Evening star., 1950-02-16
Virginia Senate
Fight Expected
Over Rent Bill;
Poll Tax Hearing Set;
Mine Seizure Plan
Goes to Governor
BY the Associated Press

L
and Elections Committees of the
Senate and House of Delegates met
today for a full hearing on all
bills dealing with the poll tax.
Rent decontrol, shunted aside
yesterday while the Assembly gave
final approval to a bill authorizing
the Governor to seize and operate
coal mines during Gripping strikes,
topped today's calendar in the
Senate.
A fight was expected in the
Senate over exempting from the
rent decontrol bill the Counties of
Arlington, Fairfax and Prince
William and the City of Alex
andria. This area, adjacent to the
District Of Columbia, was exempt
ed by the House but the Senate
General Laws Committee struck
out the provision.
The most important measure be-
fore the House today was the ad-
ministration bill to provide for
voluntary jury service for women
1t was advanced to third reading
yesterday with only a few mo-
votes heard.
Poll Tax Bills Studied
The main poll tax bills consid-
cred at today's joint hearing of
the Privileges and Elections Com
mittee were:
The Page-Bain bill to repeal
the poll tax as a prerequisite to
voting and registration, leaving
the method of registration re-
quirements as at present, and
leaving it to the Assembly to set
deadline for registration.
The Breeden-Baldwin bill to
repeal the tax as a voting pre-
requisite and leaving it to the
Assembly to adopt a reasonable
literacy test, prescribe annual re-
neWal of registration, with re-
newal automatic for those voting
the previous year.
(Both Of these measures would
have to be adopted by the
present Assembly and that of
1852, then approved by the
people in a referendum
The Breeden-Baldwin bill for
referendum on limited consti-
tutional convention to repeal the
poll tax as prerequisite to vot-
ing. and nothing else.
Milk Measures Fought.
The Whitehead Wilson bill for
"a bob tail" constitutional con-
vention to repeal the poll tax as
a voting prerequisite, to prescribe
"a reasonable literacy test and to
make mandatory collection of the
$3.50 head tax.
A Republican sponsored bill for
an unlimited constitutional con-
vention.
Two bills to abolish the Milk
Commission and to prevent 1t
from fixing prices drew the largest
crowd Of the 1850 session yester-
day at a hearing in the House
chamber. No action was taken
but an informal poll of the House
Agriculture Committee indicated
that both measures would be killed
at an early date. They were
vigorously opposed by dairymen
who outnumbered consumers at
yesterdays hearing.
The Senate Finance and House
Appropriation Committees also
had big crowd in the Senate
chamber for the hearing on the
bill to build 100000 auditorium
and building in Richmond as a
memorial for World War II. Nc
action was taken.
Mine Bill Before Governor.
The mine seizure bill, passed
out of order yesterday with con-
stitutional readings suspended
was before Gov. Battle today. He
recommended it in order to be
able to act in peacetime as did
Gov. Tuck under wartime powers.
The Senate, in approving the bill
yesterday. beat down amendments
by Senator Lloyd M. Robinette of
Lee which would have required
the State to pay the same wages
and observe the same working
conditions as were in effect when
mine was seized. 1t adopted an
amendment by Senators M. M.
Long of Wise and Harry Stuart of
Russell to state that all general
laws relative to mining would be
in effect during State operation.
Another measure before the
House today was the resolution by
w. G. Purcell of Richmond to
have Virginia join 16 other States
which have asked Congress for a
constitutional convention to limit
the powers of the Federal Govern
ment in imposing income taxes.
Congress would not have to act
until petitioned by two-thirds Of
the States.
IL AI