Evening star., 1946-01-15
Assembly
BiIItoR Restrict
Absentee Ballot
Measure Would Hold
Vote to Servicemen;
Soldier Bonus Urged
BY ALEX r. PRESTON,
Star Staff Writer.

BY ALEX r.. PRESTON,
Star STAFF Writer.
RICHMOND, Jan. 15.-Bills to
limit the Virginia absentee voters
law to members of the armed forces
and to give Virginia's veterans of
the last three wars a bonus of $40
for each month of active duty were
before the General Assembly today
as it entered its second week.
Yesterday, members of both
houses combined to hear Gov. Dar-
dens record-breaking budget pro-
posal, and tomorrow the Assembly
will witness the Inauguration of
William M. Tuck as Gov. Dardens
successor. The ceremony will take
place on the south portico of the
State Capitol Building.
Both the proposal to limit the
absentee voters law and the bonus
bill were offered in the House, while
in the Senate, Mr.. Tuck, who as
Lieutenant Governor presided over
that body for the last four years,
took his farewell The Senate also
received joint resolution to again
put the Legislature on record against
the division of highway funds.
BOatwright Offers Bill.
Delegate John B. Boatwright,
Buckingham, offered the amend
ments to the absentee voting law to
restrict the privilege of casting mail
ballots to members of the armed
forces. The measure would au-
thorize such service personnel to
cast absentee ballots if they other
wise were qualified to vote, upon
certiflcation that they were "ab-
sent in the discharge of duties as
members of the armed forces"
Delegate Stanley S. Garner. New
port News, submitted the bill to pay
veterans of both World Wars and
of the Spanish-American War a
State bonus of $40 for each month
OF active duty. The legislation called
for appropriation of a sum suf-
ficient' for the purpose, but not ex-
ceeding S6,o00,O00.
The lack of fireworks and open
conflicts, which so far has char
acterized the session, is eXemplified
in the announcement of a Joint
Democratic caucus to be held to-
night to nominate judges who must
be elected prior to February l. How
ever, only uncontested candidates
Will be taken up at this time, ac-
cordlng to Delegate E. Blackburn
Moore. Winchester. and Clarke.
chairman of the caucus.
Second Nomination Likely.
Until today it appeared that
Judge Burr p Harrison, Winchester.
who sits on the 18th circuit bench.
would be the only uncontested Office
IN Northern Virginia to be acted on
tonight. His circuit embraces Clarke,
Warren, Frederick and Shenandoah
Counties.
Last-minute developments, how
ever, now make it probable that a
nomination to succeed Judge Alex
ander T. Browning of the 9th cir
cult, embracing Orange, Culpeper,
Louisa and Goochland Counties, also
will be handled.
Three men were being backed for
Judge Browning's post, which was
vacated by his resignation Saturday.
S. M. Nottingham, Orange City at
torney, had been recommended by
the local bar association, but his
name has been withdrawn according
to Delegate Norman c. Bailey,
Orange and Madison Counties.
Miller Believed Choice.
Supporters of C. Champion Bowles,
Comonwealth's attorney for Gooch-
land County, announced he had re-
quested that his name not be sub
mitted, according to Delegate Henry
S. Johnson, Goochland, Fluvanna
and Louisa Counties.
This leaves as the likely choice
Burnett Miller, Culpeper attorney
and former member of the House.
Consideration of replacement for
Judge H. w. Bertram, Harrisonburg,
of the 25th circuit, apparently will be
ruled out tonight. A contest has de-
veloped between friends of H. v.
Ford, Luray, and Hamilton Haas,
Harrisonburg trial justice. Judge
Bertram's Office expires in February
1947, and he has not indicated he
would succeed himself
Fairfax Proposal Offered.
Legislation requested by the Fair
fax County Board of Supervisors and
the auditor of public accounts was
introduced yesterday by Senator An
drew w. Clarke, Alexandria, Fairfax
and Prince William. The bill would
make warrants to school teachers
and other public officers negotiable
at banks when they have been drawn
by the treasurer.
Two bills by Delegate Frank P
Moncure, Prince William and Stat
ford, were among House measures
introduced. One requires that coun-
sell for petitioners for adoption be
furnished reports prepared by adop-
ton commissioners. The second bill
seeks to amend the law prescribing
how certain estates in land shall be
conveyed.
A bill by Delegate William j. Glib
son, Fredericksburg, would authorize
an increase in salary for his local
city sergeant. Fredericksburg would
be removed from cities in the $1,000
to $2,500 salary bracket for such Of
ficials and would be placed in ST.
900 to $1,000 bracket. Since the in
itial act was passed, Mr.. Gibson said
the city sergeant has been required
to care for prisoners from Stafford
King George and Caroline Counties
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