Atlanta Daily World

Both Vandiver Plan, Unit System Lashed As Ga. Legislature Hears From Public On Reapportionment
PLAN SEEN FAILING TO MAKE SYSTEM "VALID"

By AL KUETTNER
United Press International

The public Wednesday got its first official opportunity to sound off on nearly 20 plans calling for changes in Georgia's legislative apportionment and the county unit system.

None of the measures has even reached the committee stage in the emergency session of the legislature which finished its third day in not more than 15 minutes per house.

New measures offered would cut the House from 205 to 186 members, require 10-year reapportionment schedules and end rotation of Senate members.

In a public hearing, the House State of the Republic Committee listened to a number of witnesses and finally admitted to the hearing room the final speaker, D. R. C. Bell, a Negro dentist, who appealed on behalf of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference for an end to the unit vote system.

BLASTS VANDIVER PLAN

Constitutional Lawyer William B. Gunter of Gainesville, who appeared at the request of the entire House, told the hearing flatly that a request by Gov. Ernest Vandiver for 20 new House seats and 40 more unit votes will "not make the system any more valid than it is now."

A three-judge federal court has a hearing set for April 27 on a suit attacking constitutionality of the unit system and it was with this in mind that Vandiver summoned the emergency session of the legislature.

Gunter said the legislature's handling of the problem appears to be between whistling in the dark and playing politics.

Atlanta Mayor Ivan Allen, Mrs. Harry B. William of DeKalb County Democrats, Mrs. Fleming Law of the Georgia League of Women Voters and Miss Grace Donnally, representing an organization entitled Mary's Crusade Against Communism appeared against the unit system.

Telfair County Commissioner Walter Dial, immediate past president of the Georgia County Commissioners Association, testified that the county unit system is the only means by which a county the size of Telfair can have an effective voice in government.

CITIES NOT HOSTILE

Rep. Talmadge Echols of Upson testified he will submit a bill—if he finds enough support—that would give a county one unit vote each for the 65 counties under 10,000 population and an extra vote for each additional 110,000.

William G. McRae who was a Fulton representative in 1931 contended urban areas are not hostile to the rural sections but "they are tired of recognizing your hostilities toward them."

Israel Katz, a DeKalb County attorney, warned that Fulton might get the balance of power if reapportionment plans assign it a large number of unit votes.

Committee Chairman J. Roy McCracken adjourned the public session without asking the committee to take any action. He did not schedule a meeting to officially consider any measures.

One of the latest plans was offered by Reps. James Paris of Barrow and Tom Murphy of Haralson.

They would create a 159-member House with Senatorial districts at their present number based on population.

The proposal would give each county two unit votes for its House members and two would be assigned for each Senator, to be divided
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