Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1947-01-17
Gov. Tuck Gets
Bill Prohibiting
Closed Shop
Senate Amendments
To Utility Strikes Act
Sent Back to House
By Alex R. Preston
Stor Stoff Correspondent


RICHMOND, Va, Jan. 7.-Gov
Tuck today received the first piece
of major legislation for which he
called the special session OF the
General Assembly-a bill to prohibit
closed shop contracts in intrastate
enterprises.
The Senate yesterday passed the
measure, which already had beer
approved in the House. The vote
was 80 to 6. A second labor bill, te
prevent sudden work stoppages In
public utilities due to strikes o.
lockouts. was sent back to the House
for concurrence in Senate amend
ments. The Senate vote on the
utilities measure was 81 to /.
Principal change to the utilities
bill involved a reduction in the
penalty on management from rs tc
Is per cent Of net profits during any
period the State takes over opera
tons.
The House yesterday approved
Gov. Tuck's program to raise school
teachers pay and added 100000
for this purpose, conditional upon
funds being in the State treasury
during the 1947-8 fiscal year.
Addition May Be Opposed.
A fight may develop in the Senate
over accepting the 100000 addi.
ton to the Administrations original
$6,500,0 900 school program, but the
House is not expected to raise Sc
rious objections to Senate changes
to the utilities bill.
The lower branch of the Assembly
however, today faced another con-
troversial issue injected by the Gov
ernor, rent-control law giving the
chief executive authority to act in
the event an emergency arises after
Federal controls are lifted July
and before the next regular Assem-
bly, session in January, 1948.
Serious committee objections met
the rent-control legislation proposed
by Delegate Walter Scott, Roanoke
and at first the Courts of Justice
Committee seemed prepared to kill
the measure.
In an attempt to overcome objec-
lions and win more support in the
House, the committee yesterday re-
ported cut substitute measure en-
bodying nearly all Of the features OF
a 1912 act sponsored by former Dele
gate Charles r. Fenwick, Arlington
That act expired in 1914.
Could Set Up Local Groups.
If the Governor declares an emer-
gency to exist after Federal ceilings
are removed, he would be empowered
to set up local area rent commits
sions. Unlike the horizontal ceilings
imposed by the Federal law, how
ever, the former Fenwick Act would
permit adjustments based on fair
return on the investment and also
would permit removal of tenants
upon expiration of leases by giving
notice in accordance with general
State law.
OF significance to Northern Vir-
ginia areas was passage by the Sen
ate OF the bill by Delegates j. May
nard Magruder and George Damn
both Arlington, authorizing a ref
erendum on the question of whether
voters desire to change the existing
method of selecting the Arlington
School Board.
The House Privileges and Elec-
tons Committee killed the Magru-
der-Damm bill for nonpartisan cleo
tions for the Arlington County
Board but reported a measure by
Senator Andrew w. Clarke, Alex
andria, permitting his city to purge
the voting lists.
Washington Explains Purposes.
Delegate w. Selden Washington
Alexandria, explained that the city
desires to hold a new registration
of all qualified voters this year ir
order to clear up old records which
inadvertently carry the names Of
some persons who have died, have
moved from the city or lost theil
qualifications to vote. The bill would
permit a similar revision at least
every 10 years.
Defeat of the bill for nonpartisar
election of Arlington's governing
body was not unexpected since tn,
Privileges and Elections Commute,
comprises the Democratic organiza
tons wheel horses who pass OF
any legislation endangering tn,
party's dominance throughout thu
State.
Mr.. Magruder, who also is chair
man of the Arlington Democratic
Committee, told the committee tn,
county organization had agreed no
to file candidate for the two count.
board Offices which are to be filled il
1947.
Lester r. Connely and Benjamin
F.. Wermiel of the Arlington indie
pendent Voters Council explained
prohibitions of the Hatch Act t.
committee members. They admitted
that the proposed bill depended 6
great deal on unsuccessful candi'
dates in the August runoff elections
not re-entering the November gen
eral election contests, and that tn.
existing party primary laws would b.
unchanged.
The Senate passed the Arlington
School Board bill when the county.
Representative, William D. Medley
obtained consent to take 1t up out O
regular order.
The Senate is scheduled to pas:
today the MaGruder-Damm bills tt
give Arlington voters chance t.
decied whether to abolish the ex'
listing stagger method of electjnt
county board members and to ex'
tend benefits of the county retire
ment act to cover employees Of con-
stitutional officers.
The House, by voice vote, killet
a resolution calling for commission
study of revenues to be derived from
legalized pari-mutuel horse racing
Delegate o. E. McCue, Charlottes'
vile, chairman of the Virginia Ad'
visory Legislative Council said fur
ther study of this question was use
less because the General Assem5l!
had rejected legislation on the SUBJ
ject throughout his IA years tenur'
in the House.
The House approved and sent tt
the Governor the Clarke bill author
izing Fairfax County to set UP I
pension and retirement system TO
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