The Washington times., 1938-02-28
HOUSE TO STUDY
TEACHERS BILL
FOR Retirement
Virginia Legislature Will
Act on Budget.
BY GEORGE M. GREEN

BY GEORGE M. GREEN
RICHMOND, Va, Feb. 2s.-A
bill to provide an improved retire
ment plan for public school
teachers will head the legislation
to be considered by the house this
week, while the $164,000, 900
budget bill is expected to be the
highlight Of senate activities.
Other legislation of Statewide
interest to be acted on before the
General Assembly adjourns March
~ includes the bar integration
bill, designed to improve law
practice ethics in Virginia, and
several proposed tax measures de-
signed to finance the teachers re-
tirement bill.
TAX ON DRINKS
The measures proposed to
finance the teachers retirement
LiII is q bill which would levy an
excise tax on all soft drinks.
This tax, which would become ef-
fective at the same time the re-
tirement bill becomes law, would
tax each bottle quarter-cent and
impose q proportionate tax on
soft drink syrupS.
A public hearing on the tax
measure is scheduled to be held
by the house appropriations COM
mittee Wednesday afternoon and
another hearing Friday after
noon on the teachers pension
plan.
Another factional fight such as
was staged in the lower branch
last week, is expected in the SEN
ate this week when the budget
bill reaches the floor. The fight,
with Price administration fol-
lowers on one side and the old
line Democrats Of the Byrd organ
ization on the other, is centered
around an amendment to the
budget bill which would deprive
tie governor Of his authority to
appoint the chairman of the
State compensation board.
PAGE BACKS PRICE
The latest development in this
fight came yesterday when Sena-
tor Vivian L. Page, of Norfolk, op-
ponent of Governor Price in last
years Democratic primary, an
nounced his support of the chief
executive in his fight to retain
this appointive post.
Craftsmanship of the compensa-
ton board is looked upon as one
Of the storngeSt posts in the State
political Set-up. since this board
fixes the compensation of virtually
every Salaried officer in the State.
Under the present system, the
comptroller of currency, an officer
filled by appointment of the gov
ernor, also serves as chairman of
the compensation board. Governor
Price, however, had asked for an
increased appropriation for this
post so he can appoint a full-time
man to fill the place.
NAMES THIRD MAN
Provisions Of the Coleman
amendment, which the house
passed by a 60-to-37 vote, would
have the attorney general, A. P.
Staples, serve as the third mem
Der Of the compensation board
without pay and permit the three
members to elect their own chair
man from within their ranks.
A total of 81 bills were advanced
for passage this week, while % un-
contested measures were passed
In the house session Saturday.
An amended bill excluding
groups involved in labor disputes
from terms of the antilynching
law, except in cases of murder,
was passed in the house Saturday
and Is expected to come up in the
senate this week.
AS amended, the measure ap-
plies to the general law instead of
the mob" statute. The bill was
sponsored by organized labor as q
result of several riots at Coving-
ton last summer, which resulted
In O number of union members
being charged with assault and
battery under the 1928 law aimed
az 1xyT1chinnS