Evening star., 1942-10-14
FiIibuster Predicted
As Poll Tax Fight
Shifts 10 Senate
Southerners Expected to
Try to Kill Bill Passed
By House, 252 to "a
By the Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
A stormy controversy over out
lawing State poll taxes shifted to
the Senate today amid private
predictions that Southern SEN
ators would filibuster the meas
ure to death.
The bill won House passage yes
terday by an overwhelming vote of
252 to "a, after members had defined
the issue as one of granting millions
Of colored persons in the South the
privilege of q free ballot box in ma
tional elections.
Raised in debate was the broad
question of States rights and of Con-
gress' power to lay down rules gov
erning State elections.
Fiercely, but futilely, Southern
bloc battled the measure down to
the final roll call vote, with Repre-
sentative Colmer, Democrat, of Mis-
sissippi assailing his Northern DEM
ocratic colleagues for their "ingrati-
tude' to the solid South.
Backers Defend Measure,
But, from the measures sup
porters came the cry that the Negro
now is fighting for this country, that
he is entitled to vote for its OH
cials; that the legislation would
carry this country's message of de-
mocracy to oppressed people the
world over.
Mr.. Colmer declared that the bills
direct object was ito enfranchise the
Negro in the South" Today" he
said, I'VE see the sorry spectacle of
that Democratic) party joining
hands with the Republican party :;
nay, more than that, taking the
leadership in trying to pass an
other force bill"
He said the measure would pre-
vent "the people of the Southland
from even controlling their own
election laws, their own State pri-
maries and meeting their own prob
lens which are peculiar to that Sec
ton"
Mitchell Pleads for Passaxe.
In one Of his infrequent speeches
on the floor. Representative Mitchell,
Democrat, Of Illinois. only colored
member of Congress, pleaded for
the bills passage. saying that there
would not be one-tenth OF the op-
position if the Negro was not
involved in this thing"
IT the Negro is good enough to
live in this country" he shouted. "if
he is good enough to wear the
uniform Of his country. If he is good
enough to shed his blood for this
country, then he is entitled to vote
In peacetime as well as in wartime +"
Eight States-Tennessee, Virginia,
Arkansas, South Carolina, Georgia,
Alabama. Mississippi and Texas
require the payment of poll taxes as
condition for voting-and it was
from their Representatives that the
chef opposition stemmed.
The controversial issue-lonp nj
geonholed IN the House Judiciary
Comm1ttee-came up for House con-
slderation only after 1t was forced
to the floor by a discharge petition
introduced early last year by the
late Representative Geyer. Demo-
crat. OF California and signed by a
majority Of the members.
Sumner Charges Pressure.
spearheading the opposition,
Chairman Sumner of the Judiciary
Committee termed the measure un-
constitutional. declared that it was
being pushed by pressure groups,"
and asserted:
I think We are coming to a show
down IN America as to whether we
are going to preserve democracy or
not. II you do succeed in
breaking through the constitutional
barrier, then you have a situation
under which there would be no
effective restraint on the power of
Congress to 1ix qualifications Of
voters"
Thousands Of people disfran-
chised by the poll tax are serving
IN the armed forces Of the United
States" countered Representative
Wasielewski, Democrat Of Wiscon-
sin. rs it fair to deny them the
right to express their will Is to the
people who viii represent them? We
cannot fight for freedom and then
denv tn aYfstanrA - auv aA~~>>
whatsoever. to any group, any place,
In America"
From Representative Faddis, Dem
ocrat Of Pennsylvania, came the
argument that the CIO was instru-
mental IN forcing the bill to the
moor IN order 70 gain voting support
in the southlank