Evening star., 1944-02-25
Virginia House Ready
To Act on Increased
Bonus for Workers
Amended Bill Coils
For Is to 20 Per Cent
Rise in Payments
By the Associated Press.


ments to State employees in thu
lower-paid brackets is provided II
an amended Virginia Senate bill
ready for presentation to the Hous,
Of Delegates today by the House
Appropriations Committee.
The amended bill calls for ar
increase Of 20 per cent on the frs
$1,000 OF salary, Is per cent on thu
second $1,000 and sets a limit O,
$4,000 on the total compensation 8
State worker may receive as a bene.
fciary under the plan.
The committee reported the
amended bill by a vote of IS to
Also receiving approval was the
Coburn House bill providing for the
localities to receive one-half of any
remaining surplus in State genera
funds at the end Of the biennium
The distribution would be on a pei
capita basis. The vote of the com.
mittee was 10 to 4.
Cost Is Estimated.
The bonus bill as amended by
the committee would cost an esti.
mated $625 900 more for the next
biennium than the estimates for a
Is per cent increase on the first
$4,000 as provided in the original
Breeden-Weaver Senate bill. Halt
of the $625 900 would come out of a
special fund.
The McCandlish bill to make per-
sons coming into Virginia after
January /, 1945, ineligible to vote
In the State until one year after
filing of a declaration OF intention
to become citizen, was advanced to
third reading in the House, Al to 33
after spirited debate.
Delegate Robert j. McCandlish
Fairfax, told the House the measure
would not affect any one now resi-
dent in Virginia but would require
persons entering after January l.
1945, to file declaration of inten-
ton to become a citizen in order
to vote.
Mr.. McCandlish said the bill had
been held constitutional by Attorney
General Staples and was similar to
a Maryland law which has been up
held by the Supreme Court.
Measure Assailed.
The Fairfax delegate said the bill
was needed in the congested areas
where thousands of new residents
have come into the State.
1t was Immediately assailed as
violative Of the policy established
by Virginia In, the constitutional
revision Of 1928 when residence re-
quirements for suffrage were re-
duced from two years to one year
Robert Whitehead, Nelson, in a
vigorous 20-minute speech said Gov
Byrd offered the constitutional
amendment to attract desirable citi-
zens and new capital.
This bill takes away the right of
TIE people to vote" Mr.. Whithead
shLited Il call it tommyrot and
contrary to the spirit of what the
people have said. Talk about your
Southern hospitality. This bill
makes them climb through a rat
hole. We should have a govern
ment by all the people,
Medical Bill Reported.
The House Committee on Gen.
eral Laws yesterday reported a bill
that would add two chiropractors to
the State Board of Medical Ex-
aminers to participate in the ex-
animation Of chiropractors. In ad-
dition, the bill would set up a spe-
cial board of examiners. none of
whom would be a practicing phys
ician, to pass on the qualifications of
chiropractors now practicing in Vir-
ginia.
The controversial point of how
present practitioners, most of whom
are not licensed may be examined
and licensed was met by a General
Laws Subcommittee, which recon-
mended that temporary board be
established and composed Of those
members appointed by the Governor
The temporary board would be given
until --1949 to complete It's mission
and then would expire automatic
ally.
Reported out yesterday by the
Senate Committee for Courts of
Justice was a biH-for which Senator
Charles w. Crowder of Richmond
was chief patron, and which pro-
posed that insanity shall be ad-
judged incurable after the victim
has been under treatment in an in
stitution, or institutions, for five
consecutive years and that incur
able insanity be made grounds for
divorce in Virginia.
Divorce Rules Fixed.
The divorce, however, would not
be granted until after an examina-
ton by three physicians, one of them
the superintendent of State hos
pital, and all of whom were appoint
ed by the Judge hearing the divorce
suit.
The bill specifies that the divorce
would not, If the complainant is the
husband, relieve him from response
bility for the support of the wife,
even If the husband should remarry
The court granting the divorce
would be permitted to say to what
extent the support shall be main-
tanned during the wife's. confinement
to the institution, while she is on
furlough, or, if the physicians dag
nosis should prove faulty on her
release.
A bill providing that membership
OF the electoral boards shall consist
OF representatives of the two polit-
ical parties receiving the highest
number Of votes at the last preced-
ing gubernatorial election was re-
ported by the Senate Privileges and
Elections Committee.
The measure took the form of an
amendment to the section of the
Code of Virginia relating to compo-
sition of such boards.
Adopted by the Senate yesterday
was a General Laws Committee
amendment to the Moses Stuart
Gray bill authorizing the employ
ment of women in war industries