Evening star., 1946-02-19
Antisfrike Bill
Is Approved by
Virginia House
Employees of State
Affected; Arlington
Pension Plan Offered
By the Assoeiotsd Press

Pension Plan Offered
BY the Assoeiotsd Press
RICHMOND, Va, Feb. 19.-Tne
Moncure-Locher bill prohibiting the
unemployment for a period of five
years of public workers who leave
their jobs on strikes will go to the
Senate today after winning app
proval by the House of Delegates.
The measure, which brought
spirited debate in the House last
week, was approved by that body
yesterday by vote of go to 80.
The House also passed and sent
to the Senate the Phillips bill OUT
lawing the f1ogging of State con-
victs, with Delegate Allen K. RAN
dolph, Albemarle, casting the only
negative vote.
Burley Fees Lowered.
The Long-Stuart bill lowering
Burley tobacco warehousemen,s fees
received final legislative approval
with House sanction, 81 to 4, and
now goes to the Governor for his
signature. This bill, applicable
only to the Abingdon market, low
ers the warehouse charges from 4
to 3 per cent of the sales price, with
a basket charge of Is cents.
After furry of debate, the House
advanced to a position for passage
today the Williams bill limiting an
nexation within any 1Osgear period
to 10 per cent of county's real es-
tate values The vote was 81 to 81.
Among the bills introduced in the
Senate yesterday were two by Sem
ator William D. Medley, Arlington,
to:
Authorize the State Department
of Health to establish up to six
health centers, with rs per cent of
the cost to be borne by the State.
The bill carries an appropriation Of
S278,000 for the biennium
Authorize Arlington County to es-
tablish a pension and retirement
board for the administration of an
employees pension and benefits sys-
tenn.
The Senate also received a joint
resolution by Senator Lloyd G. Bird,
Chesterfield, for establishment of q
10-member commission to make a
thorough study Of annexation and
report to the next regular session.
Five of the proposed commissions
members would be appointed by the
Governor, three would be from the
House and two from the Senate.
Flood of New Bills.
Both branches of the Legislature
were deluged with new bills and
resolutions yesterday, the last day
for the introduction Of general leg
islation at this session. There were
so offered in the Senate and more
than that number in the House.
Their subject matter ranged from
minimum wage for State employees
to multiplicity of studies of con-
tinuing State problems Among them
also was a resolution by Senator
Andrew w. Clarke, Alexandria, de-
claring that it is the sense of the
General Assembly of Virginia that
the positions of director of the bud
get and director of personnel are
completely incompatible and should
not hereafter be held by one and
the same person"
Mr. Clarke is patron of a bill
which has been in the Senate FL
nance Committee for some weeks
to divorce the two positions, both
Of which are held by j. H. Brad
ford. His resolution said that. pass
ing on applications from persons in
State employ for increases in pay
or ratings under the personnel sys-
tenn requires "the exercise of an
entirely disinterested and unbiased
consideration"
Debate Suffrage Reform.
The House set the stage for dis
position within the next two days
of two major pieces of legislation.
1t agreed to take up today the
Campbell suffrage reform program,
embodied in a joint resolution and
six bills, and set the biennial ap-
preparation bill which involves some
S3l9, 100000 in proposed outlays as
a special order for tomorrow at the
same hour.
In the debate on the Moncure-
Locher measure, redrafted and
sharply different from its original
form, some members contended that
it would 60 further than to prohibit
the State, a county or city from re-
employing striking worker for a
period Of five years. These op-
ponents argued that the language of
the bill might prohibit several en-
ployes from grouping together to
enter into a private enterprise.
In its first form, the bill would
have prohibited unemployment per-
manently.
The prohibition against f1ogging
contained in the Phillips bill con-
stitutes a specific recommendation
by Gov. Tuck. AS the House ap-
proved it, Senator Charles T. Moses.
Appomattox, was introducing a bill
IN the upper chamber to authorize
the Highway Department to build
permanent convict road camps TO
the end that the use of shackles
may be discontinued in such camps. ''
Such projects, for which the bill
appropriates $200,00 from highway
funds, could be undertaken with the
approval of the Governor.
Limited to First Glass Cities.
Before advancing the williams
antiannexation bill the House adopt
ed two committee amendments. One
limits its application to cities of the
first class, and the second would
permit a county to exempt itself
from the prohibition by resolution
of the Board of Supervisors.
The House passed nearly a score
of bills. Among them was the
Tate Smith House Bill allowing new
local option elections on the sale
of liquor, wine and beer in coun-
ties, cities and towns on petition
of 80 per cent OF the voters where
previous election was held during
the war.
School Tax Rate Set.
The Senate passed without debate
the House bill setting up maximum
school tax rate for the State at large
of $3.50 per 500 valuation, An