Evening star., 1943-09-22
Virginia Legal
Representative
In D. {. Asked
Attorney Generals
Aide Would Protect
States Sovereignty
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
RICHMOND, Va, Sept. pa
proposal that the State assign an
assistant attorney general to Wash
ington at a salary of $4,000 a year to
oppose any legislative measures that
would impair State sovereignty is
included in budget submitted yes
terday to Gov. Darden by Attorney
General A. P. Staples.
Such an officer, Mr.. Staples point
ed out. would cooperate with SINH
lar officials from other States, in
line with a plan advanced by the
National Association of ATTORNEY
Generals. He also recommended that
$4,000 be appropriated as Virginia S
share in the endeayor.
Studies to determine the cost of
putting into effect a $500 pension
floor for retired State employees
were suggested by the Governor as
hearings opened on 1944-46 budget
requests.
Letters Cited.
The subject came up as Mai. Frank
P. Evans, director of the State re-
tlrement system. was presenting the
Retirement Boards appropriations
plans to the Governor and his Budg-
ct Advisory Commission.
Gov. Darden remarked that he
had received letters from a number
of school teachers, all retired years
ago unoer the old, informal pension
plans that preceded adoption of the
present, actuariarly sound law.
These teachers told of receiving re-
tirement pay amounting only to
ABOUT $22 quarter year.
Investigations should be made. the
Governor said, to find out what it
would cost the State to provide $500
annually for these teachers and also
to determine the cost of putting a
general floor of 5000 year under
the present Retirement Act benefits.
Maj. Evans said it would be fairly
simple to get the first figure, but
that the second would involve some
actuarial calculations
IL Present Requests.
The Retirement Board was among
IL State departments and agencies
to present their budget requests to
the Governors commission yester-
day. They were marked generally
by pleas for funds to raise employees
salaries On grounds that the workers
deserved boosts, that some were nee
esSary to meet competitive offers and
to keep trained employees in the
State service.
One official who asked for no in
creases for his department was l..
Downs, State auditor of
public accounts, whose budget of
some $403, 900 for the two years rep
resented a decrease of $3.50.
Mr.. Downs said he had taken
seriously" the message of several
weeks ago, in which Gov. Darden
urged State executives to trim their
activities and expenditures
to the essentials, and therefore had
not sought salary increases. He ex-
planned, however, that If the Cover
nor and his budget-makers decided
W. 0PPi oNC SClASi al Sdldl lllCIEdStS
L want my employees treated like all
the others"
Military Increase Asked.
Adjt. Gen. S. Gardner Waller asked
for an overall appropriation of about
S254,000 year, an increase of about
s117,500. He said that of the increase,
$l7500 is for the Military Depart
ment's regular" needs. mostly to 20
for deserved salary boosts, and the
remainder was for the supple
mental" budget In the last named
items were training, equipping and
operating the Virginia Protective
Force and the reserve militia. and
providing for enlargement of the
records division as necessitated bv
caring for the military records of
Vlrginians in this war.
The Bureau of Insurance. under
Commissioner George T. Bowles.
hled an outline asking for some
S256.OO0 for the biennium. This is
2l 900 more than the bureaus total
Tor 1924. Most of the increase
would go for salary raises and equip
ment.