Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-01-13
Drunk-Driver Bill
Also introduced
Before Recess
BY ALEX r. PRESTON
Star stan Correspondent

pOWGIS u Tie INK COtlluIlSSlOu
and strengthening the laws
against drunk driving.
New legislation also was intro.
duced before the weekend re-
cess yesterday for two additional
circuit court judges in the North
ern Virginia area.
First to get in with the bills
to repeal the retail price-fixing
powers of the milk commission
were Delegates John Webb and
Omer Hirst Of Fairfax County.
Shortly afterward, freshman
Delegate William L. Winston was
Joined by Harrison Mann and
Mrs. Kathryn Stone, all Of Ar.
Ilington, in sponsoring an iden.
Itical measure.
Existing producer and whole
sale controls of the agency would
be left untouched.
Says Curbs Unneeded
Mr.. Webb said retail price.
fixing powers are not necessary
Ito protect dairy farmers.
mo justification can be found. =
he said. "for the continued re-
tail price-flxing powers by the
commission and especially in
Northern Virginia, where such q
tremendous difference has been
demonstrated between the prices
set by the commission and the
prices at which Highs Dairy. In
particular, wishes to sell milk"
Mr.. Webb said he expects sup.
port land perhaps considerable
opposition" to the measure.
In q companion bill. the two
Fairfax lawmakers would per.
NIT sale Of milk in gallon jugs.
Half-gallon containers now are
the largest that may be used.
Highs Dairy sells gallon Jugs
Iof milk in Washington for 70
cents while the same quantity
in half gallons or quart bottles
in Virginia costs 81 cents.
Sponsor Safety Bills
The safe-driving bills were
sponsored in the Senate by John
A. K. Donovan of Fairfax and
Charles r. Fenwick of Arlington,
and in the House, by Mr.. Mann
and Delegates James M. Thorn
son Of Alexandria and Frank
Moncure Of Stafford.
The two bills are similar and
would amend the present law
which permits an accused to re-
quest in writing that he be given
Ia chemical test - commonly
known as the "drunkometer"
test.
Both say that If the tests dis
close more than is of per cent
of alcohol by weight in the blood.
that shall be considered as primA
Ifacie evidence of intoxication.
Courts could consider evidences
if the alcohol content is between
.05 and is of l per cent but
could not presume guilt on these
facts alone. Tests showing less
than .05 Of l per cent would re.
quire a presumption Of innocence
of the accused.
Safeguard Provided
The Donovan Fenwick bill
adds safeguards so that either
the State OF the accused might
call qualified chemists as wit.
InesSeS.
A third Circuit Court judge.
ship would be created for Ar
ilington and a third judgeship
for the circuit made up of Alex
Iandria, Falls Church, Fairfax
and Prince William Counties.
under terms of a measure spon-
Isored by State Senator Mosby
IG. Perrow of Lynchburg.
Mr.. Perrow headed a Virginia
Advisory Legislative Council that
studied the court system.
1t considered breaking up the
larger circuit as one means Of
solving the problem of over
crowded dockets but decided to
add a judge instead. One OF the
present judges there is from
Prince William County. Any
division of the circuit undoubt-
Iedly would have created compli-
cations by the placing of Prince
William in some other circuit.
Public Schools Issue
A move to put the General
Assembly on record in favor Of
maintaining public schools came
yesterday from Delegates H. s.
Carter Of Bristol. Robert White
head of Nelson County and
others
During recent debate on the
Gray Commission program it
was charged that section 129 Of
the constitution, requiring the
General Assembly to maintain q
public free school system, would
be undermined.
The resolution says simply:
Resolved by the House Of
Delegates, the Senate concurring,
that it is the sense of the Gen.
|eral Assembly that an efficient
system OF free public schools
shall be maintained in every
county and every city in this
State"
The measure is bound to be
argued in subsequent debate
over the controversial Gray
Commission program to prevent
forced indignation. When the
legislature convened Wednesday,
Gov. Stanley sought to reassure
some segments when he said he
would use all the force at his
command to preserve public
schools. e
He presented $685. million
budget yesterday "predicated on
the operation of public schools as
they have in the past" y