Evening star., 1952-02-12

Bill Would LEI
Arlington Grant
Franchise Rights
Forbids Undertaking
Of Public Utility
Business, However
BY Alex R. Preston
Stcr Sfnff coETaspandanf

RICHMOND, Feb. 12.-Arling-
ton would get powers to grant
public utility franchises whicl
only cities now have. under terms
of a bill that will go before the
General Assembly today.
Delegates J. Maynard Magrudel
and George Damn, both Of thai
county will sponsor the bill which
however, would not permit Airing
ton to go into the public utility
business.
The measure would apply to
Arlington that section Of the pres
ent law which authorizes cities to
grant franchises for the use OF
their water fronts wharf prop
critics, streets and other public
places, as well as franchises to gas,
water and electric companies. The
county now operates its own water
system.
Thus the delegation, which also
includes Senator Charles r. Fen
wick, stood behind the principle
of private enterprise. The Airing
ton Chamber Of Commerce had
indorsed the franchise power but
opposed public ownership of utili-
ties.
Public Ownership Urged.
The County Board and Arling-
ton Civic Federation had, how
ever, asked for the public owner
ship power in addition to the
authority the bin is designed for.
Northern Virginia's bid for the
States new 10th congressional
district will face its first major test
on the floor today, when the Sen
ate takes up the Fenwick redis-
tricting bill. It's principal oppo-
nents are centered around a core
of legislators from the Norfolk
area who want the extra district
placed there. -
The Fenwick bill, which is spon-
sored by. half the Senate member
ship, was scheduled to be taken
up out Of order yesterday, but
stiffening opposition apparently
made this maneuver inadvisable.
Chairman Robert c. Walden of the
Privileges and Elections Commit
tee, failed to make a move to
suspend the rules, as he had in
dicated he would.
The bill will come up for second
reading today 49, its amendable
stage. 2
Study Short Sessions Plan.
Both House and Senate Courts
of Justices Committees took un-
der advisement joint resolutions
by MessrS. Fenwick, Magruder and
Damn calling for constitutional
amendment for short sessions of
the Legislature in odd numbered
years.
The House passed and sent to
the Senate the Damn -Magruder
bill giving the Arlington County
Board power to investigate en-
ployes under its control and sub
poena their records for inquiries.
The Broaddus bill, stiffening
qualifications for taking the State
bar examinations by requiring
three years of academic college
work and three years of law school
or the same amount Of academic
work and four years of study in
a lawyers Office or divided be-
tween law school and a lawyers
Office. squeaked by the House yes
terday on a 47-to-40 vote. The
vote came on advancing the bill
to a position for passage today.
Passed by the House and sent
along to the Senate was the
Tucker bill to open relief rolls to
public inspection.
Asks Commemorative Stamp.
New bills introduced yesterday
included:
BY State Senator Benjamin T.
Pitts Of Fredericksburg, asking
the Post Office Department to
issue commemorative stamp this
year in honor of the 200th anni-
versary of Kenmore, home OF
George Washington's sister, Mrs.
Fielding Lewis.
BY Delegate Tom Frost Of Fau-
quier, declaring it illegal to make
or use a counterfeit automobile
inspection sticker or to knowingly
display an authentic sticker when
no inspection has been made.
BY Delegate Armistead Boothe
Of Alexandria, two bills to limit
the gross receipts tax on motor
carriers to mileage travelled on
roads constructed or maintained
by the State and to permit the
carriers to deduct from thei
gross receipts tax the amount Of
tolls paid on bridges and ferries
A recent court decision upheld
the States right to impose the taa
on carriers, including the mileage
Travelled on a Hampton Roads
Ferry.