THE 1972 CAMPAIGN

NASHVILLE, March 1—The Tennessee Legislature voted today to place a referendum on the school busing issue on the, May 4 Presidential primary ballot.

The voters would be asked to decide if the Constitution should be amended to prohibit the busing of pupils to achieve racial balance in the schools.

A parliamentary maneuver, by black legislators prevented final action. They hope to delay delivery of the bill to Gov. Winfield Dunn until after the April 4 deadline for preparing the ballots.

The referendum is a straw vote without binding affect and is similar to one in Florida. Representative Victor Ashe of Knoxville, a Republican, who was the chief advocate of the referendum, said it would allow Tennessee voters to express themselves on the issue,

The House rejected, as the Senate had earlier, a move to ask the voters also whether they favored providing equal educational opportunities for all, without regard to race or place of residence. Such a proposition is on the Florida ballot.