Evening star., 1938-05-01
DISTRICT RESIDENTS GET.
REAL THRILL in VOTING

j. in VOTING
Of the Secret Service, and Joe Judge,
former star FIRST baseman of the Ma
tionak and now coach at Georgetown
University.
Takoma voters took" q lot OF kid
ding from Maryland neighbors, who
spoke jestingly Of the District voters
taking part tn q make-believe e,ec-
ton.
Election officials at Cooke School,
47th precinct. learned quickly now to
spot the voters who are opposed to
District suffrage.
They take their ballots, 60 off into
the corner. lean over it apd then
mark it when they are sure no one
Is looking over their shoulders," one
Of these officials said.
Claims Three Votes.
A middle-aged man left the school
after casting his ballot and COM
mented This is the third time I've
voted today. After all, I've been
waiting a long time to VOTE"
II want q good Republican ballot
said Walter e. Wilcox, realtor, Of 1896
Seventeenth street NV, as he regis
tered at Cooke School. Mr.. Wilcox,
who proclaimed himself an ardent
Republican and an equally ardent ad-
vocate Of District suffrage, recalls
that his father was secretary to Gov
Cook back in the days when the Dis
trict had a territorial government.
An aged colored man, who said he
voted for Gov. Shepherd in the early
days Of District suffrage, cast his bal
lot in favor of return of the voting
privilege at Dunbar High School. He
is Charles H. johnson Of 1112 First
street NV. Several other precincts
In the heary-voting colored sections
of Northwest Washington reported
they had discovered several citizens
who had voted in the District last legal
election.
Taft Opposed Suffrage.
Justice Wendell P. Stafford, retired
Of the District of Columbia Supreme
Court, voted in favor of suffrage at
the John Quincy Adams School. Nine
teenth street and California avenue
NV.
Justice Stafford, who was on the
Supreme bench for 27 years, recalled
dinner that was given for President
Taft in 1910 at which the jurist advo-
Gated suffrage for the District.
President Taft voiced his opposi-
ton for suffrage for District residents, ~
Justice Stafford recalled, ION the
grounds that people came here with
their eyes open. However" he said, "a
man at the dinner said to the Presi-
dent, I came here with my eyes closed
was born in the District. What
about me?'"
The youngest voter" was 2-year-old
Cleo Virbillis. who was carried into
the Mckinley High School voting
place in the arms of her father, L. J.
Virbillis. 2009 Second street NE. Cleo
a pretty little girl with golden hair,
stood on a table and peeked into the
ballot box as her father cast his first
ballot since 1923, when he voted in
Pittsburgh. Cleo. although she was
not allowed to vote, displayed great
interest in the balloting, and, not
wanting to leave. had to be carried
away.
Votes Both "Yes" and "No."
The first voter at No. % precinct, in
Southwest Washington. was a gray
haired, bent colored woman who said
she was good bit over sO." After
she dropped her ballot into the box
1t was called to her attention that she
had checked both "yes" and mo" una
der the first question and was told that
her ballot would be voided. Harry 8:
Wender, president of the Southwest
Citizens Association and in charge of
this precinct. said the woman, with
tears in her eyes. pleaded in vain for
another ballot, saying: Mister, I've
waited many year to vote and ]
sure want mine to count"
At third precinct, at Randall
Junior High School, where there was
preponderance of colored voters. an
officer assigned to keep order said,
This has been one of the easiest
jobs I've ever had. Everybody seems
to be interested in voting and not
making trouble for any one"
At precinct No. ~, Dunbar High
School, colored voters were greeted
with American flags at the entrance,
Miss Corine E. Martin, colored, pre-
cinct chairman, said her father and
her uncle, both Of whom voted in
the last District election in 1874,
would cast their ballots in the suf-
frage plebiscite. They are, respec-
lively. Joseph Martin, 80, of 1901
Twelfth street NV. and DR.. Thomas
Martin, SO, of 465 New York avenue
NV.
Naturalization Papers Not Needed.
Officials at the first voting precinct
at the Gales School, First and G
street NV. just about had to close
up shop while they explained to a
foreign-born man that he would not
need his naturalization papers to
vote.
The man said he was told by i'm
migration authorities when he became
naturalized that he would have to
present the papers when he voted so
he'd better hang on to them. 1t took
officials some time to explain the ex-
ception to the rule.
John Borse of 1863 B street Sc. had
just turned 81 when he voted in his
last election-for Mayor of Washing
ton in 1868. He was determined to
be first in line at the ninth precinct
at the Hine Junior High School
Seventh and c streets Sc. One man,
a younger one, had gotten in line
ahead of him, however. The man was
big-hearted, though, and offered to
flip coin with Mr.. Borse for first
nlace in the line Mr. pDrco loef hit