The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-07-19

their public utterances. and their efforts
to help US in settling for good and ali.
questions relating to registration
Further l wish to urge as cOmpH-
ment to our president, Mrs II. W. Bonn
gardner, that every club member be a
committee of one to help get out our full
vote.
There is no question so important as
that which affects the suffrage of the peo
pie, because the vote marks the difference.
between a sovereign citizen and a subject.
The attorney generals office is fairly
swamped with work, but in order to
settle the moot age question Mr. Hop
an exhaustive opinion that effectually lays
all argument on the shelf.
uous officials, with a Christian spirit and
4 genial smile, said: I'm glad it's settled!
this is a direct appeal to every unregis-
tered wOman-let's show that we are
worthy to be sovereign citizens in the best
country on earth Let's all register and be
election. Our country needs u.s.
Women Win Fight.
Kansas wonderland modest men,
too-need not give their exact age in
order to vote. In a ruling by Richard
J. Hopkins, attorney general, it is
held that the mere statement that the
registrant is over q years of age is
sufficient to entitle the man or woman
to rights of suffrage.
HopkinS's ruling came after red
hot fight in which many Topeka
women, led by Margaret Hill McCar-
ter. refused to register if required to
give their exact age. Hopkins held
that the demands of the women were
proper and justified and that they
could not be required TO state exact
ages unless they so desired. The same
rule applies to men Credit for the
ruling IS due Mrs. Lila Day Monroe,
who conducted the campaign thru the
columns of The State Journal
In cases where a registrant has not
reached the age of majority but VIII
do so before the November election,
then the city clerk may make full in
quiry as to date of birth. The same
rule applies to foreign born registrants
where issues arise as to their rights
of citizenship. In his opinion Hopkins
said in part:
The 1918 amendment to the constitution
fixes the qualifications of voters, including
that ''of the age of twenty -one years and
upwards" and If the statute attempted to
prescribe any other qualification on the
matter of age it would not be valid on that
point If information is given on the regis
tration book under the heading OF age
which shows the applicant has attained
such an age that he or she shall be at
least of the age of twenty-one years at the
coming election. that will be sufficient on
the question of age qualification. There
is no doubt that in many cases a dis
closure of the age of the applicant may
cause serious annoyance or injury to the
I,
is so substantial that if the precise age
over twenty-One of the applicant is re-
0uired TO be stated, many persons Will pre-
fer not to register, and. will thereby lose
their right to vote; and construction OF
the requirement of section oil to the eff
feet that person above the age of twenty
one must state his or her precise age, Will
work great inconvenience and hardship and
practically deprive "A large percentage OF
the voters of their right to vote.
It is not essential for the purpose of
Identification that the age of the applicant
over twenty-one should be given. In adj
ditiOn to the name. the form calls for the
occupation and the residence and for in
formation under the heading of remarks.
which are ample TO enable the voter to be
are two or more persons 4 voting age hsv-
ing the same name and residence In
formation can be given under the heading
of remarks that will enable them to be
fully identified
The purpose of the statute as to regis
tratiOn is to prevent persons from voting
who do not have the right to vote; and
any construction which would impose in
convenience and hardship and deprive
cast their ballots at the election, should
be avoided.
If the applicant at the time of applying
for registration has not attained the age
of twenty-one years. then it will be neces-
sary for the applicant to give his or her
precise age so that it may appear that he
or she will be twenty years of age
upwards upon the coming election day. In
other cases it is sufficient for the working
or the statute thur the applicant SnOuln
furnish information showing that he or
she at the time of registration is Of the
age of twenty-One years or upwards. or
has attained such an age that he or she
will be twenty-one years of age or upward
on the coming election day; and If the ap-
plicant is over twenty-One years of age,
it will be enough to state that he or she
is over twenty-One years of age. This
view carries out the real purpose of the
statute and avoids any conflict Of the
statute with the amendment to the con-
stitution of 1918.