Perth Amboy evening news. [volume] (Perth Amboy, N.J.) 1903-1959, 1918-08-07
LAY PLANS FOR
SOLDIERS VOTE
State Authorities Arranging to
Take Care of the Men Who
Are in Government Service
Bp special Correspondent.

By Special Correspondent.
TRENTON, Aug. "A statement
was today issued here by Secretary
of State Thomas F. Martin, explaining
the attitude of the State Department
and the methods that had been decid-
ed upon under the law passed by the
last session of the legislature to pro-
vide means whereby soldiers and SAIL
ors in service be allowed to vote at
the coming primary and general elec-
tons.
There has been so much conjec-
ture and speculation as to just how
far the State Department expected to
go in order to give every soldier and
sailor possible the right of suffrage"
declared Mr.. Martin in his statement,
that 1t seems advisable to state just
what is being done in the premises,
in order that an intelligent idea as to
how we are proceeding may lispel
some of the absurd statements that
have crept into print.
Under the law passed at the last
session of the legislature" continued
the Secretary of State, ut becomes
the duty of the Secretary of State,
upon the filing with him by the Gov
ernor of a proclamation stating that
an emergency exists under which the
provisions of the act should be en-
forced, to Immediately take steps to
provide the necessary means to allow
those in the service to exercise their
right of suffrage. Such q proclama-
ton was issued several weeks ago
and under its warrant we have been
making every possible plan to render
as efficient service to the soldiers and
sailors as we will be physically able e
do. 4 NhFeazafAx
There seems. however. to be a
misapprehenBion- In some quarters as
to what the effect OF the work planned
may be, and the question has been
raised as TO the necessity OF a special
session of the legislature in order. to
pass some supplementary act that
would increase the efficiency of the
present law. 1t is my opinion THAI
no act that could possibly be framed
by the legislature, under the present
conditions, will add an ounce of
strength to the functioning of the
present law. unless IL were possible at
the same time to upset the whole sys-
tenn OF nominations and primaries In
New Jersey. This, of course. 1t 10
impossible to do. because the time
that Is necessary or even would have
been possible to have had, was tco
short TO bring about any such revo-
lutionarly changes, even II they were
feasible.
'sThis is apparent IL one remembers
that under the election laws of New
Jersey petitions for nomination are
fled on or before August 2e. The
primaries occur on September "a, and
It is therefore apparent that 1t Is a
physical impossibility to bring about
situation where the soldiers overseas
can vote in the primaries within the
time between the nominations and
the date of the primary itself. No spe-
cial session of the Legislature could
now prepare law that would change
this, and II has been decided by this
department, after consultation with
the governor. and after taking up the
matter at Washington with the Sec
retary of War, that no effort will be
made by tails department to register
the will of the soldiers overseas, nell
ther at the Democratic or Republican
party primaries to be held on Sep
tember "a"
This, however, does not mean that
every soldier and sailor on this side Of
the water will not be given an oppor-
tunity to vote at the primaries, said
Mr.. Martin. but on the contrary, the
Secretary OF States Department Is
making extraordinary efforts to see TO
II that the registered will OF the men
In service on this side OF the ocean is
reflected in the primaries In Septem-
ber.
For the general election. however" :"
the Secretary OF State goes on to say
In his statement To-Day, IL IS tne ue-
termination of the State Department
to, II possible. give every man in the
service, either overseas or in the
United States. an opportunity 10 vote.
after we have acquainted him with
the candidates nominated at the pri-
maries. This entails an immense
amount OF labor The War Depart
ment at Washington has. however
very kindly volunteered TO do every
thing Il can TO help the states In this
work and the length OF time that in
tervenes between the date OF the pri-
maries and the November election
makes this possible. where II was i'm
possible so far as primary was con-
cerned.
May I say In fairness TO Governor
Edge" declared Mr.. Martin in con-
Guiding, ''and incidentally 20 myself
that there is an earnest desire by both
the governor and myself that no par
tisanship be allowed 10 interfere with
the work that We are trying TO do 70
render 10 the men In the service
every possible opportunity 70 intelli-
gently exercise their right OF suf-
frage 10 the fullest possible extent un-
a n. H.