Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-09-14
Bills

06CduSe Oh SLdC6Il6uCS IMdQS
by those who are only partially
informed concerning Virginia
House Bill No. go, its compan-
ion bills and accompanying
amendments, a number of peo-
pie have received an erroneous
impression of what these
measures actually do and their
purpose.
Let it be said unequivocally
that these bills deprive no per-
son Of any right which he now
enjoys under State or Federal
constitutions. Great care was
used not to trespass or impair
any of these rights. These
measures prevent no act which
any person may legally do to-
day.
The bills are of two types:
Registration bills and bills to
prevent the unlawful stirring
up and financing of litigation
in which a person has no direct
interest.
The registration bills, which
have somewhat similar OBJ
iectives, have as their purpose
"the avoidance of conditions
arising between the races
which impede the peaceful CO.
existence of all people" in the
State. This legislative policy
to protect the citizens from
interracial tension and dan
gers, which may lead to vio-
lence. is clearly stated in the
first section of House Bill No.
so. 1t is believed that the con-
ditionS which have be en-
created by the Kaspers and
others may be avoided in Vir-
ginia under a law which re-
quires all people, who have
nothing to hide, to register
with the State and disclose
their responsibility, member
ship, and sources of income.
Three classes must register
under House Bill No. go:
First-Those who are engaged
in lobbying in behalf of any
race. This is patterned on the
general lobbying statutes now
on the books.
Second - Those who are
principally engaged in influ-
encing public opinion in behalf
of any race. Clearly. only
racial organizations are
affected.
Third-Those who are en-
gagged in raising or expanding
funds in connection with liti-
CATION in which they have no
direct interest.
1t is clearly provided in the
bill, and its accompanying
amendments, that nothing in
the law shall apply to an in
dividual expressing his opinion
orally or in writing, nor does
1t affect the right of petition
and assembly. It should be
noted that the general right
to require registration has
been upheld either by the Su-
preme Court Of the United
States, or the State courts.
1t should also be noted spe-
officially that this bill does not
restrain in any manner any
of the acts for which regis
tration is required. 1t should
be repeated that responsible
organizations should have
nothing to hide. The require
ment for registration centers
responsibility on the organiZa-
ton for its acts and the acts
of its members.
The second group of bills
write into statutory law the
common law offense Of bar
ratry and maintenance, and
provide clear-cut penalties for
violations of those acts pro-
hibited by the canons Of legal
ethics In other words, it codi-
fies the common law and pro-
vides specific statutory penal
ties for stirring up litigation.
Safeguarding provisions have
been placed in the bills and
the proposed amendments to
see to it that no one is de-
prived of any right to finance
and prosecute a bona f1de suit
in which he is plaintiff or has
a direct interest. whether pc
cuniary or personal.
II is reasonable to assume
that had the laws which are
proposed been on the statute
books in the past. Virginia
would not be faced today with
her present acute problems.
There is no desire, nor any
attempt. to restrict bona fide
litigation by plaintiffs who feel
that their rights have been in
fringed. The people Of Vir-
ginia. have, however. the right
to protect themselves TO the
fullest extent from those Of
either race who foment and
instigate litigation between its
citizens. and who create a
menace TO the public peace
and who. IN the process. hide