Evening star., 1942-01-07
Poll Tax Backed
By Federation
| In 22-20 Vote
Arlington Civic
Unit Fuvors Law
For Park Bonds

For Park Bonds
A proposal that the Virginia Gen.
eral Assembly institute steps to re-
peal the poll tax as a prerequisite
to voting was defeated % to 20 at
meeting of the Arlington County
Civic Federation last night.
Repeal of the tax was recon-
mended by the Legislative and Legal
Action Committee, headed by Floyd
Sitton. Prior to the vote, Mrs. Azile
Haley, who is a county election
official, declared that many persons
fail to pay the s1.50 annual capita
ton tax so as to be ineligible for
jury duty. Albert A. Carretta sup
ported the repeal and declared a
more intelligent method of limiting
the right to vote would be to employ
literacy tests 1t is undemocratic to
exclude a person from voting "be-
cause he may not have $780," Mr.
Carretta said.
Mrs. Beulah Goss favored reten-
ton because, she said, Ito abolish
the tax would be to allow a certain
amount of riff-raff to control the
local government" A. D. Adams
former federation president, declared
repeal would make possible the sals
of many more illiterates votes.
Favors Bonds for Parks.
The federation favored Legislation
at the General Assembly, which con-
venes next Wednesday, to enable
Arlington County to issue bonds te
purchase public parks and play.
grounds. Approval was unanimous
A resolution asking for legislation
to require the county manager II
publish budget expenditures no
more than 81 days after the clos,
of each fiscal year also was ap.
proved.
Another measure which sought t.
abolish a law which limits tn,
County Board from varying budge
ALLEGATIONS to not more than 10 pc
cent, was referred to the Revenue
and Expenditures Committee. JuliaI
D. Simpson opposed the resolution
BY unanimous vote, the fedora.
ton asked that Arlington Count!
representation in the House of Dele
gates be increased from one to tw
members and that one State Senate
be assigned to that county alone
instead of representing severa
counties, as at present. DR.. Victo
Meyers. who offered the resolution
declared Arlington's population o
nearly 10000 warranted the increase
Loan Study Asked.
| The federation also Endorsed
resolution asking the Governor Il
appoint a special commission u
study the State small loan laws will
a view of drafting corrective legis.
lation for any evil practices.
Action on recommendation from
Mr.. Sitton's committee that recon
! ing applications with the Count,
| Board be given public hearings onl.
during two months of each year-iI
the spring and in the fall was post
poned on motion of William C. Hull
this plan was referred to the Com
mittee on Parks, Fairgrounds ant
Zoning
On recommendation of Mrs. Julial
D. Simpson. the Schools Committe,
was instructed to report at thI
February meeting on survey of thl
| county school system undertaken b,
special commission headed b!
Dean j. H. Fox of George Wash
ington University.
In reply to previous action by tht
federation indorsing permanent-typ
automobile license tags. c. F. Joyner
jr., assistant director of the Division
OF Motor Vehicles. declared in
letter that the 1912 tags have al.
ready been manufactured at tn,
State penitentiary. Mr.. Joyner dis.
closed that negotiations are nov
under way with Office of Produc.
ton Management officials lookint
toward obtaining sufficient steel fol
the manufacture Of permanent-typ,
tags for 1943. Charles R. Fenwick
Arlington's member of the House O
Delegates, wrote that he had dis.
cussed the auto tag proposal Will
the motor vehicles division.
Replies on Rent Control.
In reply to a previous federation
request for rent control legislation
Mr.. Fenwick wrote the federation
that "since this will be in the ma.
ture of general legislation, I will ba
very glad to confer with proper
State officials relative to this anc
see TO what extent it fits in with
defense plans"
Edmund D. Campbell, chairman
of the County Board, warned thai
it may be necessary to postpone
realization of some county improve.
ments during the coming year, such
as new streets and sidewalks, be.
cause of funds being demanded fol
emergency defense purposes.
Concerning encroachments of the
District and Federal Government,
on Virginia soil, Mr.. Campbell de.
clared:
while We must cooperate with
the Federal Government, We need
the help of all citizens in main-
tanning our political integrity; we dc
know that we do not want to be-
come a part of the disfranchised
population"
Other speakers were Leo Lloyd
member of the County Board; Coun-
ty Manager Frank C. Hanrahan and
Mrs. Alma Ramsay, executive Sec
retary of the Northern Virginia Re-
gional Defense Council.