Evening star., 1952-03-07
UrgencyClduse
Sought for Bill
On 10Th District
Would Let Candidate.
For Congress Enter
July IS Primary
By Alex R. Preston
By Alex r. Preston
Ssoe Stuff ceefespenden,

Battle was expected TO deliver q
plea to the General Assembly to-
day to add an emergency clause
on redistricting legislation. al
ready passed, so candidates for
Congress may run In the July Is
primaries.
It probably win be the last re-
districtmg action Of any kind
that the 1852 General Assembly
will be asked to take before ad-
journment tomorrow night.
Two bills making only token
reapportionment Of representa-
tion in the State Senate and
House Of Delegates were killed In
committee last night.
But Q determined bloc Of legis-
lators who fought the congress
sional redistricting bill Of State
Senator Charles r. Fenwick Of
Arlington was holding out
against an emergency clause.
All the group needed do was
prevent q four-fifth vote for the
emergency amendment In either
house.
Agreed to Amendments.
The Fenwick bill passed the
House Of Delegates. 81 to 26.
Wednesday, and the Senate yes
terday agreed to House amend
ments by Q vote Of "a to 13.
Should the opponents, consist
ing Of legislators from the I'D
District. the Republicans and a
few others, muster sufficient
strength In either house to carry
out their plan. another possible
solution may be used as . last
resort.
Legislation has been drafted to
make it possible for q candidate
\ to file this year between the time
the new congressional districts
would be created late in June and
. the July IS primary. This bill
would require only q simple ma
jority vote for passage.
Wanted It for Norfolk.
Second District legislators were
opposed to the Fenwick bill prin-
cipally because it places the States
new 10th congressional district
in Arlington, Alexandria, Falls
Church and Fairfax. They
wanted it for the Norfolk area,
Gov. Battle was asked at q press
conference II he had any misgiv-
.ings about the constitutionality
Of the Fenwick bill.
Opponents had argued its pop
ulation disparity Of about $4,000
between the largest and smallest
districts failed to meet b constitu-
tional requirement for equal dis
tribution Of population as nearly
as practicable.
Represents Earnest Effort"
II think" Gov. Battle said, "the
bill that passed represents an
earnest effort on the part Of the
members Of the General Assembly
to solve . very difficult situation.
In my Judgment it does comply
with the Constitution
Declaring it. would be highly
desirable to have an. emergency
clause the Governor said be
would have Something to say" "a
the Assembly about the redistrict-
ing bill this afternoon.
Further indication Of the priority
given the legislation was shown
by special treatment Of the bill
itself. AS soon as the. Senate
agreed to House amendments, the
bill was rushed by State police
atrplane to q Baltimore printer
who has the contract to do the
States printing.
Back by Afternoon.
The printed bills, in q form Il
be placed on the Governors desk
were back in Richmond early IN
the afternoon.
The legislation to reapportion
General Assembly districts was
killed last night by the House
Privileges and Elections Commit
tee.
At the same time. the COMMITTEES
refused to act on . resolution BY
Delegates George Cochran Of
Staunton and Hale Collins Of
Allegheny calling for q subsequent
session Of the Assembly to take
up the reapportionment question
The Senate had passed two re-
apporti0nment bills which merely
changed Powhatan County from
one senatorial district to another
and from one House district tc
another.
Bills Killed Last Night.
Both the Senate and House
Privileges and Elections Commit
tees killed reapportionment bill
carrying out extensive changes
recommended by q study commits.
sion more nearly In line witt
population shifts indicated by thl
1850 census. The House Commit
tee killed the bills last night.
This action came after Delegate
Edwin Lynch Of Fairfax and Fall
Church. presented Q plea tina
some equitable plan be enacted.
Mr.. Lynch presented maps ant
charts to show that his district
with o population Of 100000,
the largest In the State. Their
are some, House districts with onl,
$4,000 population.
Davis Voted Against Bills.
Furthermore. the Fairfax Dele
gate argued. the senatorial dis
trict Of John A. K. Donovan, EN-
bracing Fairfax, Falls Church
Alexandria and Prince william
contains about 100, 900 inhahitantI
also the States largest.
BY contrast, Halifax Count!
with q population Of 1000. hs
one Senator and two Delegate
Roy B. Davis, chairman Of th
House Privileges and Electior
Committee Is one Of those dele
gates.
Mr.. Davis headed the redi,
&-snks~,a A>r.av.Aaealnsa ~-,YaInDa S,enr,.,