The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1943-06-25
What TO DO
ABOUT THE anti.
POLL TAX FIGHT
By VITO MARCANTONIo, NC.

By VITO MARCANTONlO. MIC.
If | were a trade unionist reading
this copy of my labor paper the first
thing | would do as soon as / had
laid my paper down would be to write
letters to the two senators from my
state and to the chairman of the
senate judiciary committee Sen. Fred
erick Van Mugs at the Senate Office
Building, Washington, ID. c. And in
that letter / would say without hear
ings, without amendments, without
delay bring the Marcantonio anti-poll
tax bill, II. r. 7, to the floor of the
senate for an immediate vote"
/ am well aware that trade union
list has many urgent problems to con-
Germ him. He is concerned about the
effect of the pernicious SmithC Con-
nally bill lon his union and his job
security. But the authors of this bill
are poll-taxers.
He is concerned about the break
down of price controls, the failure to
establish subsidies for food commod-
titles and to accomplish a genuine roll
back in prices. But the authors of
the attack on OPA and the whole
rationing and price control system are
poll takers, aided and abetted by re-
dictionaries from other states.
He is concerned with the impend-
ing plan to put over on American
workers a sales tax, to enrich the
wealthy with a modified version Of
the soak-the-poor Ruml plan. But the
poll takers are allied with the forces
who are back of this too.
On the home front as well as on
the military front the disfranchise-
ment of ten million Americans (six
million whites and four million ne
constitute hindrance to our
war effort of alarming proportions.
The consequences of this denial of the
vote to these millions are seen in
every legislative act of congress, in
the hesitancy of the administration
to take fortnight win-the-war steps
on basic labor issues.
The anti-poll tax fight is, therefore, |
an issue that should strike the deep |
est response among the membership |
Of every trade union.
No one doubts that the passage of
my anti-poll tax bill would strike a |
blow against the reaction
lry poll tax clique that seeks to des
roy the hard-earned rights of Amer
can labor. No one can deny that |
he passage of the bill would release
he energies of ten million voteless |
Americans for fuller and larger par
.icipation in our peoples war.
Thus the bill is something to fight |
or. How can we win this fight?
My bill is now in subcommittee
If the senate judiciary committee,
of Senators Mcfarland
'Ariz.); Murdoch (Utah); Connally
Tex; Danaher Comm and Austin
W.T.. My bill is identical (word for
word with the bill favorably reported
,ut by the senate judiciary commit
zee last year. Last year hearings,
extending over several months. were
leld, during which the pros and cons
we're thoroughly discussed. There is
lothing to add to these arguments,
here is nothing to change in my bill.
rheer is, then, no reason-except the
delay-for holding hearings
" for seeking to amend the bill.
This is why nothing stands in the
way of Immediately bringing my bill
o the floor of the senate but the
and Vaccinations of poll
axers, who know they cannot CON
inue a filibuster for IS months, and
Who, therefore, hope by hearings, by
II sorts of delays in committee hear
ngs, by all sorts of amendment, to
revent the bill from coming to the
1onths of the second session of con-
ress late in 1914 They know that
very days delay is a day of grace
Dr. them. They cannot talk for Is
lonths. But the American labor UNI {
,ns can stop this delay, can defeat
he filibuster and pass the anti-poll
TX bill.
Ask yourself this question: do | {
now anybody who is opposed to the {
nti-poll tax bill, who does not want
} see the right to vote extended to [
IN million disfranchised Americana" {
he answer is you probably do not. {
ut you certainly know tens of people t
no are for the bill one hundred per {
emit Why then Mister, Mrs. or Miss {
rade Unionist don't you see these
lends of yours and get them to write |
.tters to their senators, too. t
Many things are happening in con- &
Continued on Page Four)