Evening star., 1927-04-05
ARLINGTON COUNTY
LOSES ITS FIGHT.
Referendum Bill Beaten in
House Committee at
Richmond.
BY REX COLLIER.
STAFF Correspondent of The Star.

RICHMOND, Va. April 5.-~The
valiant fight Of Arlington County's or
Eanlzed citizenship to snatch the
Arlington County referendum bill
from defeat in the House ended some
what ANONYMOUSLY today when the
committee 10 which it had been re-
ferrcd squashed the measure by a
unanimous vote.
The cleyeuth-hour siege OF the com.
mittee last night by delegation Of
county civic leaders, who stormed
the Capitol with a direct appeal to
the General Assembly. failed TO swerVe
the bill from the fore ordained doom
to which it had been guided by Airing
ton County's delegate in the House.
Charles T. Jesse.
The committee on counties, cities
and towns. in whose hands the fate Of
the measure has been resting since
last nights acrimonious hearing, wrote
fms on the hectic career OF the bill
when ii decided this morning that II
was OF general nature aud there
fore should not he taken up at this
special session. Under a ruling adopt
ed for the session. general bills may he
introduced only upon three-fourths
vote OF the House. and it was agreed
that it woC be impossible to secure
this approval.
Not Purely Local.
BY its decision that the city bill was
not a purely local measure, the com.
alittee placed itself in the unusual po-
sition of disputing the opinion Of the
Senate in general, which unanimously
passed The measure. and Lieut.. Gov.
West in particular. presiding officer of
the Senate, who had ruled that the
bill was of local character and entitled
10 special consideration.
State Senator Frank l.. Bah of Ar
1ington County on learning of the
predicted action of the House COM
mittee and of the entirely unexpected
basis for so ruling. reiterated his con-
viction that the bill was local.
Il still believe the referendum bin
was purely local." its author declared,
'and / introduced it in that belief.
Lieut.. Gov. West examined 1t. and
agreed with me. The Senate passed
ii under this ruling of the presiding
officer"
Folkes Makes Motion.
The motion to pass by" the Ar
lington measure on the ground that
I'll was general legislation was made
by Delegate +. {. Folkes of Rich
1nond and was seconded by DIR. j. w.
AEitten, anember of the committee
from Tazewell County. Delegate
Tolkes included in his motion also a
Richmond city bill which has been
found tos have general provisions.
1 With regard to the Arlington bill
Delegate Folkes explained to the COM
fsonmittee that it provided for Cor
1loration Court, part OF the expenses
Of which would be borne by the state,
and that it would convert two State
Highways into city streets" viz, the
Lee Highway, and the Washington.
jefferson Highway. These provisions,
he contended. took the bill from the
realm of local legislation and gave II
Statewide Importance.
Chairman c. A. Sinclair of Prince
William County put the motion TO an
immediate vote without further dis
cussion. and the committee registered
Its complete approval of the ruling.
Seized on Technicality.
IN SO deciding, the committee seized
upon what amounts to techncaIty
IN order 10 comply with the expressed
wishes OF Delegate Jesse TO see the
measure killed. 1t had been freely
predicted here that with Arlington
County's own delegate opposed to the
enabling act, it would never stand
even a ghost of a chance of being re-
ported from the committee.
The committee proceeded exactly as
A. had been forecast it would do. 1t
eraciously received the Arlington
County delegation in public hearing
last night, listened carefully to what
ii had TO say and then retired to re-
cord an opinion which it had already
agreed upon informally.
Telegram From McNemar.
Chairman Sinclair. prior to the
meeting Of his committee this morn
ing. received a telegram from l.. T.
McNenaar, chairman Of the Arlington
County Better Government Commls-
sion, advising him that the propo-
nents Of the bill relied strictly upon
the merits of the purpose OF the Dill
to give to Arlington County the flgnt
to determine its own polltlcal destiny
the same as any other county or city
in the State"
1--WE resent the meddling of Alex
andria city in local affairs" the mes
sage gaid. This meddling, however,
only proves our contention rurthef
fbat we believe the Lieutenant Gov
ernor Of Virginia, Senator Bali and
other Senators know more about the
difference between a private ana gen
eral bill than either Gardner Boothe
or Mr.. Woods of Alexandra. Row
ever. in the event your committee
holds that this is q general bill, we
Yespectfully request that Senator BaH
be heard on the bill, as he has eX-
pressed his willingness and desire SO
TO do.
Advocates of Blu.
Furthermore. the attention Of your
honorable committee is invited TO the
fact that in addition TO Senator Ball'
the following members OF our county
government have stated that they are
in favor Of this bill; Supervisors VIII
liam Ingram and Eugene Turnburke,
former Supervisor Thomas Delash-
mutt. County Treasurer Wade Ball.
Commissioner Of Revenue Harry
Green and County Supt Of Schools
Fletcher Kemp"
The request that the committee hear
Senator Bah was not complied with,
however.
Presents Leaders Letter.
At the outset OF the committee
hearing last night Delegate Jesse
turned over to the committee a letter
which he had received from the lead
ing civic bodies Of the county an
nouncing their intention Of appealing
over his head to the General Assembly
for the passage Of the bill He an.
nounced that he was personally OPP
posed 10 the bill, but that he desired
the committee 10 have the benefit OF
the information contained in the let
ter, witch was signed by William j..
Ingram, member Of the board of SUI
perVisors, and the heads Of the larger
civic organizations In Arlington Coun-
t.. Copies of this letter previously