Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-02-29
T|NKHAM IN DRIVE
ON SFRANCH|S|NC
Attacks Southern Members OF
HouSe-ASks Uniform
Election Law.

Representative Tinkham. Republican.
Massachusetts, again welded his cudgel
III the House yesterday against disfran-
chiscmcnt OF co!orcd voters i'll the
South
Failure of Congress to adopt the
pending resolution in the rules COM
mittce to investigate this diStranchise-
n1cnt. Mr.. Tinkham declared. would put
the seal of congressional approval
upon notification and lawlcSsneSs."
Mr. TinGham attacked the attitude
Of Southern members who support the
eighteenth amendment. vet give their
sanction to what he charged was open
notification of the fourteenth. fifteenth
and nineteenth amendments in denying
the right Of suffrage to colored voters
Referring TO William G. McAdoo as a
conspicuous Sympathi2er" with negro
6lsfranchiS2ment, he declared the for
rer cabinet officer had reached the
pinnacle Of nauseating hypocrisy" in
his advocacy Of prohibition enforcement;
a; Richmond. Va. on February /.
Termed Fraud.
Southern members Of Congress. he
declared. are holding their seats under
q suffrage system III violation of the
Constitution. and as such this dis
reimbursement is more Of a fraud on
the whole country than il IS upon the
negro"
The issue in all its nakedness."
Tinkham said. is whether there shall
be constitutional government in the
United States and whether the Govern
n3ent as il now exists shall be legiti-
mate one"
With tho notification Of the four
teenth. the fifteenth and the nineteenth
amendments. not only are the cleo
tons in these States unconstitutional
and laWiesS. but the presidential cleo
tons are tainted with fraud and
Nicgit;macy"
Passage OF 4 uniform election law,
giving equal rights 10 all those who may
be entitled TO vote in the United States.
was declared 10 be the logical solution
hv MI, Tinkhan. who warned that in
default OF the passage Of such law
the second part of the, fourteenth
amendment. which is mandatory. should
be enforced by the reduction of the
basis Of representation in proportion to
0istranchis2ment.
Gives No Option.
The second section of the fourteenth
amendment gives Congress no option"
Mr.. Tinkham declared. lis not permits
sire or directory. but mandatory.
1T reads: But when the right to
vote at any election for the choice of
electors for President and Vice Presi-
dent OF the United States. representa-
tiyes in Congress- the executive ard
judicial c.-lcers Of a State or the men,
bers Of the Legislature thereof. is de-
MED 70 any Of the male Inhabitants of
such State. being 81 years of age and
citizens Of the United States. or in any
way abridced. except for participation
in rebellion or other crimes the basis
OF representation therein shall be re-
duced in the proportion which the
number of such male citizens shall bear
IN the whole number of male citizens
Il wears Of age in such State.
Nj. Tinkham warned that this
scandalous disfranchisement. in viola
ton Of the Constitution" has been re-
peatedly brought to the attention of
Congress By resolution and otherwise
"Yet no action has been taken he
ADDED. and there has been treated
With rocke-g and scorn the sugges-
ton that the Constitution be enforced
This can no longer continue
The destruction % lust and equal
balance of political power among all
the States" by notification in the
South. he declared. has given the South
seats IN Congress TO which 1t is not
entitled.
Authority Denied.
Every Representative sent from
cisfranchising State since the practice
OF notification began. in excess of the
reduced number. Tinkham explained,
has been sent without authority and
has occupied his scat without right or
title
IF presidential election should turn
upon the unconstitutional electional
votes now based upon the unc0nsti-
tutionaily elected Representatives" he
warned, there well might follow