Evening star., 1942-03-15
Assembly Concludes;
Most Of Darden's
Proposals Enacted
Passage Of Redistricting,
Penal Reform Bills Held
Major Accomplishments
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
RICHMOND, Va. March IA
General Assembly that wrote into
law nearly all the inaugural recon-
mendations of Gov. Darden was to
ring down the curtain tonight on an
harmonious and unusually prodIc-
tive session.
In contract to the factional tussles
between the legislative and executive
branches during the Price admins
tration, there was peace an6 har-
mony during the entire so days.
For the first time in 20 years. the
Legislature, under the Governors
prodding, passed bill extensively
rearranging existing districts and
eliminating some Of the more flag
rant variations in representation.
Much OF the credit for that goes to
Senator E. r. Fuller of Richmond
and members Of his commission.
whose recommendation formed the
basis for the plan adopted by the
assembly.
Another major accomplishment
was enactment of penal reform leg
islation long advocated widely in
dorsed and regularly killed III pre-
vious sessions Of the General As
sembly. The new program, indorsed
by both former Gov. Price and Gcv.
Darden. VIII establish Statewide
probation and parole, place direc-
tion of penal matters generally in
the hands of a new department Of
corrections and abolish the fee sys-
tenn as a method Of compensating
sheriffs and city sergeants and place
them on salaries regulated by the
State Compensation Board.
Liquor Tax Repealed.
Gov. Darden made more than 20
recommendations in his inaugural
address, some of them. as In the case
Of jails. coinciding with proposals Of
Mr.. Price.
Other Darden recommended bills
enacted included:
/. Repeal of the 1910 10 per cent
tax on liquor and wine. with the aim
of lowering prices and combating
bootleggers.
2. Legislation restricting the sale
of wines Of more than IA per cent
alcohol, also recommended on the
ground Of controlling intoxicants
rather than leaning on them for
revenue.
3. Overhauling of the civilian de-
fense organization, set up under
Gov. Price, so that authority is con-
centrated in the Governor and 10
cal officials, with the purpose of ex-
pediting decisions and action in
emergencies. The new organization
absorbed about 95 per cent Of the
old.
T.. A bill-with freshman" +"
Delegate William j. Gibson of Fred
ericksburg, as the chief patron-re-
ducing the small loan interest rate
from AZ to "a per cent year. That
was per cent more than the maxi
mum recommended by the Gov
ernor, but was so close to his figure
that he readily signed the bill.
Road Commission Enlarged.
Another small loan regulatory
measure passed was the Crowder
Senate bill prohibiting the use of
borrowers financial statements
against them in legal proceedings
to collect the debt or in opposition
to discharges in bankruptcy. How
ever, third bill in this field, the
Gibson-Scott House bill setting up
tight regulations for the whole
small loan business, was killed in
the Senate Insurance and Banking
Committee after having passed the
House unanimously.
Two of its provisions later were
inserted in the Cary Senate bill re-
quiring small loan companies to re-
port lists of stockholders, officers
and salaries to the State Corpora
ton Commission.
A joint resolution was adopted
providing for study by the Vir-
ginia Advisory Legislative Council
of small loan regulatory statutes
and directing that report be pre-
pared for the 1914 session.
S. Abolition of the three-member
Unemployment Compensation Com
mission and substitution of single
administrator at $500 year. John
@. Rhodes, jr., former motor We
hicle director and more recently
1See ASSEMBLY,. PAGE A.16.)