Evening star., 1932-01-21
EIGHTH DISTRICT
ABOLITION URGED URGED
Viruinia Senate Is Scene of
Defensive Move by
Seventh.
BY LESTER N. INSKEEP,
staff Correspondent of The Star.

| RICHMOND, Va, January 2l.-Ine
redistricting tangle, which has grown
in size and ferocity by the uncertainty
surrounding its nature, revealed itself
Yesterday in what to Northern Virginia
! was its worst form, through the in
PRODUCTION of bill in the Senate which
would. If enacted into law, completely
! destroy the eighth district.
The various factions have until this
time confined their activities solely to
hotel room meetings and attempted
trades with each other, but the ap-
pearance of yesterdays bill was the
signal that the fight had actually be-
gun. SO the Privileges and Elections
Committee of the House and Senate
met yesterday afternoon to make plans
for considering the various proposals
that will be put forth in the form of
bills.
Subject of Speculation.
Until its actual introduction yester-
day. the redistricting bill of Senators
N. B. Early of Ruckersville, T. Rus
sell Gather of Winchester and Aubrey
G. Weaver of Front Royal had been
the subject of much speculation among
members of the Northern Virginia del
egation. Their fears concerning 1t were
realized.
The bill is an admitted attempt on
the part of the seventh district dele
CATION to retain the integrity of their
cWn district. which. next to the eighth,
is the smallest in the State, and as
result has been and is still in conSid
cradle danger.
1t is proposed In the measure to take
the City of Alexandria and the Coun-
ties of Arlington, Fairfax, Prince Will
liam Stafford and King George from
the eighth district and put them in the
first district, which reaches to Newport
News. The Counties of Orange, Cul-
peper, Loudoun and Fauquier would be
taken from the other end of the eighth
district and given to the seventh, which
is the home of former Gov. Harry F..
Byrd, Virginia'S presidential candidate.
The one remaining county of the pres
ent eighth district, Louisa, would be
transferred to the new eighth, which
would be made up largely OF the present
tenth.
Would Transfer Counties.
Among the other changes proposed
would be the transfer of Northampton
and Accomac Counties from the first
to the second district and the Coun-
from the second to the fourth The
new eighth district would be made to
include PoWhatan County from the
present fourth and Goochland County
from the third
The new first district, of which the
section OF Virginia adjacent to the Ma
tional Capital would be a part, would
! contain 4 cities and 20 counties and
would stretch along the Potomac River
| from Fairfax County to Newport News,
! distance of 280 miles.
The cities would be Alexandria, Fred
ericksburg, Newport News and Hamp-
| ton, and the counties, Arlington, Fair
| fax. Prince William. Stafford, SpotSvl-
vania, Caroline King George, West
| moreland, Richmond, Essex, King and
| Queen, MiddleseX, Lancaster, Northum-
berland. Mathews, Gloucester, York,
| Warwick and Elizabeth City.
Such a layout would throw Repre-
sentative Howard w Smith of AleXan-
dria and Representative S. Otis Bland
o. Newport News in the same district,
a situation that is relished by neither
and that may result in a combined ef-
! tort on the part Of both to prevent the
destruction OF each others districts.
Smith Is Present.
whether such combination has al
ready been formed by the delegations
from the two districts has not been
made known. Representative Smith has
been here the entire week, and the
eighth district delegation has been in
almost constant communication with
him.
1t would now appear that it will be
Impossible 10 settle definitely the mat
ter as quickly as Gov Pollard wished it
disposed of, since it was the opinion of
the Joint Committees on Privileges and
Elections OF the two houses at their
meeting yesterday afternoon that annie
notice of the date for a hearing would
have to be given so that those inter
ested would have an opportunity to pre-
pare their cases. The hearings II was
decided, will start on a date to- be set
by the chairmen of the two committees
and be adjourned from day to day until
all who wish to be heard have had an
opportunity to present their arguments
1t is not believed that a time will be
set in less than two weeks.