Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-13

Bill tor County,
Incorporation
AppearsLost
Foes Of Annexation
BY Maryland Cities
Show Weak Vote
BY Alex R. Preston
Stor Stoff Correspondent

SS' S'S' ~OVeSP0nooUt
RICHMOND. Feb. 1s.-A de-
cision with far-reaching conse-
quences confronted the General
Assembly today-whether coun-
ties should be given the power
to incorporate themselves as q
protection against annexation
by the cities.
The county boys" retained
their majority but apparently
lost their battle yesterday in the
State Senate, which voted only
ID to 16 in favor of a bill to
permit Princess Anne County to
incorporate. The vote moved
the bill up for final action on
Monday. and because it involves
a charter, it will require q out
OF the 40 votes in the affirma-
tive. Thus, legislators from the
cities, which under Virginia law
may annex by court proceedings,
apparently have won.
Arlington was singled out re-.
peatedly by proponents Of the
Princess Anne charter measure.
Arlington has had a charter
available since 1912 and needs
only approval by the voters. who
turned the idea down two years
ago. to become a city.
Boundaries Frozen.
However. Arlington also has
a special law-which the other
counties don't have-freezing its
boundaries from further land
grabs by adjoining Alexandria
or Falls Church.
Senator v. A. Etheridge, patron
OF the Princess Anne bill, argued
that, if it is fair for Arlington to
incorporate, it is fair for his
county. Last year. he reminded
the Senate. the General Assembly
enacted charter for the county
OF Warwick. which since has be-
come a city. and also for Eliza
beth City County. which joined
with Hampton and PheobuS to
become the City of Hampton.
Senator Robert F. Baldwin,
whose home city of Norfolk would
be prevented by the bill from
annexing adjoining territory.
described it as perhaps the most
dangerous legislation affecting
the growth and progress of our
metropolitan areas to come be-
fore this Assembly in years."
He said the bill "is an. attack
by indirection on our annexa-
ton statutes"
Hillard Raps Unfair Law.
Senator Major M. Hillard Of
Norfolk County, said, Il shall
support the bill because it is an
outgrowth of the unfair, unjust
annexation laws of this State.
Why not give the people of the
counties a right to say? You've
done the same thing for Arling-
ton.
IF you'd change the annexa-
ton laws to give the people of
the district to be annexed the
right to say whether they want
to join a city. it would be fair
and just"
He added that. when people
move, out of a city, they should
have some say in whether they
have to come back in"
Senator Edward L. Breeder
said Virginia Beach would not
be included in the proposed city
because it already is incorpo-
rated.
Senator Earl Fitzpatrick COM
mented that to incorporate the
entire county would result in a
city with more duck blinds than
stop lights"
Chairman Mosby G. Perrow
of the Counties. Cities and
Towns Committee, which re-
ported the bill, to 4, said a
comparison with the City of
Warwick and Arlington County
was not sound. Warwick has a
population of SCI per square
mile, while Princess Anne has
only 1873. Arlington, it was
brought out. has more than 5000
per square mile.
House Meets Today.
The House of Delegates con-
vened again today to catch up
on its business, but the Senate
recessed yesterday until Mon
day.
Among bills passed by the
Senate and sent to the Gov
ernor were those to amend the
charter for Luray, by Delegate
Charles D. Price of Page; to
amend the Warrenton charter,
by Delegate Tom Frost; to
amend the Leesburg charter. by
Delegate Lucas D. Phillips, and
the Frost bill to prohibit the
throwing of lighted cigarettes or
matches in forests or brushlands.
New legislation included a bill
by Delegate Kathryn Stone, CO.
sponsored by the entire Arling-
ton. Alexandria and Fairfax
delegations. to appropriate
100000 for State aid in estab-
fishing regional juvenile deten-
ton homes.
The State Department Of Well
fare would administer the money
for building and maintaining
the homes.
BOOthe Asks Study.
Delegate Armistead Boothe
dropped in a bill to create a
commission of 81 members to
study race relations. A similar
plan at the 1852 session was
killed.
Delegate Felix Edmunds Of
Waynesboro offered a measure
to authorize the State Board of
Education to give or lease right