Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-27

0athbi|Ibacked.
In. State Senate
ArIinetonion Wins I
Committees Okuy
On EmpIoye Pledge :
ey me Asseeioted Pros,

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RICHMOND, Feb. 27.-Tha
Senate Courts Of Justice Conn
mittee has reported favorably
the Fenwick bill to require nom
Communist oaths Of all State and
local governmental employees in.
Virginia. The vote yesterday was
8 to 3.
Senator Charles r. Fenwick Of
Arlington told the committee the
bill had been requested by the
local governing body in Arling-
ton, by the American Legion and
by the Daughters Of the Ameri.
can Revolution.
The Senator said he agreed
with contentious it would not
catch Communists, but he said it
would permit them to be con-
victed Of perjury and be removed
from Office if their Communist
Affiliations should be detected.
The committee killed the War;
rem bill making insanity ground
for divorce after 10 years. The
vote was unrecorded.
More Cash for JobIess.
The Senate and House finally
agreed on the Gray bill to in
crease maximum unemployment
compensation benefits from $22
to $24 per week, as recommended
by Gov. Stanley. n
Disagreement was over the
number of weeks an unemployed
worker could collect benefits
without working again. The
total was set at Is in the bill
passed by both houses ,yester-
day, whereas under present law
it may go as high as 80.
1t was a long day for both
houses as they ground out an
impressive list of routine bills
and elected Is judges nominated
at Thursday nights Democratic
caucus.
In other action yesterday the
Senate passed a bill to prohibit
shooting from open boats within
500 yards of a licensed duck
blind, after amendment provide
ing that the bill would apply
only to blinds erected by Novem-
Der l. -.
Fee Raised 50 Cents.
The Senate passed a bill rails
ing from so cents to 81 the spe-.
cial tags for automobiles
equipped with radio transmits
sion facilities, and another bill
to permit judges to authorize
forwarding travel money to wit
nesses in criminal cases.
The House Privileges and
Elections Committee deferred
action on Delegate Whitehead's
proposal to junk the present
loyalty pledge" provisions of
Virginia's primary election laws.
He argued before the commit
tee that the present rule on
eligibility for participation in
primaries is a farce. His plan.
would have each voter sign a
form before being given bal
lot. This form would say the
voter is a member of the party.
is entitled to vote and would
list the voters address.
Retirement of Judges.
Amendment to the judges re-
tirement bill to permit retire
ment at the age of IS after IL
years service and making re-
tirement mandatory at IS were
tentatively agreed by the Senate
Courts of Justice Committee.
They would retire on three
fourths salary.
1t seemed apparent that the
bills for new courts and new
judges for areas including
Northern Virginia would be
killed at a later meeting with
the judicial circuits left as at
present pending the study.
Delegate Kathryn H. Stone Of
Arlington urged the House APP
preparations Committee to invest
$4,000 a year in psychiatric
treatment for juvenile wards Of
the State. She said the invest
ment would pay big dividends
in money and human happiness
in the years to come.
The Arlington delegate ap-
peared before the committee on
her bill to set up a mobile
psychiatric unit at the Medical
College of Virginia which would
keep a close check on the mental
and physical health of the white
and Negro juveniles at the
training schools in the Rich