Evening star., 1952-03-09
Emergency Plan
For Redistrictinq
Bill Is Defeated
Action Is One of Lost
As Virginia Assembly
Ends 1852 Session
BY Alex r. Preston
Stor Staff Correspondent

RICHMOND, Mar. "a bloc
of nine State Senators yesterday
thwarted attempts to put an
emergency clause into the con-
gressional redistricting bill so that
primaries might be held for Vir-
ginia congressional candidates
this summer.
In one of the last acts of the
1852 General Assembly session be-
fore it adjourned at 12:43 am. to-
day, the State Senate voted 80 to 8
lin favor of Gov. Battles request to
put the emergency clause in the
Fenwick bill which carves Virginia
into 10 congressional districts. but
the vote was two short of the
four -fifths necessary to enact the
emergency provision.
AS passed-without the emer-
gency clauSe-the bill will not
take effect until June 27. but the
filing for candidates is 80 days
before the July is primary.
New Bill Blocked.
Also blocked was last-minute
attempts to introduce a new bill
which would have permitted can
Ididates to announce in districts
which will not be created until
June 81. But such a bill could be
introduced only by unanimous
consent or by request Of the
Governor.
Opponents of the redistricting
bill of Senator Charles r. Fen
wick of Arlington, would not give
their consent for introduction Of
the bill and Gov. Battle said to-
might that he would make no
more recommendations on the
subject.
When informed of the 30 to 8
vote of the Senate on the emer-
Igency clause, the Governor indi-
Gated that he was through with
the matter.
The opposition block consisted
of the five Senator's from the I'd
Congressional District, who want
led the new 10th District placed
in the Norfolk area, plus the three
Republican Senators and Sena-
tor Lloyd c. Bird, of Chesterfield.
New District Lineup.
The Fenwick bill places the 10th
District in Alexandria, Arlington.
Falls Church and Fairfax. The
5th, 9Th and 9th Districts are un-
changed while the 7th is affected
only by the addition of Madison
County.
Gov. Battle limited that he would
sign a redistricting bill. even with
out the emergency clause, when
he said in his message to the
Assembly that it would eventually
become effective.
During the debate, Senators
said that nominations for Con-
gress would have to be by conven-
ton this summer.
Virginia hitherto has had nine
Congressional districts. The State
was awarded the new Representa-
tive because of a "a per cent in
crease in population between 1910
and 1850.
Agree ON Safety Bill.
With hopes for a change in
the congressional redistricting
picture gone, the House and
Senate went to work to clear up
their calendars.
House and Senate agreed to
differences on highway safety
bill in line with Senate changes.
The bill as finally approved adj
vanced the speed limit for pas.
senger cars and buses to SIS from
so miles an hour and reduced the
limit for trucks from SO to As.
The House also agreed to the
Senate change with respect to the
section dealing with the loss of
a permit OH the first conviction for
speeding more than five miles
beyond the legal limit.
This phase Of the bill was left
to the discretion of the court. And
the Senate made it applicable only
to State highways where the speed
limit is As miles an hour or more.
as is the case IN certain restricted
areas.
Earlier the Assembly gave final
approval to refurbished annexa-
ton legislation in an effort to
make the law more acceptable to
county and city interests.