The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1935-01-28
WOMEN VOTERS
WANT U. S. TO
GUARD BALLOTS
Proposal to Have Returns
Sent by Mail Gains
Favor.
BY GEORGE ii. DENNY
Times SsaR Writer

The League OF Women Voters
hesitate 70 say in so many blunt
words that they do not trust the
politicians.
But. if questioned closely, they will
admit that when it comes to ballot
boxes they prefer the integrity of
the United States Postoffice De-
partment. And if they want it and
can handle it. postoffice author
tiles may have a new job offered
to them.
The story starts in the commit
tee room Of the Senate chamber at
the Statehouse. Representatives Of
the League of Women Voters have
appeared before members of the
Elections Committee to argue the
merits of a bill having to do with
reforms in the present primary laws.
The bill is the leagues pet. They
have worked for months, studying
laws Of other states and probing
deeply into conditions in Indiana.
They feel that the present primary
setup has many faults and thev are
Offering amendments designed to
remedy them.
Chief among the proposed changes
is an arrangement called the CEN
trail count system. No one will
argue that many queer things may
happen to a ballot box and the ball
lots therein between the time the
polls close and the votes are finally
delivered to the convaSsing board.
Often when the first few precincts
indicate a close race it may take
four or five days for final returns to
trickle in from key positions.
Legislators Are Cynical
So. the league suggests that all
hint OF "stuf1ng" and other irreg-
ularities be squelched by requiring
that ballot boxes be locked, sealed
and Immediately taken to a central
spot where the boxes may be opened
and the votes tabulated in public.
This, they declare, would help get
Satan behind the precinct officials.
It would help, the committee
members conceded, but it still would
be far from perfection. Taking an
intensely practical. not to say Gym
cal, view Of the matter. they pointed
out that every man had his price
and every lock a key" And even if
heavy penalties were written into
the law to discourage mislaying the
ballot box or dallying unduly on the
way to the central counting hall,
what judge would convict if the I'M
fortunate election officials showed
up with a black eye or two and
swore that they had been set upon
by a gang of thugs who stole the box
or crammed it with votes for Honest
Joe BiOke. the peepurs choice2
There the matter stood as the
committee. apparently doubtful of
the success of the suggested changes,
thanked the ladies for their inter-
est and promised an early report.
The hearing adjourned.
Worth a New Stamp Issue
Then some one had an idea. If
all that was needed to add to the
purity of primaries was to insure
the safe and immediate passage of
the ballot boxes from the polls to
the central counting hall. why not
give the job TO Uncle Sam? Every
one we'll knows how jealous the old
gent is of stamped packages and
letters intrusted to his care. Con-
sidering that persons foolish enough
to steal break, destroy, open OF
otherwise fiddle with such matter
are most liable to be cast into cells
for long periods. who would be fool
ish enough to take the risk, even
for the promise Of a snug post in a
public job?
At least three members Of the
Elections Committee on first
thought are enthusiastic. Senators
Thomas A. Hendricks and John
Bright Webb hope it can be ar
ranged and Sepator Jacob Weiss
declares he will introduce it in COM
mittee. The League of Women Vot-
ers is working out details.
So if Uncle Sam decides he car
undertake it. he may have a brand
new job. 1t is predicted that Post
master General James A. Farley will
cheer the chance to break out with
a new issue of stamps.