Evening star., 1962-04-09
Distortion Charged
Continued From Page Al

Distortion Charged
Concerning the redistricting
bill enacted by the last Assem-
bly, the suit asserts:
They result in a distortion
of the constitutional system
as established, defined and
guaranteed by the Fourteenth
Amendment and this distortion
prevents the General Assembly
from being a body representa-
tive of the people of the
Commonwealth. and denies to
plaintiffs the equal protection
of the laws
"A minority of the people of
Virginia now control and will
continue to control the General
Assembly contrary to the Con-
stitution of Virginia and the
Constitution of the United
States 80.
Representatives of a minor
ity by virtue of their control
have used and are using same
to oppreSS the citizens of the
areas in which plaintiffs reside
and other citizens similarly
situated by inequitable diStri-
button of State revenues de-
rived by taxation of all of the
people and in numerous other
ways"
The suit then insists that
constitutional requirements can
be fulfilled only by completely
rediStricting the General As
sembly primarily upon the basis
Of population.
1t does not expressly ask the
court itself to undertake the
rediStricting, but does request
such further and alternative
relief as the nature of this ac-
zion may require and this court
may deem proper"
However, the legislators hope
that should the court sustain
sheir arguments, Gov. Harrison
would convene the General
Assembly to undertake its own
reapportionment.
However, Mr.. Harrison ex-
pressed confidence Saturday
that the courts will not inter-
fere with the 1862 redistricting
acts which he defended as fair.
He noted that they will leave
the Virginia Legislature Ear
more reasonably apportioned
than that Of Tennessee where
redistricting has into occurred
since 1901.
= But those trying to void the
1862 redistricting contend that
the courts will consider not
how Virginia compares to
other States, but rather how
fairly it allocates voting power
among its own residents.
Should General Assembly
seats be allotted primarily on
the basis Of population. dis
triets where urban residents
ptedominate at once would
gain control of both chambers.
The suit proposes impanel-
tnent Of a special three-judge
court to consider the case.
In a separate statement, Mrs.
Stone, Mr.. Donovan, Mr.. Mann
and Mr.. Webb said that the
suit was instigated in a Fed
eral rather than a State court
and added:
! I'VE shall be glad to have
citizens Of Norfolk, Hampton,
Chesterfield and any other
area. who object to taxation
Without fair representation, join
US in the case"
Norfolk Action Seen
In Norfolk, the four Peoples
Ticket candidates for the city
council said they plan to join
the suit. We'll file a petition
to intervene as soon as our at
torneys draw up the papers, "
said Paul Lipkin, one of the
four.
Seven of Norfolk's eight legis-
lators said last week they did
not deem it proper for them to
enter the suit "at this time. "
State Senator Edward L. Dree-
den, jr. said his personal in
.clination" was that Norfolk
should join in the case.
The suit today is completely
unrelated to one which Mr.
Webb over the week end re-
ported will be undertaken later
to force all 10 Virginia Con-
gressmen to run at large this
fall.
The latter will be filed with
the State Supreme Court OF
Appeals which in 1882 did order
all candidates to confront the
entire electorate after the Leg
islature refused to apportior
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