Evening star., 1945-03-21
Hearing Opens
On Poll Tax
In Virginia
Repeal Is Proposed;
Absent Voters Low
Study Also Sought
By the Associated Press.

RICHMOND, Va, Mar. 21.-Pre-
liminary skirmishing in the Virginia
General Assembly fight over repeal
Of the poll tax as prerequisite to
voting was promised today at joint
public hearing arranged by the Sem
ate and House Committees on Priv
neges and Elections.
The hearing was set in the House
Of Delegates to accommodate large
crowds interested in the issue.
Resolutions have been offered CALI
ing for outright repeal of the poll
tax; for repeal Of the tax for vet
erans and mandatory collection from
others, and for commission to
study the suffrage laws of the State,
including the poll tax.
Absent Voters Study Proposed.
Another resolution would request
the Advisory Legislative Council to
study the States absent voters law
with view to simplifying and
strengthening it and removing the
possibility of corruption
Gov. Darden has offered recon-
mediation on two occasions to the
Legislature for changes in the abb
sent voters law to prevent corrup-
tion IN elections.
In connection with the move for
abolition of the poll tax, the Gov
ernor has taken the position that
the matter should be studied by a
commission prior to the next regu-
lar session in January. Such a COM
mission would consider also what
qualifications should be adopted for
the voting right in lieu of the poll
tax.
The House Appropriations Com
mittee and the Senate Finance Com
mittee arranged for a joint public
hearing at 3 pm. today on bills car
rying out Gov. Darden's recon-
mendations for $4,783 800 program
Of improvements to the public
school system.
Other Improvement Bills Offered.
In addition, bills designed to make
other improvements and adjust
ments. including proposed consti-
tutional amendment, were offered at
the special session.
Another resolution would request
that the Denny School Study Com
mission continue its study of school
consolidation and transportation of
pupils.
The proposed onstitutiona a
amendment would permit the State
Board of Education to set up one
school board for two or more sub
divisions, in place of the present
system of having a board limited
strictly to one county. The State
board now has the right to create
school divisions composed of two or
more counties, but under the consti-
tutional provision each county In
such a division has a separate
school board.
Judges Removal Recommended.
Counsel for Judge A. B. Carney,
whose removal as judge of the Nor
folk County Circuit Court was rec
commended by a legislative group
yesterday, will be given an oppor-
tunity to be heard, tomorrow at a
joint meeting of the Courts of JUS
tice Committees of the Senate and
House. This meeting was set for
8 pm.
A joint subcommittee of the two
committees received the report
without taking any immediate action.
The subcommittee report, read
by Chairman Stuart Campbell of
Wythe, recommended the judges
removal by joint resolution "be-
cause of his agreement. to pay a
part of his salary to Judge Coleman
as the consideration for Judge
Coleman's retirement from, and his
own election to, that position
The payments were $11250 a
month, the report said.