Evening star., 1924-10-28
All Americans Should Vote,

one week from today the people of
the United States will go to the polls
and vote. They will cast their ballots
for electors who will vote for Presi-
dent and Vice President. They will
) vote directly for members of Congress
and for State officers. 1t is expected
mat the largest number of people will
cast ballots in the history of the coun-
try, probably more than 10000. 900.
! perhaps as many as $4,000, 900. Inten-
s1Ve efforts are being made to get the
people to vote, organized movements
Dy business men and others having
been started without partisanship to
secure the greatest possible expression
OF public will at this election.
American elections have heretofore
been determined by minorities of the
people. They have been participated
In at no time by more than 81 per cent
OF the population. The first records are
those Of the election of 1924, 100 years
ago, when less than per cent of the
population Of the United States bal
loted. The franchise was then limited
however. Now it is practically univer-
sal, save for four classes of people, In
dams, convicts, the insane and the citi-
zens of the District of Columbia.
The appeal to the American people
to vote on November will probably
result in a large increase in the total
OF ballots cast. But it will leave the
more marked the unjust discrimina-
tion against the residents, of the Dis
trict, who have from the beginning
been barred from participation in all
national elections. They have at no
time had choice in the selection of
the Executive and Of Congress. They
have had no representation whatever
in the electoral college or in the Ma
tofaal Legislature.
The hope of the Washingtonians is
that as a result of the Nation wide
rea for fuller participation in the
election their unhappy plight will be
noted throughout the country. 1t is
felt here that there is no disposition
on the part of the people of the coun-
try thus to discriminate against their
fellow citizens who reside at the Ma
tional Capital. 1t is singular fact
that few Americans realize the dis
reimbursement of the Washingtonian.
Surprise is usually expressed when
this fact is stated The District is rep
resented at the national conventions
OF both the major political parties
through the courtesy Of those organi-
zations, having the same status as
Territory. They have six votes in the
Democratic convention and two in the
Republican. 1t is, perhaps, due to the
fact of this participation in the selec-
tion of candidates for the presidential
Office that the impression obtains gen.
orally that the District actually votes
on election day.
The feeling prevails here that when
once this fact of discrimination of en-
franchisement is brought home to all
the people of the country a demand
will be made upon Congress for the
adoption of a constitutional amend
Tnent permitting the enactment of a
law giving the ballot to the Washing
tonian for President and for members
Of Congress, and giving him also the
representation in Congress so that he
may by such direct proxy participate
in the making Of Federal laws and
likewise those local laws which per-
tain to his own welfare.
The Washingtonian joins heartily in
the plea that all Americans vote next
Tuesday. He believes that he, as an
American, should be permitted a vote
Of his own.