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

d. tIt hSSOCldleC freSS.
RICHMOND, Va, Sept. pa
proposal that the State assign an
assistant attorney general to Wash
lngton at a salary of $4,000 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 plan advanced by the
National Association of Attorney
Generals. He also recommended that
$4,000 be appropriated as Virginias
share in the endeavor.
Studies to determine the cost of
putting into effect $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 Maj. Frank
P. Evans, director of the State re-
tirement 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 number
of school teachers, all retired years
ago under 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 500 a quarter year.
Investigations should be made, the
would cost the State to provide $500
annually for these teachers and also
to determine the cost of putting
general floor of $500 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 Governor 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.
Mccarthy Downs, State auditor of
public accounts, whose budget of
some $403 900 for the two years rep
resented a decrease of $3.50. ],t =
Mr.. Downs said he had taken
seriously the message of several
weeks ago, in which, Coy. Darden
urged State executives to trim their
wartime activities and expenditures
to- the essentials, and therefore had
not sought salary increases. He ex-a
planned, however, that If the Cover
nor and his budget-makers decided
to approve general salary increases
Il want my employees treated like all
the others"
Military Increase Asked.
Adjt. Gen. S. Gardner Waller asked
for an overall appropriation of about
1854 900 year, an increase of about
Silt 500 He said that of the increase,
SIT 500 is for the Military Depart
ment's regular" needs, mostly to go
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 by
caring for the military records of
Virginians in this war.
The Bureau of Insurance. under
Commissioner George T. Bowles
filed an outline asking for some
$3.50, 900 for the biennium This is
$21 900 more than the bureaus total
for 1924 Most of the increase
would go for salary raises and equip
ment