Evening star., 1938-04-24
VOTE INTEREST
SHOWNATBOOTH
Typical Cross-Section Is
Given by Crowds in
Lobby at Star.

Aroused interest in complete SUI.
frage for the District of Columbia
including national representation, i.
displayed by typical cross-section
OF the public calling at the informa-
ton booth on the District suffrage
referendum in The Star lobby.
A number Of copies of the Celler
bill, for municipal suffrage, received
by many people yesterday, prompted
. large number of inquiries about the
exact nature Of the vote to be cast
IN the referendum next Saturday
The Celler bill would replace the
District Commissioners with a Mayor
and City Council elected by the peo-
pie. Mr.. Celler explained that in his
opinion 1t would not conflict with the
pending joint resolution for constitu.
tional amendments.
Interest in Celler Bill.
Many callers at the information
booth expressed interest in the Celler
bill. which they had received in The
mail, according to Mrs. Edna L. John
ston, chairman OF the committee In
charge of the booth.
But" she explained, most of the
people who talked about it wanted
much more than the Celler bill pro-
vides."
Many OF the callers, she said. would
declare they wanted much more than
a mayor and council, insisting that
national representation was necessary
to give the residents of this city more
power.
The two questions in the referen-
dunn give the public opportunity to
vote yes or no on the question of
national representation, and also on
the question of election of local Of
flcials.
Enthusiasm of youth in the civic
problem OF suffrage was displayed by
one pretty young girl, Mrs. john
ston said.
DO I have to be 81 years old to
vote?" she asked. That's not right
won't be 81 for two years yet, and
want to vote Saturday, so that when
get to be 81 will have a real
vote in the District"
The main question in the minds of
most Of those who call at the booth,
Is where they wAlvote Saturday.
Vote at Schoolhouses.
The voting places are all school,
houses, in the So precincts into which
the city has been divided. In some
precincts there are more than one
voting place. For instance, the Elec-
tlons Committee, yesterday added an
other place in Precinct No. IL, where
the Randall Highlands School was
originally the only voting place.
The Randall Highlands portable,
located in another section of the pre-
cinct. is the second for the precinct.
In the twenty-eighth precinct. the
Cleveland School has been eliml-
mated, because of repairs. now under
way, and the ballot box instead will
be at the CORDOBA School.
Many persons have been worried
over fear of conflict between legal
residence in some State, carrying the
right to vote there, and a possible new
vote here in the District of Columbia.
1t is explained that if the vote were
granted to the District absentee voters
still would be able, to retain their legal
residences elsewhere if they so de-
sired, and to vote at home" instead
Of here.
Sample Ballots Shown.
One of the interesting exhibits at
the booth is book of sample ballots
from many sections of the country
collected by Jesse C. Suter, vice chair
man of the Citizens Joint Committee
on National Representation for the
District of Columbia.
The reason why so many people
living in Washington have never seen
. ballot, much less cast one" Mr.. Suter
explained, lis due to the fact that
since the territorial form of govern
ment was abolished in 1874 the use
Of the election machinery has not been
available to them. 1t is not surpris-
ing, then, that many Washingtonians,
even those of advanced years, have
never seen political ballot, for the
simple reason the opportunity has
been denied them"