Evening star., 1952-02-29
Committee Approval
Advances Fenwick's
10Th District Bill
Dy Alex R. Preston
liaI 1iaiI eAfIalnanAani

RICHMOND. Feb, 2e.-A 10th
congressional district for the
WAshington Metropolitan Area
WAb one step nearer today, with
House committee approval OF
legislation that already has passed
the Senate.
The House Privileges and Ilec.
tons Committee reported the bill
OF Senator Charles n. FenWlck OF
Arlington yesterday. This would
place the 10th In Arlington, Alex
Andria. Fairfax and Falls Church.
Action came only after cham.
pions OF three other plans had
fought for their causes and lost
The vote 10 report the bill was
0 70 4. with one member absent,
Some OF those who voted against
reporting the FenWick bill stated
that they did not believe 10 would
stand up In the eourts-that Il
does not meet Constitutional re-
quIfeInente for equality OF pepuia.
tieh, 90 nearly as practicable,
usiHR the 1860 census figures,
the FenWiek plan would make the
I'D district, with 4e4 900 ihhabit.
ants, the largest and the 9th
with 277,e00, the smallest,
Ideal About Ssi,O00.
The Ideal would be about 99i ,000I
per district, This Ia because the
last census save Virginia a popu-
lation total OF about $50, 900 thus
emitting tho State to q 10th mems
Der OF the House OF Representa-
tives, At present, there are only
nine districts, |
The Tenwiek bill would carve
the proposed 10th out of the exist
ing 9Th, which is represented by
Howard w. Smith Of Alexandria.
The proposed new 9th, however,
would be enlarged by taking in
counties from other districts. 4
Senator Fenwick. in fightingI
for his plan, called the attention
Of the committee to the latter
point In arguing that an honest
effort had been made to equalizeI
the various districts.
Mr.. Fenwick argued that the
courts are likely to recognize this
effort to divide the State with
the least population disparity and,
at the same time, preserve the
community of interest of the new
districts. His argument was that
the problems Of Arlington, Alex
andria. Fairfax and Falls Church
are very much In common.
Protects Incumbents.
The Fenwick plan, like all
others offered to the Assembly, |
would keep the incument mem
bers Of Congress within their dis
tricts. In other words, no mem
Der Of Congress is threatened by
loss Of his district.
A hint that politics had played
q part in the drafting of some
OF the plans was dropped by Dele |
gate e. T. DeJarnett Of Hanover
who had bill Of his own.
In arguing for his bill, Mr..
DeJarnett said: 1T leaves all
Congressman In their own district,
II provides for Judge (Repre.
sentatlve) Smith just like ali OF
the other bills that have been
offered"
The "provisIor for judge
smith" apparently has beef, the
prime consideration Of nearly all
Of the iedistfieting bills placed
before the Assembly,
AZ II arrived on the floor OF
the House today, the bill failed
70 carry aii emergency elause
which would make u effective on
passage,
Unless On emergency amend.
lneht IA added, the bill viii moi
Become effective until late IN June .
But The deadllhe f0r candidates
10 file VIII fall Oh May ID thih
year, Therefore, M emergency
clause must be added 10 alva
candidates Ah opportunity 10 fle
f6f q primary, Otherwise h6mls
nations VIII have 10 be made by
party conventions In the Various
new dlbtrlgtAi