Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-07-22
STR|KE-OFF FIGHT
ON ALIENS DROPPED
Seventy" Abandons Effort to
Have Names Stricken From
Voting Lists
REGISTERS REFUSE RULING

The committee of seventy has definite
ly dropped the fight to have names
stricken from the voting lists on indi-
vidual petitions.
This attitude was emphasized this
afternoon when the registration COM
missioners issued the following state
ment: I
while strongly impressed with the
argument of Mr.. Elliott, representing
the committee Of seventy, that the law
contemplates the striking from the De-
cember assessment lists all the Dis and
ms upon known proof, it is dsin-
clined to make a formal ruling on the
subject in view of the announced deci-
sion of the committee of seventy not to
press for action on the individual petit
tions filed with the board"
Petitions were presented at the hear
ing today to strike off names of 2600
men, who, according to the charges
made by the committee of seventy, were
not American citizens. OF 1900 petit
tions to strike off in the First Sena-
torial district 900 were to strike off
aliens.
The decision of the committee of sew
enty to drop its fight as given in the
statement of the commissioners, came
after William J. Elliott, representing
that body. had told the commissioners
that the committee merely wanted an
opinion on the registration of aliens,
and when the opinion was given would
not further push the petition to strike
off. The decision, it was said, would
- 4 ,,,,t tbo &c
determining councilmanic representa-
tion.
Commissioner Clinton Rogers Wood
ruff stated that the new charter was
open to ambiguous Interpretation in re-
gard to the registration Of aliens. He
said that a comma placed in the text
would make all the difference between
granting and withholding permission to
register them.
Leopold G. Glass, representing the
Republican city committee, demanded
that the committee of seventy be forced
to prove every individual petition.
Two Glasses of Petitions
There were Two classes of petitions
offered by the committee of seventy. One
was to strike off the voters who de-
clared their intention legally to become
naturalized citizens; the second to strike
off those who merely had announced
their attention without the first step
that would later entitle them to vote.
Mr.. Glass pointed out that some of those
who had legally declared their inten-
ton in December might now be en-
titled to cast their ballot.
Hampton s. Thomas, former recorder
of the Board of Registration Commits
sioners. officiated today as chief clerk
of the board. This is a new post, pay
ing S2500 year, and corresponding to
the old place which he held. He was
appointed to it yesterday.
This was the last day for voters to
have their names put on last Decem-
ber's assessment lists Tuesday last
was to have ended the time for placing
names on the list, but the crowd then
was so great that those who could not
be heard were permitted to come today
The councilmanic representation from
the various senatorial districts is based
on the December assessment. Last
Tuesday was the last day to file per-
sonal applications to put names on or
petitions to strike names off. Because
of the rush of several thousand appli-
cants to get their names on the com
missioners extended the time, fixing to
day as the final day.
AS the decision of the commissioners
throwing out the omnibus strike off pc.
titions of the committee of seventy re-
moved all danger of cutting down the
councilmanic representation in the first
district, no great rush Of voters is ex-
pected today.
Wares Prepared
Should there have been any oppor-
tunity of reducing the number of coun.
cilmen from the first district the Ware
forces prepared to send enough voters
to City Hall today to insure the addi
tion of another councilman in the thirt
district to offset the loss downtown
The registration Office was kept oper
until midnight last night to receive Pc
titions for registrars.
The Republican city committee filed
petitions for two registrars in virtu-
ally every division in the city.
Petitions for forty one wards wer,
fled by the Republican Alliance ant
for thirteen wards by the Town Meet
ing party.
No petitions were filed by the Pen.
rose Independent coalition in the Sew
enth, Eleventh, Twelfth, Fourteenth
and Nineteenth wards.