Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1948-02-10
N0n-PdFtlSdn
Arlington Vote
Plea Renewed
Proposed Bill Asks
Referendum on
Election of Bourds

By Alex R. Preston
Stor Stoff Correspondent

By Alex R. Preston
stor Sioff Correspondent
RICHMOND, Feb. 10.-Renewed
pleas for non-partisan elections Of
the County and School Boards of
Arlington today were being studied
by the areas delegation to the Cen
eral Assembly.
Seven members of the joint legis-
lative committee Of Arlington, rep
resenting about II county organiza-
tons, presented arguments at con-
ference yesterday with Delegates j.
Maynard Magruder and George
Damn and Senator Charles r. Fen
wick.
They submitted a proposed bill
calling for a referendum to permit
voters to decide whether non-parti-
san elections shall be held to name
the county's governing body and
School Board.
Charter Bill Debate Due.
Their appearance came only a
day before the Richmond charter
bill, with its controversial non-par--
tisan city council election feature,
was scheduled to come up for debate
In the House of Delegates.
The Richmond charter bill was
passed by yesterday to permit action
on the major portion of Gov. Tuck's
tax measures.
The Arlington delegation dis
closed it will introduce today bill
authorizing the County Board to
require local license tags for auto
mobiles. If enacted, the law will
extend this authority to a county
for the first time. Only cities now
have this power.
Senator Andrew w. Clarke of
Alexandria introduced a bill yester-
day to extend the authority of
clerks Of juvenile and domestic re-
lations courts
When the judge of the court ap-
proves, the clerk and his chief
deputy would be empowered to issue
warrants, sign releases and COM
mitmentS, admit to trial on criminal
process returnable to the court, and
have the general authority of
Justice of the Peace.
Members of Group.
Members of the Joint Legislative
Committee who came here yeSter-
day and the Arlington organiza-
lions they represent, were Mrs. Paul
Reiber, American Association of
University Women; Mrs. Sue Ac-
cardo, League of Women Voters;
Harold L. Schilz, County Civic Fed
Grafton; H. H. Howe, CORTLAND Civic
Association; T. Oscar Smith, Citi-
zens' Committee for School I'm
provement; Mrs. Sarah Moment
Eigen, Organized Women Voters,
and James D. Franklin, chairman
OF subcommittee of the Legislative
Group to prepare the proposed non
partisan election law. ~
Their objective was to obtain in.
formation on. the. legislators plans
to report at a meeting Of the joint
Legislative Committee at pm.
Thursday in the Buckingham Com
munity room.
Mr.. Damn said the legislators are
in agreement that the election of
the School Board should be made
nonpartisan, but that more time is
needed to study the suggestion for a
similar choice Of the County Board
Mr. Magruder said he told the
group he would not introduce legis-
lation for a runof primary election
unless events here indicate that such
q plan would have chance of pas
sage. He also said he has doubts
about the constitutionality Of such
proposal.
Fenwick Undecided.
Senator Fenwick informed the
group he would reach a decision on
what course he will follow with re-
spect to the County Board elections
before March l.
The proposed bill submitted to the
legislative delegation represents the
composite view of the organizations
behind the movement, they said
The spokesman said they would not
oppose changes to the measure
which would insure its passage if it
pet the detectives of nonpartisan
elections for both, the School and
the County Boards.
The proposed bill would submit
four questions to the voters:
Whether candidates for the
School Board should be selected by
nonpartisan primaries; whether
candidates for the County Board
should be selected in the same man
ner; whether vacancies for unex-
pired terms on the County Board
should be filled by vote of the re-
naming members, if the unexpired
term is for less than one year, and
by general election if it is for more
than one year, and whether the
same procedure should be employed
for filling unexpired terms on the
School Board