Evening star., 1952-02-26
Virginia House
Passes Budget
OF $691 Million
Fight for Increase
Of Mental Funds
Beaten on Floor
ey ihs Asseslo,ed Pres,

SSOtSU vi VIOOT
BY ihs AsSsslaisd Press
RICHMOND, Va, Feb. 26.-The
Senate Finance Committee today
began Ito item-by item considera-
ton Of the 9e0i million budget bill
passed yesterday by the House OF
Delegates.
The House completed action on
the budget, which appropriates
TO run the State for the
two years beginning July !, after
rejecting On amendment TO add
On additional si.23b.000 for the
care Of the mentally afflicted.
Sponsors OF the amendment
rallied 40 votes after nearly two
hours OF debate, but failed to get
the necessary 81 majority required
of bills and amendments increas-
Ing appropriations, There were
10 votes against the amendment.
Ruling by Speaker.
The effort to increase the ap-
preparation for mental institutions
took the form Of an amendment
10 @ House appropriations COM
mittee amendment which itself
added 100000 to Gov. Battles
recommendations for mental hos
pitals.
Speaker Il. Blackburn Moore
ruled that the floor amendment
mad "the net effect" Of increasing
she States appropriations and
therefore required 81 votes for
adoption.
Backers Of the amendment. led
" delegates Armistead Boothe Of
Alexandria and Walter Page Of
Norfolk, protested that II did not,
arguing that their proposal did
not In reality increase appropria-
ions since II was an amendment
10 an amendment.
widows Pensions increased.
The House voted down all other
amendments TO increase appf0A
with the exception Of ohe
which added af1 additional SB6,00
u the budget 10 increase 66hs
'edefate Widows pensions 10 $40
month,
Delegate Robert Whitehead OF
Nielsen, sponsored the amendment,
With Tiny Confederate fags hVihe
rom each members desk 10 was
adopted by an overwhelming V0iee
Iete,
f'he 0alv big haht came ever
he eH9Pt 20 Give more money 10
he mental institutions Led BY
delegates B99ther PAGE, 6e9rge M,
30ehFan OF staunt0n and Stuart
. Garter OF B0tet0Hpt, a bloc Of
House members sgHGht 10 kneek
lHt appropriations Of Al million
9g anew Stale Once building and
|eg9,9g9 for A World War II me-
n9Flal IN Rlehmgnd,
Seek IN Beast Allowance,
They aFRHed that these appra-
which have been DOR
nant tor several years, could 30
o the mental institutions, II
would, they said, Increase the ap-
lFopTIatlon from s2,06 10 81, 40
,er patient per day, The mental
hospitals had asked for $3.50 0
lay,
Opponents argued that the
State is steadily improving condi-
ions In Its mental hospitals and
hat no amount OF money will
ielp many OF the patients.
The House also defeated o pro-
,osed amendment offered by Dele
Iate Maynard Magruder OF Arling-
on 10 appropriate On additional
10000 10 the localities for men.
al hygiene clinics.
Passage by the House OF the
budget bill left the Sen.
Ito about $4,000 In unappropri-
ted revenues with which 10 work
But House hackers OF more money
or mental hospitals felt their
light might DO felt In tho upper
,hamber.
Senators Charles n. Fenwick OF
Arlington and Raymond Quest OF
Warren have already announced
heir intention 10 work for q
afger appropriation for the men,
al institutions,
Amend Absent vOteF Law.
In two moves yesterday the Sen
lte passed Senator Harry q,
Jtuart's absent voter law aIilends
nents and struck from lts cal
lndar The land warden bill,
Republicans protested that the
stuart amendments did not 10
ar enough toward correcting the
0oph0les In the absent voters law
vhIeh have ied 10 many charges Of
rAud and O0lluBl0h, The vote WAS
II 10 I,
'i'he bill requires On absent VOteF,
lnleBs he mails IN hls ballot, 10
mark II Wheh he receives ", IN
he regular designated ONES 0i the
electoral fj0Ard, ana before The
D0Afd secretary who must b6 h
Dbha fidB member 6f The board,
I'he v0tep ihuAt swear M GAhh0t
,Dte NJ the b0iiA On eleeti6h day.
4 The Ballet "A ifialitdI the 6ttet
II tW6 eiivei0i N EfiltSt feEhalii liis
li)ehed Until IN eieetl6h IidaeS
lbeii u w G0uht the y0tesl
It'he lana warden BILL WaS kiiied
IiteP .the HenRte Y6ted on M
IlAendHleht 10 tAke from the land
vRrdehA any AEFebtlhR p0Wer ana
eAvlhR 6llly the p0WeP t8 lbbue
ma beFve buEain6nB II WGuld
lRve permitted the d8veFhap t0
IllbalHt EFivAte BATTLES 10 ehiGFee
hh lAw bll brlyAte land