Evening star., 1950-01-12
Assembly 10 Gel
D. Area Bills
Next Week
Virginia Legislators
Expect to Recess for
Week End Today
By Alex r. Preston
e.. Srn

~ HtSAsRs ttSStOu
:, Star sfaF Correspondent
81 RICHMOND, Va, Jan. IA
weekend recess was in prospect
for members of the General As
sembly today as legislation affect
ing. Northern Virginia areas was
being prepared for introduction
next week.
A poll of legislators from areas
close to Washington disclosed
that they would not be ready un-
til Monday or later to introduce
the scores of bills requested by
their constituents.
House Speaker E. Blackburn
Moore and 1t. Gov. L. Preston
Collins, presiding officer OF the
Senate, were agreed that they
could see no reason why the AS
sembly should convene again to-
morrow.
Only a prolonged dispute ever
rules under which the Legislature
wilhoperate during its 60-day ses-
sion twas seen as a possible rea-
son for holding members here to-
morrow.
Whitehead Gives Warning.
This dispute began yesterday,
shortly before Gov. Tuck, who re-
tires from Office next Wednesday,
delivered his message on the state
Of the Commonwealth.
Floor Leader Roy Davis moved
that the House adopt revised
rules which, among other things,
provided that every resolution in
troduced be channeled through
the powerful Rules Committee,
which consists of only five mem
bers.
Immediately Delegate Robert
Whitehead. anti organization
Democrat who supported Francis
Pickens Miller against Gov. -elect
John s. Battle in last years Dem
ocratic primary, was on his feet.
MN Whitehead proposed an
amendment to the proposed new
rules which, in effect, would re-
tain q xormer provision that all
resolutions be referred to the
appropriate standing committee
of the House.
He<warned other members, par
ticularly the new ones, that if
they presented resolutions which
the f1ve-man Rules Committee
did not approve, they would be
dead ducks"
Poll Tax Ban Introduced.
In order to facilitate other mat
ters. the House agreed to take
the matter up today and continue
deliberations until it is dis
posed Of.
Meanwhile, bills TO abolish Vir-
ginia's, absentee voting laws and
the poll tax were introduced. The
former had an important bear
ing on contested House seat
from Russell County involving
John w. Fletcher, who was ad-
ministered the oath Of Office and
Mrs. Turner A. Fletcher, Demo-
crat.
Mrs. Fletcher, the apparent
loser. filed her protest. which was
sent to the House Privileges and
Elections Committee. This COM
mittee. along with all others,
probably will not be$appointed
until the session resumes Mon
day. ....=
Senator Harry A. Stuart of Rus
sell County sponsored the meas
ure, which would repeal the alb
sentee voters law permitting bal
loting by mail.
Constitutional Convention Urged.
Mr.. Whitehead was the author
Of a bill calling for restricted
constitutional convention to con-
slider only these items:
Repeal of the poll tax.
Repeal existing restrictions on
collection of the poll tax. Mr.
Whitehead said the effect would
be to collect q $3.50 head tax on
every adult citizen.
Adoption of a reasonable lit
eracy test as a prerequisite to
voting.
Submission Of the whole propo-
Aition to the people in a refer
enduna.
The only two Republican men,
bers of the Senate, Floyd Land
reth OF Galax and Ted Dayton of
Radford, introduced a bill calling
for an unrestricted constitutional
convention.
Delegate Charles Unruh of
Northumberland County intro
duced five bills bearing on the
long g-Standing Pot tom &C River
oyster disputes between Maryland
and Virginia. Their effectiveness.
however. would depend upon
adoption by the Maryland Gen
eral Assembly. s:.
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