The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-10-14
REDISTRICTING
DECISION SOON
IN HIGH COURT
Election of Congressman in
; Six States May Be
7 Affected.
BY MARSHALL MNEIL,
Times stan Writer

WASHINGTON, Oct. 14-Pend-
Ing before the United States
supreme court, with a decision ex-
pected Monday is a case which may
result in a total Of ffty-six con-
gressmen in six states being elected
at large instead Of by districts in
November.
And there is a possibility that in
one OF these states, Virginia, no
congressional election will be held
at oil.
Thus. instead OF being district
"oface boys as characterized by
congressional critics-the house may
include ffty-six additional states
men"
The case is that from Mississippi
wherein the constitutionality OF the
states rediStricting law is attacked
on the grounds that rights OF SUI
frage are being denied because the
new districts are not approximately
equal in population.
The federal law, it is argued, holds
that the new districts shall be con-
tinguous, compact, and as nearly
equal in population as practical.
But even the question OF whether
this law applies is in controversy.
Law Is Held Invalid
The Mississippi law already has
been held invalid by three judge
court. and this decision, now on APP
peal was argued this week before
the supreme court.
Companion cases are those from
Kentucky and Tennessee.
If the supreme court holds with
the three Judge court that the Mis-
sissippi re-districtig law is invalid,
then not only will the seven rep
resentatives in that state be elected
at large. but the nine in Tennessee
also may
Earlier federal and state court de-
cisions have forced the filling OF
thirteen congressional places in
Missouri and nine in Minnesota to
be filed by elections at large.
The highest state court Of Viz
GINA Just has held its redistricting
law invalid, but whether that states
nine congressional seats will be
filled in November is held by some
to be in doubt.
Important Men Affected
Among the congressman affected
by the forthcoming supreme court
decision are:
Chairman James w. Collier
Dem., Miss Of the ways and
means committee; Representative
Edward H. Crump Dem, Tenn,
sometimes known as the boss OF
Memphis, Representative Fred M.
Vinson Dem, KY, who is con-
Quoting an important state-federal
tax inquiry for the ways and means
committee: Representative Leonidas
G. Dyer (Rep, Mo-, ranking mem
Der OF his party on the judiciary
committee and one of the leading
vets of the house.
According to c. Bascom Slemp,
former secretary to President CAL
vim Coolidge, it may take new legis-
lation in a special session of the
Virginia legislature TO permit that
state to elect members OF congress.
He argues that the statutory
limit for filing names for these Of
fees and for the printing Of the
official ballot had passed when the
state supreme court threw out the
redistricting act.
state May Lose Congressman
Thus, unless a new law is passed
or a valid court order is issued, the
ballot may not bear names of can
didates for congress.
Slemp said that several candi-
dates for congress in Virginia, con-
templating that the redistricting law
would not be upheld, notified the
secretary of the commonwealth
within the required period of sixty
days before the election that they
wanted to be placed on the ballots
as candidates for congressman at
large.
But these letters we're returned,
he said, with the statement that no
such positions as they mentioned ex-
listed
pm INDIANA R0TTl Frs