Evening star., 1942-03-16
Nearby Virginia
Subject Of Much
New Legislation
Arlington City PIon,
AIexundrio Referendo
Among New Acts
By ALEXANDER r. PRESTON.

It's 1872 session Saturday night, TO-
day had returned to thsf homss
after sponsoring large amount OF
local legislation designed to benefit
their communities.
Defegate Charles r. Fenwick OF
Arlington County led all others
from the nearby area in presenting
bills.
A proposed charter for the In
corporation Of Arlington as city,
and provision for citizens charter
committee to draft an alternate plan
Of city government, are included in
legislation now lying on Gov. Dar-
den's desk for his signature, Al
though introduced in the House Of
Delegates by Mr.. Fenwick, it was the
result OF extensive studies by that
legislator and Senator William D.
Medley also of Arlington.
Other major Fenwick bills which
have been enacted into law in
elude:
Authorizing patent attorneys and
agents from out of the State to prac-
tice before the Patent Office at
Richmond without being members
of the State bar, and to establish
the District of Columbia Virginia
boundary and placing Washington
National Airport in Virginia, with
the status of a Federal reservation
Rent Control Bill Offered.
Along with Delegate Maurice D.
Rosenberg of Alexandria, Mr.. Fen
wick introduced legislation provid-
ing for rent control boards in emer-
sency areas proclaimed by the Gov
ernor. This was requested by the
Arlington County Civic Federation.
Enacted measures local in applica-
ton to Arlington County include the
Fenwick bill authorizing the State
Highway Commission to transfer
North Washington Boulevard in
Arlington and take over and develop
Fairfax drive, authorizing the
county board to issue bonds for
Fairgrounds and parks, as requested
by the federation and Organized
Women Voters, and providing for
a retirement system for Arlington
County employees.
Statewide Fenwick legislation
passed included q bill to require
pawn brokers to submit daily re-
ports to police departments, request
ed by Arlington Police Chief Harry
woodward, and q measure to exempt
men in the armed forces from tax
penalties and interest," requested by
the Organized Women Voters.
Legislative proposals Of the Ar
lington delegate which failed to
pass included q measure to make
uniform the opening and closing of
election polls rather than from
Sunrise to sunset" as provided at
present. Another would have re-
quired the State Corporation Com
mission to give local governing
agencies notice of route and rate
changes and hearings, but Mr.. Fen
wick, worked out an agreement with
the commission to notify Arlington
County. Identical bills by Mr. Fen
wick and Senator Medley to estab-
lish commission to recodify the
laws, were killed.
Merit System Voted.
Senator Medley introduced bill
to establish a personnel and promo
ton on merit system for State EN-
ployes and then had a duplicate
measure introduced by Mr.. Rosen-
berg and others on the House side
because his own legislation was tied
up in committee. The latter bill was
enacted.
Other measures by Senator Med
ley which were enacted included
one to exempt $500 from the gross
income Of men In the armed forces
for State tax purposes.
Measures enacted for Alexandria,
by Mr. Rosenberg, included a pro-
vision for the City Council to call
advisory referenda on local issues
and to permit a maximum salary
of 1900 for each councilman; per-
mitting an annual assessment and
equalization of real estate, as re-
quested by the North Ridge Citizens
Association.
State wide measures he helped
sponsor were teachers and State
employees retirement bill; legislation
to reduce small-loan interest rates
from a to "a per cent a year; proba-
tion and parole legislation making
possible the establishment of
regional jails and q merit and per-
sonnel bill for state employees
Milk Commission Bill Dies.
Measures sponsored by Mr.. Rosen-
berg which were killed were: A bill
to abolish the Milk Commission and
another bill to increase its member
ship from three to five; q bill to
restrict the sale of pistols and re-
volvers, requested by Alexandria
Police Capt. Edgar Sims.
Most Of the bills by Delegate
Robert J. McCandlish, jr., which
were enacted related to the school
system of Fairfax County. They in
ciuded amendments to q bill to
abolish the $I25 maximum school
levy and permit different levies In
different school districts and provid-
ing for the abolition of the Falls
Church School district. A separate
bill would insure the same levy In
the town of Falls Church as the rest
of the Falls Church niagisterial
district.
"A bill by MIR. McCandliSh, to freeze
Fairfax County boundaries against
annexation proceedings, was killed.
Delegate L. Lake Triplett of
Loudon County was co-patron of
redistricting legislation which gives
Arlington second member of the
House and it's own Senator.