Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1949-03-13
Virginia Ruling
Raises Political
Limit
Almond Fixes Tuck's
1915 General Election
Vote as New Busis
By the Associated Press

RICHMOND, Va, Mar. ia
new ruling by Attorney General
J. Lindsay Almond, jr., today fixed
the vote cast for Gov. Tuck in the
1915 general election as the deter
minant of how much a candidate
may legally spend in this years
Democratic primaries.
It was a revision of an earlier
opinion in which Mr.. Almond last
year held the determining factor
to be the number of ballots cast
for Gov. Tuck in the 1915 prim-
airy.
In practical effect, the change
lifts the maximum a candidate
for Governor, Lieutenant-G Gov
ernor or Attorney General may
spend from $14,595.60 under the
old Interpretation to $16,853.25
under the new. This is figured
under the laws specification of
not more than Is cents per vote.
Mr.. Almonds ruling, copies of
which went to all five announced
candidates for Governor in the
August 2 primary, came as the
accelerating campaign approach
ed new high, oratorically speak
ing, on Monday. At least three of
the candidates plan major
speeches.
Battle to Speak Twice.
State Senator John S. Battle of
Charlottesville will speak twice. At
noon in Richmond. he will appear
before the Optimist Club to dis
cuss taxation. Back in Charlottes-
vile Monday night he'll address a
hometown gathering sponsored by
the Battle for Governor Club in
Lane High School.
Horace H. Edwards, former
mayor of Richmond and former
State Democratic chairman, will
speak at $50 pm. over WRNL
in Richmond and network of nine
other stations. His headquarters
said the talk will open Mr.. Ed
wards Statewide campaign.
Mondays other orator will q be
Francis Pickens Miller of Abe
marie. He will speak at noon at
Louisa courthouse.
Mr.. Almond said he revised his
opinion on campaign expenditures
after studying the law carefully
in the light of questions raised
since he delivered the original
findings August 2, 1948. in re-
Spouse to an inquiry from j. Ham,
ilton Hening, clerk Of the Hope
well Circuit Court.
There appear to be contradic-
tory phrases in the law, he re-
marked. and its wording is am
biguous.
Direct Primary System.
Meanwhile, it was disclosed that
the Virginia Republican Party will
be urged next Saturday at Lynch
burg to break political precedent
by establishing the direct primary
system for nominating guberna-
torial candidates.
This was indicated today when
the Fairfax County Republican
Committee announced it is unan-
imously in favor of the direct pri-
mary system as opposed to the
convention system of nominating
candidates for State Offices.
Historically the Virginia Repub-
lican Party has nominated its
candidates for Governor and Sen
ator at State wide conventions.
This procedure is mandatory
under the party constitution and
can be changed only by a State
convention.
Republican candidates for Con-
gress of the General Assembly
may be nominated by a conven-
ton or at a direct primary. The
political unit involved has the op-
ton Of deciding on either method.
The Fairfax County Republican
Committee, after indorsing the
direct primary system. announced
it would call on the State Repub-
lican Central Committee to take
immediate steps to set up a pri-
mary this summer.