Evening star., 1941-02-09
By WILL p. KENNEDY.

senators Mckellar, Democrat, OF
Tennessee; Holman, Republican, OF
Oregon, and Representative Pierce,
Democrat, of oregon have resolutions
pending, which they say they in
tend to press vigorously for an in
vestigation of the Gallup. Fortune
Magazine and other polls which re-
Gently have been reporting on public
opinion about the lease-lend bill and
other features of the defense pro-
gram.
Many members of both House and
Senate and of both major political
parties say they believe such an in
vestigation would be helpful to
establish how the polls are taken,
who and what are behind them,
what percentage of the public
opinion Is actually ref1ected-and
whether the persons interviewed
we're qualified to express a reliable
opinion on the subject.
Members of both House and Sem
ate, interviewed on the subject,
frankly admit they are not so much
concerned that such polls may be
usurping their own perrogattve as
refectors Of the sentiments of their
constituents, as that they presume
to represent the convictions of peo-
pie generally throughout the coun-
try who have not studied particular
and intricate legislative problems,
such as the lease-lend bill. and are
not qualified to pass on them.
Senator Wheeler, Democrat, OF
Montana, emphatically declared his
belief that polls on legislation are
apt to be a dangerous thing for de-
mocracy in the United States"
Would Name Committees.
Senator McKellar said:
Indeed I do intend to press for
action and for a hearing soon on
my resolution-and I expect to get
action" His resolution is for an in
vestigation by a special committee
Of three Senators, first regarding
polls, straw ballots and published
reports on election contests, and
then on those that have pUrported
to measure or indicate the status
Of public opinion about matters of
national Importance"
The McKellar resolution would
authorize an expense fund of $4,000.
Senator Holman and Repre-
sentative Pierce have identical con-
current resolutions. 1t is for a
special joint committee of five
Senators and five House members.
It proposes ito investigate the con-
Quoting of polls purporting to
measure public opinion with respect
to questions or issues which have or
may have a bearing upon any cleo
ton held to fill any Office under the
Government of the United States"
It seeks an inquiry on how the polls
are taken with special reference
to the manner of framing questions
contained in ballots or inquiries,
the method of selecting persons to
whom ballots or inquiries are sent
and the reason for conducting such
polls"
Senator Clark, Democrat. of Mis-
souri, sponsored in the last Congress
a resolution of even broader scope,
for an investigation of all publicity
agencies, but now feels that he
has been "stymied" by having the
committee stacked against him.
Polls Declared Racket"
Representative Pierce said:
These polls are getting to be an
awful racket, so we want those who
conduct them to come here before
committee of Congress and tell
how they make the poll George
Gallup has written to me that he
would be glad to come and testify
before such a committee I think
that since these polls are quoted
everywhere, and even on the floor
OF Congress, and since the people
have come to place reliance or
what these polls show. we should
have showdown and see Just how
they are made, and whether they
are reliable.
I'm Oregon. so far as we have
been able to learn. there are Just two
youthful girls on the job of getting
the opinion of more than a million
persons-that is too small
sample"
The conservative view is probably
best expressed by Senator Taft,
Republican,. of Ohio. He says:
Polls serve useful and interest
ing purpose in providing informa-
ton about public opinion. When
they relate to an issue. clearly
deflned, on which there has been
much discussion, they are likely to
be quite accurate. On the other .
hand, casual opinions obtained from |
people who have not thought about |
the subject, and opinions in reply
to confused questions, which do .
not state definite issue. are not
OF much value. 1t is seldom that
polls obtain public opinion on the
exact question which a Senator
or member Of Congress has to vote
on.
Careful Interpretation.
While polls serve a useful pur-
pose, I often object to the use which
is made of them by others. There
seems to be an assumption on the
part OF some newspapers that be-
cause poll has been taken, men,
bers OF the Congress are relieved
from the duty of using their own
no matter how complicated
the question is. Some of the public
also seem to think that ma jority
not only has the right to the
Government action which 1t ap-
proves, but is also necessarily right:
and they let the unconsidered opin-
ion revealed by poll suppress their
own intelligence.
Il nshort, polls are always of in
terest, but they are only of value
# they are carefully interpreted, and
not given more weight than the
Institution taking the poll claims
or It,"
Senator Wheeler said:
I'm short, polls are always Of in
he Gallup Poll when 1t is on a
question of who's going to win an
'lection-what the popular vote is
between Smith and Jones when the
people have largely made up their
minds. When 1t comes to the ques-