Evening star., 1952-06-06
Miller Chides
Byrds in Call
orAssemb|y
Says Move Shows
Thut Machine Has
No Political Principles
By the Asseciaied Press

call Of State Senator Harry F
Byrd, jr., for a special session o1
the Virginia General Assembly
says the move clearly illustrates
that the men who control the
Byrd machine have no political
principles"
"They are pure political oppor-
tunistS." says Mr.. Miller, who is
running against United States
Senator Byrd in Virginia's July
Is Democratic primary. "They
don't hesitate to f1out the Consti-
tuition whenever they think they
can get away with it.p
Mr.. Miller declared yesterday
that, Junior Senator Byrd has
just discovered that Virginia has
a Constitution and that legisla-
tors are supposed to obey it,"
He added:
Last winter young Harry was
perfectly willing to connive in
flouting the clear mandate of the
Constitution. Why should the
Byrd machine obey the Constitu-.
ton when it meant increasing
the number of anti-machine dele
gates and senator's from urban
areas?
Sees Different Story.
''But now it is a different story.
The Byrd machine is fighting for
its life. It must try to repair the
damage to its reputation that has
already been done. whatever the
cost may be-"
The younger Byrd came out two
days ago for a special session of
the Legislature to take up the
problem of redistricting the States
General Assembly districts. The
General Assembly. at it's recent
regular session, passed up chance
to realign the districts, which the
State constitution specifies must
be done every 10 years. The last
time reapportionment was effected
was III l942.
State Senator Byrd said he had
studied Attorney General j. Lind
say Almonds opinion that failure
to redistrict this year would vio-
late the constitution and believed
the lawmakers should be sum-
moned back to comply with the
constitutions provisions.
Green Light From Byrd.
"The Governor Of Virginia has
now received the green light from
Winchester Senator ByrdsSt
home)." Mr.. Miller said. THAT Ii |
all he needs. But when the Gem
eral Assembly reconvenes at tre-
mendous cost to the taxpayers, |.
the people Of Northern Virginia
will not forget that redistricting |
became possible only because Il.
had put the fear of God into the
hearts Of the machine politicians. i"
For his part. Gov. Battle said
he saw young Mr.. Byfd's state
ment as the type of reasonable
assurance" needed to call a spe-
cial session.
Meanwhile. Delegate Robert
Whitehead has charged that State
Senator Byrd 'is trying to erase
the pressure" on his father.
In response to a reporters re-
quest for his reaction to the State
Senator's announcement, Mr.,
Whitehead said:
I'm his campaign for reelection.
Papa Harry. the United States
Senator, is in deep trouble in the
heavily populated but badly
under-represented areas Of North
ern Virginia and Tidewater, and
Little Harry, the State Senator,
is trying to ease the pressure on|
his papa, and take the edge offI
the opposition.
Gives Credit to Miller.
'If a special session is called
and q reapportionment made in |
1852. the people of Virginia should
give the credit to Francis Pickensl
Miller. His formidable candidacy
for the United States Senate
against Papa Harry will be re-
Sponsible."
So far as could be determined. |
State Senator Byrd became the
flrst organization leader in the
General Assembly with a. largely
rural constituency to come out
publicly for an extra session this
year.