Evening star., 1952-12-05
Area Legislators
Plan Fight on
Redistricting
Assembly to Tackle
| Issue Today; Kills
Federal EmpIoye Bill
By Alex R. Preston
Stor Stcff Correspondent

S'ob St6tt ~O"0SPoU0OU
RICHMOND, Dec. 5.-The Cen
eral Assembly today tackled the
main issue that brought its mem
bers back to Richmond in special
legisla-
tors from Arlington and Alex
andria laid plans to fight pro-
posal to place both of their areas
in the same senatorial district.
The issue of permitting Fed
eral employees to serve in county
Offices is dead. Operating under
a one-objection rule, the House
and Senate beat off separate at--
tempts by Arlington's representa-.
tives to permit Government work.
ers to hold Offices in any county
that approved the idea by refer
endum.
But there were brighter hopes
for a bill by Senator John A.
K. Donovan of Fairfax to permit
retired Federal workers to serve
in county offices. Gov. Battle
agreed to submit this proposal to
the Legislature.
House and Senate bills reappor-
tioning the membership of both
bodies were reported out of the
two Privileges and Elections Com
mittees with only minor changes
| in the House version.
Three for the 10th District.
The 10th congressional district.
next to Washington. would pick up
two additional Delegates and one
more Senator for a total of six
House members and three men,
bers of the Senate.
But all attempts to have the
Senate committees proposal to di-
vide Arlington and Alexandria
into two districts, each with it's
own Senator, failed. The commit
tee insisted on grouping Arlington.
with 1875 1000 population, and Alex
andria, with $4,000, into one dis
trict but with two Senators. The
ideal representation per Senator
is $4,000.
Senator Charles r. Fenwick of
Arlington made an appeal before
the Senate committee for more
representation He said the effect
of the bill was to reduce Arling-
tons representation because it
takes away his home county's own
Senator and gives it two half
Senators"
!, Senator Fenwick and Senator
. Donovan, who also represents Alex
andria, were laying plans to divide
: the district. The same strategy
: was planned by Delegates George
} Damn and j. Maynard Magruder
of Arlington and Armistead
Boothe of Alexandria.
: Bills Explained.
) Senator Donovan, under the
J bill, would no longer represent
, Alexandria or Prince William
: County. but would be left only
!, with Fairfax and Falls Church.
with a population of 100000.
, The House bill would give Ar
| lington third Delegate. Fairfax
and Falls Church a second House
member and keep Alexandria 3
i Delegate strength at one.
, The Senate also places Prince
, William and Stafford Counties in
the district of Senator Robert o.
Norris. jr., of Lancaster County.
In trying to obtain unanimous
consent for his bill to lift the ban
on Federal workers in county Of
fees. Senator Fenwick told his
colleagues an exemption had been
in effect for any county with 600
inhabitants per square mile CAR
Ilington) since 1923. But, he ex-
planned, the Virginia Supreme
' Court of Appeals ruled last Sep
: tember that this exception vio-
lated the constitution.
Discussed With Governor.
II discussed the bill with the
Governor" Senator Fenwick said.
!. land he's very sympathetic to it
but he hesitated to send it down
because it might create a con-
! troversy and require hearings.
about so per cent of the popu-
lation of Arlington is employed by
the Government. We feel they are
being deprived of voice in gov
ernment."
But Chairman Robert c. Vaden
of the Privileges and Elections
Committee objected because of the
controversial nature of the sub
ject.
l Similarly, in the House. Mr..
Magruder's attempts were beaten
!" down. He recalled that the Arl-
Iington delegation had offered a
bill with the same purpose at the
regular session earlier this year
: but that the Courts of Justice
: Committee killed it because a suit
was pending which ultimately re-
suited in three Arlington County
Board members being unseated.
: "Is the substance of the bill
killed before our committee the
same as this one?" inquired Com
mittee Chairman John B. Boat
wright.
Substance Is Different.
1.-THE substance of the bill is
different but the effect is the
same" Mr.. Magruder replied.
II think the bill is bad" Mr..
Boatwright said, land I don't
think anything he can do to it
will improve it. The doctrine is
that man cannot serve two mas
ters."
The House and Senate gave
quick confirmation to three judges
nominated in a Democratic eau
Gus Wednesday night. One Of
them is Judge Franklin p. Backus
of Alexandria Corporation Court.
The others are Frederick L. Ho-
back of Roanoke County and Con-
way H. Shield of Warwick County.
Senator Donovan, who had
planned to nominate Judge James
r. Duncan of Alexandria Civil
and Police Court. said he released
his pledges of votes when it be-
came apparent that Gov. Battles
appointment of Judge Backus gave
him the ADVANTAGE