Evening star., 1934-06-17

amid light voting, Virginia this Sum-
mer is relatively free from politics.
Within the State government dur
ing the past week there came a po-
litical shift, which had been antici-
pated since midway of the General As
sembly last Winter. E. r. Combs,
former State controller. who served
that Office from its origin in the Byrd
administration until last December,
was reappointed after serving six
months as manager of the Richmond
agency OF the Reconstruction Finance
Corporation.
Heads Compensation Unit.
As he was put back in the Office by
Gov. Peery, he was given an ad-
ditional new job-that Of chairman
of the Compensation Board. His duty
will be to inaugurate the new salary
system Of compensating public off,
GERS, superceding the old fee system,
which is as old as Virginia.
A. B. Gathright, who has served as
controller while Combs has been
with the r. F. c.. went back to his
| old post as assistant, according to
an agreement made when he took the
higher post.
To carry the shift to its conclusion,
it was necessary to have a new R. F.
C. manager, and Henry G. Gnmer,
member Of the Highway Commission
from Wise County, was chosen by the
Federal Government. Taking the Gil
mer seat on the Highway Commission
will be Frank Wysor. of Pulaski
County, who boasts of one of the best
County treasurer records in the State.
All these changes are to be made
formally next Wednesday.
| The Governor still has several more
/ front rank appointments to make,
chief among them being the State
| health commissioner. Commissioner
Wren F. Draper. who was loaned to
| Virginia from the United States
surgeon generals Office in 1881, has
/ been recalled to the Federal service.
| The Governor on Wednesday began
/ bringing matters to head in the ap-
pointment of the commissioner Of
| fisheries. He had been holding up the
reappointment of Richard H. Arm
strong, pending the completion Of an
audit of the commissions books.
Other Positions Open.
Likewise, the Governor stiI1 has to
appoint the State Boxing Commission.
and the Hampton Roads Sewage Dis
poSal Commission, both provided by
the recent assembly.
Dr. Sidney B. Hall State superin-
| tendent of public instruction, has been
prominently mentioned as successor TO
the late Dr., J. A. c. Chandler, preSl-
dent of the College of William and
Mary, and if he should be chosen,
there is to be another troublesome ap-
pointment facing the Virginia chief
executive.
The week brought a series of Sc
riouS accidents. Besides numerous
automobile accidents. several of which
were fatal, three were killed and a
fourth was critically hurt in a dyna-
mite explosion near Charlottesville; at
least three were drowned, and one
was fatally injured and six hurt in an
automobile plant fire at Norfolk.
A series of commandments through
out the State drew outstanding
speeches. Cordell Hull. at William
and Mary, said the United States was
encouraging peace. while there were
grave conditions in other parts of the
world. Gov. Peery at the university
proposed radical changes in the States
plan for allocating money to State in
stitutions. The Governor spoke also
at Emory and Henry. where he was
made an honorary doctor of laws, and
at Collegiate School, Richmond, where
his daughter was a member.
Charles P. Taft Speaks.
At Ashland. Charles P. Taft, the
second son of the late President Will
liam Howard Taft. addressed the grad
uating class of Randolph-Macon Col
lege.
During the commencement exercises
at V. P. I. Gorden WildeS, president
of the Cadet Corps. announced the
corps unanimously decided to abolish
the rat" system.
Virginia had another Skirmish dur
ing the week with Georgia and Florida
over reciprocal truck license agree
ments. The State held up about 40
southbound truckers in a partially
successful attempt to force Georgia
and Florida to allow Virginia truck
men through those States without the
purchase of licenses there.
| The State Division of Motor We
hicleS announced this week that pas
senger automobile licenses issued up
to June / showed an increase Of 49,
280 over the same date last year. This
| was an increase of % per cent. and
| Director John Q. Rhodes said at the
present rate the increase will nearly
overcome the 40 per cent reduction
recent General Assembly.
The Virginia Petroleum Commit
tee, in a meeting in Roanoke, adopted
| resolution protesting the ccntinu-
| ance of the present Federal gasoline
| tax of l cent.
The Virginia Bankers Association,
at Virginia Beach, in annual ccnven-
tion, decided to set up a State clear
ing house to decide upon and admin
lister fair practice code and service
charges.
The convention was given a note Of
optimism by S. H. Plummer, presi-
dent, of Newport News, where. dur
ing the same week, the shipyard an
| nounced two ships reconditioning
contracts totaling approximately
half million dollars.
Liquor Stores Opened.
The Virginia Alcoholic Beverage
Control Board continued opening
stores, with Roanoke and Lynchburg
on the opening list for the week, and
Petersburg and Alexandria to follow
shortly.
The board was attacked by the Rev.
Fred Chenault of Danville, chairman
Of the Virginia Methodist Conference
on Temperance and Morals, who
criticized the boards mail-order busi-
ness and its ruling which allowed
wine and beer licensees to sell during
all legal business hours.
The new State drunken drivers
law will become effective Tuesday.