Evening star., 1952-01-09
By Alex R. Preston

RICHMOND, Jan. 9.-Delegatt
Edwin Lynch of Fairfax County
today had the backing of hi,
Democratic colleagues from thu
8th Congressional District for hi.
first major committee assignment
since he was elected to the Hous,
of Delegates in 1916.
His Endorsement for the Appro.
|priations Committee came, by CO.
incidence last night, after 8
caucus by House Democrats il
which Delegate Robert Whitehead
of Nelson County, blasted favor.
itism and discrimination" by thu
Speaker of the House in passing
out important committee assign
mentS.
II call for the abolition of thi!
system of favoring some and pun.
ishing Others" said Mr.. White.
head, who has been prominently
mentioned as the anti-Byrd or.
ganization candidate for Cover.
nor next wear.
Hopes for New Approach.
II hope that the assignment.
made at this session will ref1ec1
a new approach" he said.
Mr.. Whitehead's unexpectet
TRADE, which also hit at tn,
method of selecting judges Ii
Democratic caucuses, came durins
the party caucus to organize art
select officers for the 1852 session
of the General Assembly. which
opened at noon today. One as
semblyman termed the Whitehead
speech "the opening gun in a cam
paign for Governor"
Earlier, however, a group of Stt
district Democrats, headed BY
Delegate j. Maynard Magruder o.
Arlington, had planned to call {
district caucus to recommend can.
didates for two important com.
mittee assignments left vacant by
the retirement of former Delegate
L. Lake Triplett of Fauquiel
County.
Two Of Mr.. Triplett's assign.
ments were on the powerful Ap.
preparations Committee and thu
politically potent Privileges anc
Elections Committee.
Tells why He Seeks Post.
Mr.. Lynch said, PERSONALLY
am happy where I am even though
the Speaker has never seen fit tt
place me on major committee
But the people I represent fee
that their representative shoulc
have important assignments anc
for that reason I am asking to bt
placed on Appropriations"
Mr.. Lynch's voting record finds
him most frequently on the side
Of Mr.. Whitehead in organization
versus anti-organization fights.
Delegate Frank. P. Moncure o1
Stafford and Prince William
nominated Mr.. Lynch and thi.
was seconded by Delegate Armi.
stead Boothe of Alexandria.
For Mr.. Triplett's second post
on privileges and elections, Dele
gate Norman c. Bailey of Orange
proposed that Delegate d. French
Slaughter of Culpeper be giver
that assignment. This would
necessitate Mr.. Slaughter giving
up his post on appropriations
which is almost a full-time Job
and the delegates then agreed tc
recommend Delegate Tom Eros
of Warrenton, q newcomer who
succeeded Mr.. Triplett, for the
second appropriations seat.
Speakers Election Today.
These recommendations were tt
be placed before House Speaker
E. T. Blackburn Moore today. Mr.
Moore's formal election will take
place this afternoon as the House
Democrats had nominated him al
the caucus last night.
Mr.. Moore, of Berryville anc
who was bern in Washington
D. C., will take Office just before
Gov. Battle addresses a joint ses.
sion on the state of the Common.
wealth.
Delegate George Damn of Ar.
nngton was reelected secretary
OF the House caucus.
MIR. Whitehead questioned the
propriety Of holding Democratic
caucuses to nominate candidate.
for judgeships.
For 10 years." Mr.. Whitehead
said, Il have participated in sucl
caucuses with growing dislike fol
the practice :. the fact is thai
the caucus system for the selection
OF judges is contrary to ever,
Souno conception OF the nature Ol
the judicial Office"
Sees G. o. p. Debarred.
Mr.. Whitehead said the result
OF the system is that all Re.
publican and independent mem.
bers of the Assembly are effective.
ly debarred from all real partici.
patton in the election of judges
I'VE are told" he added, "tha'
we do not select our judges il
Virginia by popular election il
order to keep the judges out o.
politics. After 30-odd years O.
political experience 7 am not 81
naive as to believe that Judge,
are out Of politics in Virginia
With rare exceptions 7 would say
the very reverse is true"
With respect to committee as.
|signments. MIR. Whitehead salt
that IA major committees of tn,
House have a total of 197 mem
ebrs, enough to provide two majo
assignments for almost ever,
member. Yet. in 1850. he said
~~f-, On L>T-->A~. A~fl on - ~.