Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-04-10
CHANGE IS SLIGHT
IN BILL OF RIGHTS
Viruinia Seeks Moderation
to Cover Conditions
Existing Now.
RrA stan Correspondent.

b. 4 stan Correspondent
RICHMOND, Va, April 9.-Tht
march of progress-the modern trenc
toward economy and eff1ciency-haS
reached into historic and hallowec
channels to touch, however hghtiy
that famous instrument OF american Amer
liberty, George Mason's Bill Of
Rights"
In the shadow of Mason's statue IN
the Capitol grounds here, and within q
stones throw of the original draft OF
the momentous document penned Dy
the colonial statesman, a twentieth
century constitutional assembly mas
lust recommended a slight remodenne
of Masons declaration to conform &c
present day standards.
The Bill of Rights. true TO its repu
tation as the bedrock of the Constr
tuition" has come through the storm
of debate and elaboration almost IN
violate. Just as it has withstood the
fest of time through $50 years of
American independence. The State
constitution itself, however. did not
fare so well.
Sticks to Mason's Bill.
virpinia's modernized Bill Of Rights
IS really nothing more than Georse
Mason's original Magma Carta,
with a minor addition or two maze
necessary by changing economic CON
ditions. They are, in fact. alteratlons
of which the eminent resident OF Gun
ston Hall himself would have approved
We're he living in this era OF speeo
and aggressiveness.
iIn the interest of economy ana eX-
pedition," as was pointed out by the
commission appointed by GOV Byra
to recommend changes in the constl.
tuition, article /, which is the Dill OF
Rights, has been changed so That IN
criminal cases the accused, upon a
nlea OF guilty and with consent OF
the commemorative attorney, may
waive a jury and thus save the State
the expense of selecting one and avolo
danger Of technical errors in pro-
cedure.
Mason's sacred due process Of
law" pronouneements thus have not
been abridged, but rather fortified IN
light Of modern court experience ana
good judgment. As safeguard
against hasty or ill-advised action
the change must be approved by an
other Legislature and must then be
voted on by the people in q constitu'
tional referendum.
Session Is Outstanding.
In some ways the special session OF
the General Assembly just coming to
a close is the most remarkable meet
ing Of Virginia's law-making body in
history.
At the urgent request of Gov. Byrd
the assembly has come together to
revolutionize the government OF the
historic commonwealth-from conSti-
tuition to administrative framework. 1t
has been recommended lin the inter
est of economy" that the number Of
executive departments, bureaus, divi'
sions, branches and other Offices be
slashed from ninety-odd to a dozen
or so. Whole bureaus have been
done away with and others have been
merged into homogeneous units Of
wide scope. The ak has fallen on
many officials whose posts are de-
clared of questionable value. All Is
subject to approval of another Legis-
lature and of the people at large.
AS for Virginia's constitution,
which is the one adopted in the con-
stitutional convention of 1902, half a
hundred changes were suggested by
the governors commission, and the
assembly has approved a majority
of the recommendations, although
not without bitter debate on certain
phases.
The commission. headed by Robert
r. Prentis, president of the Virginia
Supreme Court Of Appeals, announces
that it's animating purpose has been
ito relax many of the existing re-
Stricfions on the mowers of the gen