The potters herald. [volume] (East Liverpool, Ohio) 1899-1982, 1938-09-15
Labor Demands the
Forgers Prosecuted
DonnellY Hits Fraudulent
Signatures To Appointive
& Petitions
(By Ohio Labor News Service)

(By Ohio Labor News Seryice)
Columbus, O.-Prosecution Of per-
sons found to have forged names and
secured fraudulent signatures to petit
tions proposing constitutional amend
ment providing for appointment in
stead Of election Of the Ohio high
judiciary was demanded by Secretary
Treasurer Thomas J. Donnelly Of the
Ohio State Federation Of Labor last
week
Aroused at the large number Of sig
natures invalidated by Boards Of Elec-
tions throughout the state in the
routine process Of checking signatures
appearing on the petitions against the
record before certifying the petitions
to the Secretary Of State, Donnelly de-
clared that there was sufficient evi-
dence Of irregularities to bring charges
against circulators of the petitions in
several cities.
| In conference with Secretary Of
State William J. Kennedy Donnelly in
sisted that where clear evidence Of
fraud was found in the petitions, the
circulators of those petitions should be
prosecuted.
Reports Of Wholesale" taking of
signatures on petitions circulated in
Hamilton county were reported by the
Board of Elections there, where an un-
official tabulation indicated that APP
proximately 50 per cent of the sig
natures would be invalidated
Hamilton County Board Of Elections
clerks are reported to have found sew
eral petitions with all Of the so or rs
names on them absolute forgeries, al
names appearing on them being writ,
ten in the same hand writing.
The Ohio State Federation of Labor
and affiliated Unions have consistent
ly opposed the amendment since il
was first proposed to years ago by the
Committee on Judicial Selection, com.
posed Of lawyers some of whom have
served on the bench.
One of the Committee members was
defeated for election, largely through
the opposition of Organized Labor
after having served short appointivt
term on the Supreme Court of Ohio
Under the proposed amendment
Judges of the Supreme and Appellate
Courts would be appointed by the Gov.
ernor from a slate of five submitted
by a Judicial Council, composed of one
member from each of the variou!
courts and committee of lawyers ap
pointed by the Governor
Such appointed judges would rur
against their record and without oppo
sition at siX-year periods, and, shoulC
they not receive majority Of th'
votes, the Governor would then ap
point another lawyer suggested by tht
Council.
This system has been termed "Fas
cist' and an European importation
by Organized Labor, which insist!
that the constitutional privileges of Sc
lecting judges to interpret the Law
shall remain in the hands Of the elec
torate.
A desperate effort to salvage a suf
ficient number Of signatures to have
the proposal placed on the Novembe
ballot was launched last week by pro
:, ponents of the amendment, WhC
brought court action in Lucas count.
against the Board of Elections there il
an endeavor to have signatures invali
dated declared legal.
The Lucas County Board of Elec
tions had invalidated II ,965 signatures
or 80 per cent of the total filed in tina
county, in certifying the petitions t.
the Secretary of State. The petition
. were returned to the Board by the Sec
retary Of State for presentation il
court
Signatures are invalidated by Board
Of Elections when they are apparen
forgeries, the names of persons no
registered, and persons whose name
cannot be found in any directory.
At the request of Secretary Don
nelly, representatives of affiliated or
ganizations throughout the state ar
conducting their own check of the sig
natures to determine their validity.