Evening star., 1952-01-27
Republican Bill
Puts 10Th District
In Norfolk Area
Minority Proposal
EquuIizes Population
As Nearly as Possible
By Alex R. Preston
S.oF Siaff cerrsspondsnt


RICHMOND, Jan. 26, -. Re-
publican members Of the General
Assembly today joined a legislative
shell game and shifted the pro-
posed 10th Congressional District
back to the Norfolk area.
Bills now pending include one
from legislative study commits
sion to carve the new 10th out OF
the present 9th in Northern Vir-
ginia, a Norfolk area plan to place
the new district down there, and
House and Senate measures, with
overwhelming backing. making
some changes in the commission
plan but putting the 10th back in
the Washington area.
Senator Ted Dalton of Radford
disclosed the plan to be offered by
the Republican delegation which
occupies nine of the General As
sembly's 140 seats. It comes closer
than any of the rest to meeting
State constitutional requirement
for appropriating the districts
equally as nearly as possible.
Puts All in 100000 Group.
With an ideal population of
$4,000 for each district, the
G. o. p. plan would place 317, 900
persons in the smallest district and
$4,000 in the largest. But the
commissions proposal varied from
1884, to 446,000.
I'VE challenge the dominate
party to give us an even break, F"
Senator Dalton said.
TWe appeal to the party in power
to treat the minority in the way
that it is entitled to be treated in
redistricting and. if this is done,
the Constitution will be complied
with and there will be at least
three Republicans from Virginia
in, the next United States Con-
gress."
The Republican leader said the
situation in the Southwestern sec
ton is zone of the worst results
of gerrymandering anywhere to be
found"
The plan would leave only Al
exandria. Falls Church, Arlington,
Fairfax. Loudoun and Prince Will
liam in the existing 9th District,
making it the most populeus, with
BAT 900 inhabitants.
The 10th, with $4,000, would
be the smallest. It would be made
up of Northampton, Accomack
and Princess Anne Counties and
the cities Of Norfolk and South
Norfolk.
Would Transfer Residence.
Representative Smith, Demo-
crat of alexandra, now represents
the 9Th. There has been specula-
ton that if the commissions plan
to carve the 10th. made up of only
Arlington, Alexandria, Falls
Church and Fairfax. out of the
9th. he would transfer his legal
residence to Fauquier County
where he has owned a farm for
many years.
This would place him in the
new 9th as proposed by both the
commission and by bills introduced
this week bearing the names Of 20
senators and A delegates.
But under the Republican plan.
Fauuuier would be shifted to the
7th, now represented by Burr p.
Harrison of Winchester.
"Of course" Senator Dalton
said with a smile. II didn't draft
this with Judge Smith in mind"
Judge Smith has indicated that
he favored the commission plan
over that of the Norfolk delega-
ton.
This is how the Republicans
would reapportion other con-
gressional districts on a popula-
ton basis: 1st, 333, End, 1884,
Oo0; Sd, 1874, 900; 4tt, 1876, 600; 5th,
$4,000; 9Th, $4,000, and 9th,
$4,000.
xECSC1Gb DAStA1CVA116 OA0As
'fOur primary purpose" Sena-
tor Dalton said, sis to try to cor
rect the situation that exists in
the western part Of the State.
I'VE earnestly point out that it
is unfair to commence on the
premise that the present districts
are proper, We charge that they
must be corrected to comply with
the spirit and letter of the Consti-
tuition, and when this is done. it
viii be found that the 9th, 9Th
and 7th Districts of Virginia will
be of nearly equal political
strength"
The 7th District would be set
up almost as presently constituted,
except that the Republicans would
add Clifton Forge, Botetourt and
Allegheny from the 9Th and
Green, Madison and Fauquier
from the 9Th.
They would remove Amherst
and Nelson from the 7th.
Among other changes which
would affect the Northern Vir-
ginia area would be the following:
Stafford, now in the 9th, would
be shifted to the 1st. and the 4th
District would get the present 9Th,
Charlottesville, Albemarle, Orange,
Culpeper. Fluvanna, Louisa and
Goochland.
The proposals will be offered
Monday by Senators Dalton and
Floyd Landreth of Galax, two of
the three Senate Republicans.
Has Stumbling Block.
Yesterday, A delegates Joined
in sponsoring a redistricting bill
identical with that offered by 20
Senators on Thursday. This plan
places the 10th District next to
Washington, just as the commits
sion study recommended.
With half the Senate member
ship and nearly half of that In the
House carried on the measures as
co-patrons, this was enough power