Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-13
Virginia Bill
On Convention
Due Next Week
By a star stan Correspondent

tlon. FORMER Mayor Marshall j.
Beverley of Alexandria was the
first to announce for the con-
vention which has been au-
thorized by voters but not yet
formally set up by the Legisla-
lture,
Mr.. Beverley was a leader of
the pro-convention forces in
Alexandria, which lost there in
Mondays referendum. 4,446 to
4,026. On the same side is
another convention candidate,
Charles Pickett. Fairfax at
Itorney. The Fairfax vote was
10,687 against the convention
and 1881 for.
Would Remove Tuition Ban
The convention would re-
move a barrier from the State
constitution that now prevents
public tuition grants for educat-
ling children in private schools.
This was the first recommended
ton Of the Gray Commission to
prevent forced school integra-
ton.
Opposing states may run for
the convention that is those
who favor the amendment and
those who oppose it. Heated
contests could develop in North
iern Virginta's 10th district
where the referendum amend
ment was given a 5-to-4 defeat.
In Arlington. where anti
amendment forces also won, Ed
ward B. Nincks. who headed one
Iof the opposing organizations.
said he hoped that a person ac-I
Iceptable to both sides would be
chosen as the county's sole can
didate.
Senator Charles r. Fenwick.
Delegate Harrison Mann. for
mer delegate J. Maynard Ma
gruder. all In favor of the
amendment. obviously don't
represent Arlington and would
be opposed If they file their
candidacy" Mr.. Hincks said.
But in about every other sec
ton of Virginia. where State!
wide totals rolled UP a I'll ma
jority last Mondays vote was
regarded as having settled the
issue for all practical purposes.
The feeling is prevalent
around the Capitol that those
on the losing side last Monday
either will throw in the towel
Ior accept the overwhelming vote
as handwriting on the wall when
the election is held for delegates.
Sentiment Is spreading among
the lawmakers to place more
emphasis on deliberate" than
|on speed" as Senator Byrd sug-
|gested--in enacting the rest Of
the Gray Commissions program
Results Still Coming
Results Of Mondays referen-
dunn have not all trickled into.
the State Board of Elections
from some Of the far-out pre-
Icincts. Until all returns are in,
the board cannot certify the final.
figures.
After members of the board
certify the results. possibly by
Wednesday. Senator Garland
Gray of Waverly, chairman of
the commission that drafted the
Ianti-integration program, will be
free to drop his bill into the
hopper.
There are three procedures
that could be followed. If the
convention is called for a date
more than IS days after approval
tof the bill. those who file as can
Ididates would, under the exist
ing law, be required to file at
least 80 days in advance of the
election.
Five-Day Limit
| If the convention is IS days or
less from passage of the act.
candidates for Delegates would
have to file within five days after
the Governor issues the writ of
election. 1t is more likely that
something like the latter course
will be followed inasmuch as
Gov. Stanley has called for
speedy action.
In either case the Legislature
could leave the way open for
Gov. Stanley to set the date of
the election. This, however, was
not done in l945 when the last
constitutional convention was
held.
| A third possibility, and one
that was followed in 1945 for the
war voters amendment, would be
that the General Assembly may
call the special election within
IS days but extend the period in
which candidates could file.
Details of the Gray bill being
prepared here are a closely
guarded secret, but either the
second or third method out
lined here, or a combination of
both, is believed to be the likely
procedure to be suggested.
| There would be no filing fee,
Mr.. Davis said, inasmuch as this
would be a special election.
In general, any person would
be qualified as a candidate II
he Is qualified to vote.
He would have to file with the
clerk of his circuit court II rum
ming in a county, or the corpo-
ration court. IL in a city.