Evening star., 1943-07-15
wherever they are stationed, te

wherever they are stationed, to
vote.
! "My thought is that both political
parties must be represented fully,
adequately and honestly on every
ship, every island, every continent,
where our boys carry the Stars
and Stripes. If every man and
woman in the armed forces is af-
forded the opportunity to vote with
out difficulty, then when the elec-
ton is over, there will be no op-
portunity to criticize or prophesy
different result had existing con-
ditions continued" he said.
Pointing out that many Ameri-
cans on the home front are spend
ing long hours at war work, there
by failing to get the chance to vote
because OF the short voting hours
in some States, Senator Lucas said:
"All patriotic men and women of
America are now engaged in this
life or death struggle. Millions and
millions of men and women in the
factories, on the farms, in govern
mental Offices, toll. sweat and buy
War bonds with only one objective
IN mind. Millions of American
boys in the Army, the Navy, the
marines and the Air Force, toll,
sweat, suffer and die in every part
OF the world, with only one objective
In mind. Never in our history have
we all been called on to do so
much in order to preserve the
American way of life.
Curtails Voting Opportunity.
AS a result Of these conditions
the opportunity to cast a vote on
election day in practically every
State in the union has been ma
terially lessened.
1t is alarming-it is amazing-to
learn OF the variance of polling
hours which exists in many States
Inc longest period of voting is from
. am. to 8 pm. The shortest is
from 10 m. to pm.
emphasizing that his bill would be
no breach of States rights, Senator
Lucas said:
L should like to have all under
stand that this measure in no wav
attempts to interfere with the cleo
ton laws of any State or subdivision
thereof. 1t affects only the election
OF Federal officials. We in the Com
gress legislate for the citizens of this
country in uniform manner
Therefore, I submit that Federal
legislators should be elected in a
uniform way, and that can only be
done If there is uniformity in the
opening and closing of the polls in
every State in the Union"
Cites Bipartisan Support.
Bipartisan support of the bill was
stressed by Senator Lucas when he
pointed out that chairmen of the
Democratic and National Commit
tees had testified in it's favor.
He also said that a number of
leading newspapers in the country"
mad lndorsed the bill editorially. in
Guiding The Star.
Iermlng the present law which
gives soldiers in the field the right
to vote a failure" Senator Lucas
explained provisions of his bill.
insofar as voters stationed in
the United States are concerned.
he said, "the amendment provides
that the Secretary u War and the
Secretary of the Navy shall cause to
be printed for the use of members
In the land and naval forces an ade-
quate number of postcards which
may be used by each member in
making request to the Secretary
OF State for an official ballot.
1t is mandatory that these cabi-
net members cause the postcards to
be distributed among the members
OF the armed forces in the various
units of the Army and Navy. The
Secretary of State, upon receipt of
the card from the soldier or sailor.
shall send him the official war bal
lot in envelope with voting instruc-
tions, which, when voted, shall be
returned to the Secretary of State
who, in turn shall transmit same to
the appropriate election officials of
the district, precinct or county of
voters residence.
Weeks In Advance.
This action will take place weeks
IN advance of the election in order
that the necessary time is allotted
Tor the transmission of cards and
ballots
Explaining the section of the bill
devoted to voting ARRANGEMENTS for
oaIlotlng outside the United States,
Senator Lucas said:
The Secretaries of the War and
Navy are directed to cause to be pre-
pared and printed an appropriate
number of official overseas war bal
lots on paper suitable for V-mail.
1t has a provision for a straight
ticket voting by writing in the
choice of the party 1t also provides
space to write in the name of the
voters choice for President and Vice
President, as well as the Senator,
and Representative of the district
or Representative at large.
THE bill further provides that
these overseas ballots shall be sent
by the Secretaries of War and Navy
in ample time to assure balloting,
and it also gives them the power to
cause ballots to be printed in for
eign countries in the event they
deem it more expedient and less
expensive from the standpoint of
transportation, etc.
The Secretary of State is required