New Britain herald., 1928-04-02
Is GETTING OUT VOTE
 NAIL AfVJ

A FAIll4ACY?
 Strenuous efforts which have been made for several years to get out the vote" at every election having resulted in something akin to failure, sundry voices are being raised against the practice, and one speaker the other day went so far as to say the entire system Of attempting to interest non-voting citizens in do ing their duty" is wrong in principle and vicious in practice.
 Surveys of cities have been made; books and pamphlets written; and the writers seem to agree that be- cause large blocks of citizens do not vote is not necessarily failure Of democracy.
 the current beliefs of the reform as sociations who would have every available voter go to the polls. These reformers give the impression they believe that citizens who do not vote should be either fined or barred from citizenship.
 When one is through analyzing the statements pro and con one inevit- ably comes to the conclusion there is good reasoning on both sides. Just now, however, because of the novelty of holding that the voting citizen is not a menace, it is worth consid- ering the reasons given for this con- clusion.
 Contrary to general belief, 1t is announced after surveys of various cities, the stay-at home voters are not confined to the so-ca]led higher classes of society. The majority of those who fail to vote, it is said, arc from the less educated classes, and they represent people who arc too busy to keep themselves informed of the issues Rather than vote on matters they do not properly under stand, it is stated, they remain away from the polls. And so we are told 1 that this is sensible. rather than to be condemned. Even under modern conditions of wide distribution of i political propaganda there are thou sands with not sufficient time to | keep themselves well informed of all ! the intricacies and subtleties of the political situation: these refuse to vote blindIy and lack sufficient con- I fidence in any political party as an ,lnfailing mirror of all that is true and good in government.
 Suppose all these citizens were in- duced to become actual voters? Who 1 would be the beneficiary? Merely the political machines according to one distinguished observer. Such voters, lacking proper understand ing of the issues, would by instinct, perhaps follow the behests Of the po- litical leaders and merely make il easier for the machines to obtain control. They have an easy enough time as it is is the conccnsuS of the independent minds. At least, we have noticed that the machines from time memorable have interested themselves nightly in getting out the vote" knowing well, perhaps that those induced to vote regardless of their understanding of the issues will be most likely to ''vote straight and the strongest and most efficient party machine under such circum- stances usually gets most of the un- thinking vote, or the vote that would serve a better purpose to the state by remaining at home.
 i The true strength of democrac, does not lie in 100 per cent voting O, all citizens, but q 100 per cent vote o' those who understand what they are voting about. This number may no total more than 50 per cent of the total vote, but if the 90 per cen represents the majority of those able to differentiate between the prcten sions of the politicians better candi dates are elected than if 50 per cen more of those who have been unable to acquaint themselves with tho issues are added to the total.
 All of which represents the view of a growing section of observer who have the hardihood to speak III against the thesis that evcrybod, should vote regardless of ability t l.cep abreast of the issues.
 Our opinion is that when the issue are such as to affect every voter, an' when each and every one begins l. think the salvation of the countr depends upon his vote. all will tro 10 the voting machines-and not be tore.