Evening star., 1952-02-29
ColIlmitteevotes
Fenwick Bill on
10Th District
Foes Of Measure
Express Doubt Of
ConstitutionuIity
By Alex R. Preston
Siar Stuff Correspondent

RICHMOND, Feb. ga 10th
congressional district for the
Washington Metropolitan Area
was one step nearer today, with
House committee approval Of
legislation that already has passed
the Senate.
The House Privileges and Elec-
tions Committee reported the bill
Of Senator Charles r. Fenwick 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 to report the bill was
8 to 4, with one member absent.
Some Of those who voted against
reporting the Fenwick bill stated
that they did not believe 1t would
stand up in the courts-that 1t
does not meet Constitutional re-
quirements for equality Of popula.
tion, as nearly as practicable.
Using the 1850 census figures,
the Fenwick plan would make the
I'd district, with 404,000 inhabit-
ants. the largest and the 9Th
with 277.000, the smallest.
Ideal About $4,000.
The ideal would be about 33l 900
per district. This is because the
last census gave Virginia a popu-
lation total Of about $4,000 thus
emitting the State to q 10th mem
ber Of the House Of Representa-
tives. At present, there are only
nine districts.
The Fenwick 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.
Senator Fenwick, In fighting
for his plan, called the attention
Of the committee to the latter
point In arguing that an honest
effort had been made to equaliye
the various districts. He showed,
for example. that the 2nd District,
the largest. had been contracted
to an area Of about 400 square
miles. in an attempt to reduce
the population disparity. The
18th. he said. had been expanded
to more than 1000 square miles
to raise its total inhabitants.
Mr.. Fenwick argued that the
courts are likely to recognize this
effort to divide the State with
the least population disparity and,
lat 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
tr1ctS. In other words, no mem.
ber Of Congress is threatened by
loss of his district.
A hint that politics had played
a part in the drafting of some
OF the plans was dropped by Dele
gate E. T. DeJarnett of Hanover
who had a bill Of his own.
In arguing for his bill, Mr..
OeJarnett said: 'Tt leaves all
congressman in their own district.
It provides for Judge (Repre-
sentative) Smith just like all of
the other bills that have been
offered"
The provision for Judge
Smith" apparently has been the
prime consideration Of nearly all
|of the redistricting bills placed
before the Assembly.
The reasoning is based on the
results of the last two congress
slonal elections. The record
show that Arlington, Alexan-
dr1a. Falls Church and Fairfax
gave a Republican a majority in
one OF the elections, and Mr..
Smith won the other by about
100 votes.
May Transfer Residence.
II the Fenwick bill passes.
political observers believe Reppcs
sentative Smith will transker his
residence to his farm near War
renton in Fauquier County. He
always receives q strong vote from
the rural areas.
As 1t arrived on the floor Of
the House today, the bill failed
to carry an emergency clause,
which would make 1t effective on
passage.
Unless an emergency amend.
f1ent is added, the bill will not
become effective Until late In Jti1e,
But the deadline for candidates
to flle viii fail on May iS this
year. Therefore, an emergency
clause must be added 10 Eive
candidates an opportunity 10 file
for q primary Otherwise fl6fflis
nations viii have 10 be made BY
party conventions In the Various
new districts.
N6ffeik's delegate, Mr.. PaEe,
raised the question abeut ether
Bills 60 feaBBeFtieR House and
Senate districts for General AS
seEnbiV representation,
AekRewledEe Defeat,
Acknowledging defeat In his ats
tempt 20 get q congressional aiss
tFlet Tor the Norfolk area, Mr.,
Page said, N eaRHet 90 back and
tell nv people that I've deH9
Rethlng 70 give them mere repre-
10 H."
Members then considered the
possibility Of reporting other bills
to Feapportion House Of Delegates
and State Senate districts, It was
agreed to defer action until this
afternoon to see II the Senate
COMMITTEES on Privileges and Elec.
tions would take action. The Sen.
ate committee also was scheduled
10 meet today.
Thera had haan a ., ,,,,hnu.A..