Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-28
Special Dispatch to The Star,


ANNAPOLIS. September 27.-The
right of large bloc of citizens en-
ployed or engaged in business or pro-
LESSONS in the District of Columbia,
put who have. to a greater or less
extent, acquired domicile in Anne
Arundel County, will be tested by
judicial decision prior to the election
II November.
Active workers of the Republican
party of the county are expected to
take the initiative in most cases. but
thre are others, not classed as partisans
at all, who are anxious to secure
legal decision as to just what iuStifies
registration officers In accepting the
registration CT a man or woman APP
plicant whose connections are with
both the District and the county.
The question is regarded as highly
important in view of the greatly in
creasing number of persons who are
establishing part-of-the-year homes In
this part Of the State. Many believe
that If all of those who spend limited
portion of the year here are allowed
to vote, they will exercise an undue in
huence on the government of the county.
500 to 1000 Ex-Residcnts.
The number of former residents of
the District who have recently secured
county registration is estimated to be
from 800 to 1000. OF course, 1t is
admitted that some of these, living a
large part of the time in this county,
have right to registration. On the other
hand, some claim that a very large
proportion have only slight connec-
ton with this county.
The persons who are the subject of
this controversy have their local resi-
dences largely in two sections of the
county, the part bordering on the
Chesapeake Bay and such tributaries as
West and Rhode Rivers and Herring
Bay, which lie east of the Dis
trict and some developments along
the Severn River, such as Herald Har~
Dor and Epping Forest. 1t is admitted
that most of these who have registered
either own home of some character
in the county or are members of fam
lilies which 6wn such homes. This,
however, it is claimed, has only minor
connection with the right to register
ana vote. which is not based upon own
ership of property.
One prominent attorney of Annapolis
pointed out that the Court of Appeals of
the State had gone very far to uphold
the right of those who had voting resi-
denceS in the State to retain such resi-
dences even If called away for long or
indefinite periods, but that rights to
acquire voting residence was an en-
tirely different thing.
Voting Residence Issue.
There seems to be no question, 1t was
said, that resident of another State or
the District of Columbia could acquire
voting residence in this State If 1t
could be shown that he actually lived
here half of the time. The claim is,
however. that in most cases these people
do not live here more than a few
months at most and that some only
spend nights in this county over a
limited period during the year.
For these reasons, many residents OF
the county whose interest in the mat
ter is by no means partisan are anxious
for judicial decision as to just what
kind or quantity of residence here con-
stitutes right to register and vote.
Active Republicans Of the county
make no secret of the fact that they are
taking steps to develop the information
upon which the effort to strike many
names from the registration list will be
being assisted by a number OF Demo-
Gratis not allied with the dominant fac
ton in this State and none too friendly
to the candidacy of Gov. Richie.
The matter has gone far enough to
secure the assistance of the State Re-
publican officials, and investigators un-
der the direction of the State General
Committee of that party are now gather
ing evidence in the various districts of
the county and will make the facts that
they develop the basis of their efforts to
purge the registration lists.
Local Republicans state that their In
formation Is that nearly all OF those
who registered did so at the suggestion
of Democratic politicians, and they are,
therefore. expected to vote with that
party. This group, it Is said, might
easily change the result in the county.
Day Set for Objections.
The second day of registration, Octo-
Der z, is the day set for the f1line OF
all objections to names on the registra-
ton lists. On that day they VIII be
fled with the officers of registration In
the different precincts, and these of1i-
GERS will either strike of the names
or decide that they should remain.
Upon the decision of the registration
officers an appeal can be taken either
way. If they strike off the name OF
any voter. he can appeal to the court,
and those making the protest can do
the same II the registers fail to strike
off the names. The court, sitting at
Annapolis, hears these appeals promptly
and will do so in all cases which may
arise.
Democratic politicians are taking the
matter calmly and profess to believe
that there was nothing wrong with the
recent registration and that few, II any.
of those who secured REGISTRATION Will