Evening star., 1914-02-08
HOUSE MAY USE
VOTING MACHINE
installation of Device Ap-
proved by Speaker Clark
and Other Leaders.
WOULD BE TIMESAVER
IN CALLING THE ROLL
Long-Standing Customs Likely to
Be Altered-Check on Fill
clustering Minorities.

With the approval of Speaker Clark
and Democratic Leader Underwood the
rules committee of the House is about
TO make favorable report on the scheme
OF Representative Allan B. Walsh of
New Jersey to overturn the established
practice of roll call votes in the House
OF Representatives and install an electri-
cal voting machine whereby the 40
members of the House can register their
yeas" and mays" simultaneously in the
time it will take to flash an electric lamp.
Aside the novel mechanical features of
| the scheme. the old weapon of the fill
clustering minorites will be dulled. The
forty-hve minute roll call on viva voce'
| votes will be done away with The pres
ence of quorum will be ascertained
automatically and flashed on a score
board. The rules of the House may
have to be altered somewhat and GER
tainly the longstanding habits and Gus
toms and traditions which cling to the
old method of answering the clerk as he
drones out the names of members twice
over will suffer rude shock
Walsh an Electrician.
Representative Walsh is an electrician
of scientific training. He came to Con-
gress for the first time at the opening of
the extra session and became Immediate
ly impressed with the necessity of saw
ing time on roll calls. He saw there was
sentiment in favor of electric voting
appliances and conferred with Repre-
sentative Garrett of Tennessee. Speaker
Clark and others. including Elliott
Woods. superintendent of the Capitol.
They all agreed the plan would be feas-
ible. Since then the matter has rested
with a subcommittee of the House rules
committee. composed of Representatives
Foster of Illinois. Kelly of Pennsylvania
and Campbell of Kansas. They have
made favorable report to the full rules
committee. Chairman Henry. not desir-
ing to report out SO revolutionary
scheme first went to Speaker Clark and
to Representative Underwood and found
them willing to consider the scheme.
Subcommittee Report.
The subcommittee report has been care
fully guarded but The Star presents
herewith a copy:
1--WE consider such device both desir-
able and entirely practicable 1t should
however in order to be operated success
fully and to accomplish fully the pur-
poses for which it has been suggested,
be designed as to include the features
hereafter set forth:
For voting purposes only each MEM
Der of the House OF Representatives
should have assigned to him particu-
lar seat. which seat shall be numbered
AT each seat thus numbered there
should be placed device by means of
which. through pressing a button. the
representative to whom that seat has
been assigned (as voting place. may
record his rote--'yea, nay or present
"ro prevent unauthorized persons from
voting at the seat assigned to each rep
reSentatiye, the voting device should be
inclosed under a lock which admits of
being opened only by the representative
to whom the particular seat has been
assigned
Buttons on the Seats.
'rhe voting appliance at the members
seats should be equipped with three but
tons marked respectively yea nay
present and if desirable paired BY
pressing one OF these buttons the vote
shall be electrically communicated to
recording apparatus located at the
Speakers desk
This recording apparatus shall be con-
structed somewhat after the manner of
adding machine and shall record all
votes. The recording shall be done by
means of automatic punches. Into the
serted teafing in alphabetical order and
in tabular form the names of all mem
bers of the House. On this card. next
to the names of the members, there shall
be co'umns-the first designated yea the
second designated nay the third desig
mated present and. if desirable. the
fourth designated paired as indicated
in the chart:
Members. Yea. Nay. Present. Paired