Evening star., 1927-09-24

= There has been more or less discus.
ing to the draft to enforce the will of
the voters of the United States in re-
gard to the nominee for the Republi-
can candidate for President next year.
President Coolidge declares that he
not only does not "choose" to be
candidate, but that "this is not a one
man country" hence the inference is
that there may be many "chooser"
candidates when the time comes.
If, however, the trend of reduction
in the voters should continue a few
more decades in the same diminuendo
it ultimately will be found that the
declaration that this is not one.man
country" does not apply at the polls.
Americans are proud of the fact
that this Is the greatest republic that
history has ever recorded. In COM
parison, the republic of Rome was
small-mall in power, in territory
controlled and in the number of eligi-
BILE voters, for there were more slaves
than citizens in Rome. To be citizen
was a coveted privilege. which was
claimed by few through birthright and
which cost a great sum when pur-
chased. In America all natives and
all naturaliZed citizens have the right
to participate in elections-eXcept
criminals who have served time in
penitentiaries and imbeciles. Yet. ac-
cording to the Get-Out-the-Vote Club.
only half of these eligible voters take
enough interests to cast their ballots,
even in the major elections of Con-
gress and of the President.
Ninety per cent of the governments
of the world are controlled by the bal
lots of the people, men and women;
so 1t is a fallacy to claim that the
United States alone is Land of the
Free" where power comes from below
and not from the top, as in an aristoc-
racy. Furthermore, the statistics OF
the club aforementioned indicate that
the masses exercise less power through
ballots In the United States than in
any other country having the right OF
popular franchise.
From 1880 to 1895, in five presi-
Dental elections, 80 per cent of the
qualified voters exercised their fran
chise, but since then the proportion
Of votes has steadily diminished, until
in the 1920 vote for President Hard
Ing less ttldll Ietil VI INC hiCh oiiu
women entitled to vote did so.
Compare that record with the re-
turns in other countries. Great Britain
is not rated republic, but it is actu-
ally ruled by the House of Commons,
elected by the people, as is our Con-
gress.
England, Wales and Scotland, ac-
cording to the census of 1921, had
population of 42,767, $50, of whom 21,-
10000 were qualified voters. The
vote for election to the House Of Com
mons in 1924 was 1856 6,000-76 per
cent.
The population of the United States
in 1924 was 112,000,000. On the basis
that 49.5 per cent are entitled to vote,
the voting electorate that year was
55, 100000. The total vote cast for
President was 099,131-52.5 per
cent. The stay-at-homes were AIS of
the qualified voters. men and women.
And of these the women are worse
slackers than the men-37 to 63 per-
centages.
The Germans had not been used to
the free ballot prior to the setting up
of the republic Germany's popula-
ton in 1919 was 59,85S,254. or about
half that of the United States, yet in
the 1920 election of the Reichstag they
cast 25S29.947 votes. In Germany
men and women 20 years Of age have
the right to vote, and the total cleo
torate is estimated at about $4,000 900,
hence their ballots amounted to Is per
cent of the eligibles. In 1924 the elec-
ton centered on acceptance OF the
Dawes plan Of settling the war debt
and there was cast then 29,38S,5SS
votes-which was more than our vote
for presidential candidates, with our
population double that Of Germany.
Similar examples might be cited of
loval voting in all other civilized coun-
tries. exceeding the record of the
United States. The voting elsewhere
ranges from 70 to IS per cent of the
qualified voters. in Europe. Australia
and Canada. in contrast with the
American vote Of 40 to So per cent.
The year 1928 will be momentous in
its congressional elections as we'll as
in the presidency. The campaign will
not wait until the national conven.
tions, but in some States 1t will begin
| next March. Between March and June
II States will hold primaries for elec-
tion of delegates to the national con.