Evening star., 1932-08-10
DEMOCRATS OPEN
HEADQUARTERS FOR
CAMP PA|GN TONIGHT
Young Members to Conduct
Rally at New City Club
Building Offices.
COSTELLO WILL SPEAK;
VALUES ABSENTEE VOTE
District Ballots Might Sway Re
suits in Several States, He
Points Out.

The Democratic headquarters in the
City Club Building on G street between
Thirteenth and Fourteenth is to be
formally opened tonight with a rally
conducted by the Young Democrats, OF
whom Victor Russell, secretary to Sen
ator Morris Sheppard Of Texas, is
president. Roosevelts campaign mana
ger, James A. Farley, when he inspected
these headquarters on recent visit to
Washington said they are better than
the national headquarters" Mr.. Farley
will visit the headquarters here again
next week.
John F. Costello, the Democratic
national committeeman for the District,
who is in charge of the headquarters,
explained today that his organization
will concentrate on two important activ-
tiles; First, to increase the absentee
vote, with upwards of $4,000 persons in
the District entitled to vote in the vari-
Gus States; and second, to contact
prominent men from all over the coun-
try when they come to Washington and
through the New York headquarters get
them booked to make speeches during
the campaign.
Absentee Vote Important.
The Importance of the absentee vote
In Washington is appreciated by Cam
paign Manager Farley as it never has
been appreciated before at Democratic
national headquarters, said Mr.. Costello
today. He said that Mr.. Farley'S in
terest had been aroused by Gov Wood
ring of Kansas, who told the Roosevelt
headquarters in Chicago during the con-
vention that he was not certain of his
election until about 125 absentee votes
from the District of Columbia had
come in.
Of Victor Russell and National Commit
teeman Costello will make a brief ad-
dress of welcome, formally opening the
headquarters. Judge Hardison and
Mrs. Nellie Tayloe Ross, vice chair
man of the National Committee,
have been invited to speak John
B. Colpoys, chairman of the District
delegation at the Democratic National
Convention, is to give a practical poll
tics talk on the way in which Wash
lngton voters and especially the young
Democrats can help in the campaign.
President Russell is arranging for CO.
operative work between the Young
Democrats in Washington and similar
organizations in the State. A series
of rallies will be held in nearby States.
There will be representatives always en-
duty at the Democratic headquarters
to explain State laws regarding regis
tration and absentee voting.
Districts Plight Shown.
Mr.. Costello in explaining the i'm
portant work that can be done by a
Democratic headquarters in "voteless
Washington" SaiG:
I'VE perform here proper and very
useful function. 1t is sad fact and
commentary that the District does not
possess voting privileges, not even for
President, but this should not be ac-
cepted as indicating that no voters re-
side here.
There are enough residents Of the
District who have retained their voting
citiZenships back hcme' TO swing the
elections in a dozen States in close
years
With its thousands of Federal en-
ployes, coming here from every nook
and corner of the country, Washington
is political croSs-section of the Nation.
The rumblings and the reflections are
evident here before they are elsewhere
only the administration and Congress
do not always hear and see them.
THE Washington indicator points
this year to the certainty Of Demo-
cratic victory in November. If the Dis
trict could vote. it surely would be a
local Roosevelt landslide this year"