issue approved earlier
A01 1220 in the session as his first priority item. #CONSTRUCTION BONDS# Meanwhile,
A01 1230 it was learned the State Highway Department is very near
A01 1240 being ready to issue the first $30 million worth of highway reconstruction
A01 1250 bonds.   The bond issue will go to the state courts for a
A01 1260 friendly test suit to test the validity of the act, and then the sales
A01 1270 will begin and contracts let for repair work on some of Georgia's
A01 1280 most heavily traveled highways.   A Highway Department source
A01 1290 said there also is a plan there to issue some $3 million to $4 million
A01 1300 worth of Rural Roads Authority bonds for rural road construction work.
A01 1310 #A REVOLVING FUND# The department apparently intends to make
A01 1320 the Rural Roads Authority a revolving fund under which new bonds would
A01 1330 be issued every time a portion of the old ones are paid off by tax
A01 1340 authorities.   Vandiver opened his race for governor in 1958 with
A01 1350 a battle in the Legislature against the issuance of $50 million worth
A01 1360 of additional rural roads bonds proposed by then Gov& Marvin
A01 1370 Griffin.   The Highway Department source told The Constitution,
A01 1380 however, that Vandiver has not been consulted yet about the plans
A01 1390 to issue the new rural roads bonds.
A01 1400    Schley County Rep& B& D& Pelham will offer a resolution
A01 1410 Monday in the House to rescind the body's action of Friday in
A01 1420 voting itself a $10 per day increase in expense allowances.   Pelham
A01 1430 said Sunday night there was research being done on whether the
A01 1440 "quickie" vote on the increase can be repealed outright or whether
A01 1450 notice would have to first be given that reconsideration of the action
A01 1460 would be sought.   While emphasizing that technical details were
A01 1470 not fully worked out, Pelham said his resolution would seek to set
A01 1480 aside the privilege resolution which the House voted through 87-31.
A01 1490    A similar resolution passed in the Senate by a vote of 29-5.
A01 1500 As of Sunday night, there was no word of a resolution being offered
A01 1510 there to rescind the action.   Pelham pointed out that Georgia
A01 1520 voters last November rejected a constitutional amendment to allow legislators
A01 1530 to vote on pay raises for future Legislature sessions.
A01 1540    A veteran Jackson County legislator will ask the Georgia House
A01 1550 Monday to back federal aid to education, something it has consistently
A01 1560 opposed in the past.   Rep& Mac Barber of Commerce is
A01 1570 asking the House in a privilege resolution to "endorse increased federal
A01 1580 support for public education, provided that such funds be received
A01 1590 and expended" as state funds.   Barber, who is in his 13th
A01 1600 year as a legislator, said there "are some members of our congressional
A01 1610 delegation in Washington who would like to see it (the resolution)
A01 1620 passed". But he added that none of Georgia's congressmen specifically
A01 1630 asked him to offer the resolution.   The resolution, which
A01 1640 Barber tossed into the House hopper Friday, will be formally read
A01 1645 Monday. It says that "in
A01 1650 the event Congress does provide this increase in federal funds", the
A01 1660 State Board of Education should be directed to "give priority"
A01 1670 to teacher pay raises. _COLQUITT_- After a long, hot controversy,
A01 1680 Miller County has a new school superintendent, elected, as a
A01 1690 policeman put it, in the "coolest election I ever saw in this county".
A01 1700    The new school superintendent is Harry Davis, a veteran
A01 1710 agriculture teacher, who defeated Felix Bush, a school principal and
A01 1720 chairman of the Miller County Democratic Executive Committee.
A01 1730    Davis received 1,119 votes in Saturday's election, and Bush
A01 1740 got 402. Ordinary Carey Williams, armed with a pistol, stood by at
A01 1750 the polls to insure order.   "This was the coolest, calmest
A01 1760 election I ever saw", Colquitt Policeman Tom Williams said. "Being
A01 1770 at the polls was just like being at church. I didn't smell
A01 1780 a drop of liquor, and we didn't have a bit of trouble".   The
A01 1790 campaign leading to the election was not so quiet, however. It was
A01 1800 marked by controversy, anonymous midnight phone calls and veiled threats
A01 1810 of violence.   The former county school superintendent, George
A01 1820 P& Callan, shot himself to death March 18, four days after he
A01 1830 resigned his post in a dispute with the county school board.   During
A01 1840 the election campaign, both candidates, Davis and Bush, reportedly
A01 1850 received anonymous telephone calls. Ordinary Williams said he,
A01 1860 too, was subjected to anonymous calls soon after he scheduled the election.
A01 1870    Many local citizens feared that there would be irregularities
A01 1880 at the polls, and Williams got himself a permit to carry a gun
A01 1890 and promised an orderly election.   Sheriff Felix Tabb said the
A01 1900 ordinary apparently made good his promise.   "Everything went
A01 1910 real smooth", the sheriff said. "There wasn't a bit of trouble".
A02 0010 _AUSTIN, TEXAS_- Committee approval of Gov& Price Daniel's
A02 0020 "abandoned property" act seemed certain Thursday despite the adamant
A02 0030 protests of Texas bankers.   Daniel personally led the fight
A02 0040 for the measure, which he had watered down considerably since its
A02 0050 rejection by two previous Legislatures, in a public hearing before
A02 0060 the House Committee on Revenue and Taxation.   Under committee