Dfevitzw issue

the test of civilization is the estiln-ate of woman

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Note: When Brenda Davillier, a junior
at LSUl\O, wife of Lloyd Davillier,
and mother of thr-ee children, de-
cided to run for U. 5 Senator in
Louisiana this past fall, she found
doors closing in her face "because
l was a woman and because I was
blacl-<". She filed the following
personal account of her experiences
with Distaff.

I suppose most people who run for u.s.
senatar plan ahead tar years, laying out
strategy and establishing contacts as well
as trying to raise campaign funds. My
recent attempt to do that, however, was
so completely different that I still do not
think of myself as a "politician" (one
who compromises promises and promises
anything). I had belonged to that class
of people disgusted by political pollution
who had even come to disbelieve in the
value of voting. It was in a fit of abso-
lute disbelief that I decided to run for
office.

It all began with my severe disappoint-
ment at being disqualified for a state loan
to continue my education-at LSUNO.
Most people have heard that there was an
Ecucatianal Amendment passed in Congress
in 1972. People were told that the pur-
pose of that amendment was to provide
funds for grants and loans to make it pos-
sible for more people to attend college in
spite of the high cost of living and edu-
cation. However, the State of Louisiana
has a state loan established that permits a
student whose parents‘ or combined in-
come of husband and wife, if married,does
not exceed $15,000.00, to borrow money
on the some type of terms as those of
federal loans. The Educational Amend—
ment of 1972 was interpreted by the Us
Office of Education in Dallas, Texas to
limit the ceiling of the income of a
married couple to $4,40(1.00to be eligi-
ble for any state loan.

My husband is a bus driver for Public
Service in New Orleans, and his income,
although it is more than the $4,400
eligibility ceiling for state loans,
hardly covers the needs of us and our
children, Lisa 10, Daniel 5 and
John 4. I could not believe that l and
many other people in my financial situa-
tion cauld be disqualified from receiving
state bans. s

It seemed impossible that the federal
government could tell the states how they
should determine the eligibility at recipi-
ents of state loans. Although the govern-
ment was going to pay the interest and
could determine how much or who could
receive the federal interest benefits, the
state alone has the right to determine who
else should qualify for state loans wirhout
the interest benefits.

After being told that I would not be
able to get another loan, I did not give
up. Instead, I tried to find out exactly
what was going on. lt seemed that no
one at the HEW office here and no one
in the State Dept. of Education knew or
had a copy of the amendments or who had
made that ruling about it.
able to track down the origin of the ruling
through the us. Attorney's office here
in N.O., but I still have not been able
to get a copy of the amendments. I
wanted to, and was going to file suit
against the government.

l wanted to scream to the people,

"You don't know what's going on‘." But
nothing at all appeared in the newspapers
or on the television about this very serious
situation. I had looked in the Constitution
to see exactly what amendment guarantees

I was finally

’.ll."<G>g‘ ‘Jl‘RY”

to the states those rights not expressly de-
signated to some other authority and l
glanced past the age and residence le—
quilernents to qualify for Congress. It
was then that I realized that I was quali-
fied, according to the Constitution, to
run for U.S. Senator.
It occurred to me that if I would run
for a public office, I would be in a posi-
tion to shout to the people about what was
...rng on as l so strongly desired to do.
it seems to me that the federal government
is insidiously creeping into every facet of
put lives deter-miningeven haw much
maney we will be allowed to earn. I
realized that the people who run for office
(especially Congress where the major laws
are enacted) usually have some type of
vested interest in maintaining the status
quo and denying a fuller participation by
the average worker in the governing of
this country on all levels. It a campaign
is funded by big business and a candidate
wishes to receive similar funds in his next
campaign, he must, of necessity, protect
the interests of his contributor. Due to
the extravclgclntly high cost of running an
effective campaign, a candidate must be
rich already or be backed by the wealthy.
to page 2

W .

mt. BENJAMIN sPocK, People’s Party esrrritate for President or the unit

ed States, greets  BRENDA -DAVILLIER, T
place her name on the ballot for US. sexing

seeking signatures to_
In background .15 JOHN ’ ..