Evening star., 1922-12-03
A JOLT DUE FOR HAROLD Wash
Washington Youth to Show Vote Machine
And Seek Congress Approval Tomorrow

ONGhkSS tomorrow will try out
the electrical voting system in
vented and perfected by Mar
shall F. Thompson, 26l1 Mozart
place northwest. who took out his first
patent on this mechanical vote
recording device when he was only
seventeen years old and a student in
Western High School. During the
eight years that have since intervened
he has been improving tho mechan-
ism.
Members Of Congress, eIetrcical en-
gineers and parliamentary experts
from all over the world have in
spected this electrical voting system
and figure it will save three months
time in session of Congress- 1t will
be demonstrated tomorrow in the
House office building. Leaders on
both the republican and democrat tic
sides of the J,ouse and Elliott Woods.
architect OF the Capitol. are anxious
for the iassal1Ation Of some such sys-
tenn Ut mechanical voting.
f. 0s.ve Will be made to get a reso-
lnticu put through during the present
ConEre15 SO that the system can he
Installed before the new Congress
meets.
After demonstrating this system to
Congress. young Thompson is plan
ming n tour of the states to explain
1t to all the legislatures. Wisconsin
has mechanical voting system in
stalled in the state capitol, but there
1t consists principally of an annup-
ciator
X X x X
THE principal advantages of the
L Thompson electrical voting sys-
tenn are: ~ All members can vote
simultaneously by pressing buttons at
their seats: (2) the vote of each mem
Der Is visually shown to all occupants
OF the chamber by means OF indicator
boards designed to be placed in the
panels on either side of the Speakers
rostrum: and go a complete per-
forated card record of the vote, In
cluding the totals. can be obtained by
n clerk in a fraction of a minute SIM
ply by inserting a blank card in the
recorder cabinet and pressing but
ton.
This means simultaneous voting, in
stantaneous record votes, conserva-
tfon OF valuable time and absolute
accuracy. Each member records his
own vote. the otals are automati-
cally checked, the permanent record
cannot be altered, absentees are auto
matically counted and recorded. print
ers' and clerical mistakes are avoided
and there Is u complete record.
The Washington boy who invented
this system that has attracted the
attention and support Of members Of
Congress internationally for the last
eight years was born in Alexandria,
Va, September 1, 1896, and educated
in the public schools Of Alexandria
and Washington. He ATTENDED the
Cooke and Western High schools here
At an early age young Thompson
displayed marked mechanical ability.
He was particularly interested in
electrical and aeronautical develop
ment and constructed a number of
small airplanes in his home labora-
tory. which were successfully flown
from the Washington Monument lot
and other places around Washington,
Through his fathers connection
with one Of the big telegraph COM
panies this youth had an unusual op-
portunity to study many kinds of
electrical signaling apparatus, such
as are used in automatic telegraphy.
So that when he undertook the work
of constructing a device to record
votes in such parliamentary assem-
blies as the Congress Of the United
States and the state legislatures he
had already a good background of
practical observation.
Champ Clark, the late democratic
leader of the House and former
son his inspiration. Champ Clark
said:
'If some means could be devised to
expedite calling the roll in the House
of Representatives by some electrical
or mechanical system it would be a
wonderful saving in time. and conse-
quently a wonderful saving in money"
In this connection it may be noted
that this is the first Congress in the
history of the republic in which there
are to be four sessions. This present
been avoided, with all Of its cost. if
there had been a mechanical voting
system in operation.
\ 7 the age Of seventeen. while a
\ student in Western High School,
young Thompson made up complete
drawings Of his electrical voting ap-
paratus, took them to the Capitol and
laid them before Speaker Clark. Floor
Leader Kitchin and others then in
control Of the House. His plans were
we'll received and he was advised to
make up working model of his ma
chine, which he did, completing 1t in
about q year.
When the model was finished it was
taken to the Capitol and placed on
exhibition. 1t was viewed and tested
by many members OF Congress, who
were pleased with its operation.
Young Thompson himself was not
satisfied. He was sure he could make
important improvements. For exam
pie, in that early machine the total
Of the votes in the several divisions
aye, nay, not voting-werc shown
usually. He believed 1t would be
better to print these totals on record
cards. Furthermore, he thought he
could design his apparatus so as to
count and record absentees or men,
bers who for any reason failed to reg
lister their votes.