Evening star., 1943-12-14
Wor|ey and East|and
Debate Soldier Vote
Bills on Radio Forum

Declaring that next years election
would be a traveSty should the Ma
tion's servicemen not be given every
possible chance to cast their votes
Representative Worley, Democratic
of Texas, speaking last night on the
National Radio Forum, called fol
passage of his bill to enable service
men to vote. His measure is COM
parable to the Green-Lucas bill
which was defeated in the Senate.
Mr.. Worley appeared on the TO-
rum, arranged by The Star, with
Senator Eastland, Democrat, o1
Mississippi, one of the sponsors ol
a States rights" measure approved
in place of the Green-Lucas bill.
Calls Proposal Unconstitutional.
Taking issue with Mr.. Worley
Senator Eastland declared his col.
leagues proposal was unconstitu.
tional.
of course, these soldiers Should
be permitted and encouraged tt
participate in national and loca
elections, Senator Eastland said
Every one agrees to this. However
1t is even more important that il
the soldiers do vote, they vote in g
legal election-that the election ir
which they participate not end ir
chaos and confusion"
He discussed the possibility of the
courts holding the election void il
Mr. Worley's bill is passed.
Would not all of us then lose oul
suffrage?" he asked.
Mr. Worley said that the present
absentee voting laws of the various
states were modelled for peace-t time
and not for wartime.
Hold Systems Inadequate.
These systems are not adequate
to care for the problems the wa,
has brought about" he declared.
Under his plan, he said, uniform
ballot would be distributed by the
Army and Navy and placed in the
hands of servicemen everywhere
On the ballot would be the name.
OF candidates for Presidnet. Vice
President, Senators and Represent.
atives
Il speak for myself personally" he
said, when I say that I would
much prefer that the soldier use the
State ballot when he possibly car
because then he could vote for al
the candidates from top to bottom
The only reason for Federal ballot
at all is to overcome the tremen-
dous handicaps imposed by time
transportation and distance prob.
lens.
| ut does not seem fair to say te
members of the armed forces: Just
because you can't get ballot al
home you can't vote for anybody
Tells Of Mail Flood.
Declaring the election would be
an empty one if 100000 potential
voters were denied the right to vote
Mr.. Worley said his office was
flooded with mail from servicemer
all over the world pleading for help
"As a Texan believe in the SOW
ereignty of the States and so do nv
people. The gentleman might tel
the people that this question is un-
constitutional. Let me suggest that
he tell that to he Marines. espe-
cially the Marines who stormec
Guadalcanal and TaraWa. No con.
stitutional question was raised as tt
how they should fight the enemy
Mr.. Worley declared. "If a boy i
eligible to fight for democracy, ther
he is also eligible to vote for dem.
ocracy."
Defending the substitute bill
passed by the Senate. Senator East
land said it simply leaves to tn,
States the control of elections.
Time to Send Out Ballots.
Congress has no authority to dt
otherwise" he said. 1--WE have no.
the power to confer the right of suf
frage upon any one. We authoriz,
and direct the Army and Navy t.
cooperate to transport and delive,
by air the ballots for all the soldiers
and make free air-mail facilities
available. Official figures from tn,
War Department show that ther,
now is plenty of time to transpor
and deliver the ballots by air.
Senator Eastland declared tha
the various States will be glad K
amend and streamline their various
voters laws wherever necessary.
Through regular and special ses.
sions of their Legislatures they will
gladly cooperate" he said.
II the Green-Lucas version shoulc
pass, Senator Eastland said, I'VE ar,
certain to have contest, confusion
and another Hayes -Tilden contro.
versy in time of war"
Under the Senate's plan the sol.
diers can and will VOTE he said
adding, I'VE will have a legal. or.
derly election. Americanism will
prevail"
The broadcast was heard local.,
over radio station WMAL.