Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-09-29
To VOTE IN
CONGESTEO PLACES
STILL UNDECIDED
Governor Townsend is Consider
ing Question, He Writes Henry
r. Isaacs.
DODGES THE ISSUE is
DEMOCRATS CONTENTION

Governor Townsend has replied to n
letter sent him by Henry II. lsaacs,
Democratic State chairman, IN which Mr..
Isaacs on behalf Of the voters OF the
State asked that some arrangement, such
"a n special one-day session Of the Legs
lature be called. 30 that in those election
districts where the registrations are heavy
there wouod be sufficient help TO enable
all who had registered to vote. Mr.
Isaars emphasized that as matters now
stood, under present election machinery
and registration, this would be impossible
In his reply to Mr.. lsaaos, Governor
Townsend does not discuss the need or
necessity for enabling all men and women
to vote. He does not, in his letter, discuss
the rights Of the people who are regis
tered To vote. but calls Mr.. Isaacs' at
tention to an alleged conversation with
him. in which the governor says Mr..
Isaacs said he did not think a special
session was necessary.
Mr.. Isaacs replies 20 this statement OF
the governors by saying that the governor
must be mistaken. He says that he has
not conversed with the governor nor
aprarently has met him since the ratif1-
cation Of the Anthony amendment. Then
Mr.. Isaars calls Mr. Townsend's at
tcntion to the real purpose, which Is To
take measures To enable those who arc
registered tn vote. He again asks him to
see To it, that no one who has the night OF
franchise shall be deprived OF exercising
it, simply because he (the Democratic
State chairman or any other chairnan)
may or may not have expressed any
opinion. He again puts the issue squareiy
up to the governor.
A copy Of the governors reply 70 Mr..
Iasacs follows.
"Dear Sir: Your letter wherin yoi
state the action Of the Democratic State
Committee relative to extra provisions
and machinery to care for the registration
and vote st the approaching election has
been received.
you will recall that upon the ratifi-
cation Of the Federal Amendment | talked
with YOU as chairman Of the Democratic
State Committee relative to special ses-
sion for this very purpose You agreed
with me that, while there might be slight
inconvenience in few districts, IT WAS
unnecessary 10 call q session and that IT
would be unfortunate and an tnwarranted
expense, .,
State chairman and he took similar
view. This late action of your committee,
a reversal Of your former position, opens
again the subject shall take the matter
under adviserncnt at once and after some
| investigation will communicate further
with you.
A copy Of Mr.. Isaacs' reply TO the
governor follows:
"Me Dear Governor Townsend: / am
| in receipt Of your letter Of the 9th instant
| in reply 20 mine OF PRIOR date touching the
necessity Of providing additional ma
| chinery for the taking of the votes Of otr
| citizens at the approaching election.
you suggest IN your letter that you
| talked with mo after the ratification Of
| the Anthony Amendment relative TO a
| special session of the Legislature for the
/ purpose of giving attention TO the matter
/ treated In my letter and above referred TO.
| | feel very confident that your recol-
| lection Of such conversation Is erroneous.
| You very probably talked with some one
else with the result that your mind has
been mistakenly impressed with the
thought that il WAS | with whom you
| spoke. | have absolutely no recollection
| OF YOUR having spoken with me upon the
subject, nor do recall any opportunity
YOU have had Of doing so since the ratIfl-
cation Of the amendment.
.9The point, however, which is stressed
in your letter and which have considered
in the foregoing paragraph, is probably
not material 10 a proper and just con-
dsideration Of the matter IN hand. II
the reasonable convenience of the quail
fed voters of the State viii require on
election day additional machinery IL
order to enable them 20 exercise their right
of franchise, then | am sure you will agree
with me when | say that such additional
machinery ought to be provided without
delay, even though the respective chair
men of the State organizations OF the
two great parties and q score OF Others
may have previously expressed the
opinion that such would not be necessary.
| am quite convinced that IN number OF
the election districts of the State, all tn
qualified voters will find it impossible tc
cast their ballots on election day and that
hundreds will be able TO do so only at very
great Inconvenience, unless additlona
provision for taking the votes is made.
"As | have said in my former letter,
believe that the men and women of the
State who qualify as voters ought 10 be
able to cast their votes without unreason-
able inconvenience. This is not only my
personal view, but the view of the Demo
cratic State Committee, as | believe il
will be yours when you have gwen the
matter further consideration which YOU
letter assures me it will have at youi
hands You very kindly suggest that yor
will communicate 10 me your final con
clusion. OF course, shall be very glad to
hear from you at all times"
IMPOSSIBLE TO HAVE FOREToLD wHA7
WOMEN WOULD DO.
A prominent Democratic leader in dis
discussing the proposition put up to Gov
ernor Townsend and the latters reply
said today:
"It doesn't matter what MIR. Isaacs o
any one else said, expressing their view
on special session, or if they made N
expression. The point at issue now Is
are we going to deprive some men ant
women of a vote because of inadequat
election machinery. Until the women hat
been given an opportunity to register
no man or woman could tell what the,
would do.
Suppose before the last registration
! day, Mr.. Isaacs had recommended tina
special session be called. And suppos
but 2 per cent instead of so per cent o
the women had registered. Then ther
would have been censure for Is acs o
any one else. But now that the womeI