St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1943-03-12
Anti-POll Tax Bill Is
introduced in Congress
By New York Member

UOLdl VOL9 cast III some cases IN
some districts has not exceeded two
thousand votes.
LET US bear in mind that Con-
gressmen from states where the
poll tax does not exist have been
elected by voters participating in
the elections-primary and general
elections - numbering from forty
thousand to half million. The
reason for the small number of
votes cast in poll tax districts can
not be attributed to any other cause
than the requirement for the pay
ment of a poll tax. In seven re-
naming states citizens must pay
for the privilege of voting sums Of
from one to three dollars a year.
Therefore, you can readily see
the undemocratic representation.
Men elected in voting constituencies
Of two thousand can never be as
responsive to the people of their
districts as Congressman and Sem
ators elected from districts where
there is no restriction on the cleo
tive franchise. Undemocratic rep
resentation makes for repressive
and reactionary legislation. Every
observer on Capitol Hill in our ma
TONS capital will readily agree that
in the main with several notable
exceptions, Congressman and Sem
ators, who are benefciaries of the
poll tax limitations are the van
guard in the denial of win-the-war
legislation for the home front. It
is no secret that the opposition to
the Presidents program for limit
ing of salaries to $4,000 a year
during war time, for genuine price
control and effective rationing, as
well as to other essential measures
in the Presidents seven point eco
nomic program-that this opposi-
ton comes to a considerable extent
from those who have been elected
in poll tax districts.
at is no secret that those who
are beating the war drums against
the working man and working
woman, who make up the vital regi-
ments in our battle for about pro-
duction-are likewise to large de-
gree representatives of poll tax dis
tricts.
"The obilition of the poll tax will,
therefore, remove the scheme of
elections which makes it possible to
have in Congress representatives
who are the proponents of a policy
which may prove disastrous to the
Presidents and the American peo-
pies plan for victory.
There is another very impor-
tant aspect to this problem, which,
in this worldwide war, is the very
foundation stone of victory. In
peace time the struggle for the
abolition of the poll tax is part of
the great fight begun in 1776 by
our forefathers for the extension
of the blessings of democracy to
everybody, irrespective of race,
color or creed. ..
''In this war the effects of anti
poll tax legislation extend beyond
our own borders. Not only will the
abolition of the poll tax lift the
morale of the Is million loyal Ne
gro Americans in this country and
thereby forge that national unity
which is so essential to victory, but
it will be living evidence and re-
affirmation to our United Nations
Allies and to the Colonial peoples,
in India, Africa, Latin America,
and the Caribbean of our earnest
and high resolve to win the battle
for a free and democratic world.
The best demonstration of our sim
cerity to extend democracy all over
the world is for US to extend it
now, before the war is over, to
everyone within our own borders.
81 assure my friends that this is
not force legislation against the
South. We in Congress have heard
thousands of fine Southern people
of all races and creeds, who UNDER
stand the vital issue involved in the
fight to abolish the poll tax, and,
who want to see it through. This
is legislation intended to benefit the
whole American people-South and
North, East and West. It is sup
ported by all branches of the labor
movement, CLIO, AFL, and the Rail-
way Brotherhoods. It has the over
whelming support of church people,
Catholic and Protestant-of wom-
ems organizations, of organizations
of Negro people and other minor
tiles. -.
at is up to the American people
who hear me tonight to let their
Congressman know that they wish
them to sign this petition. 1t is up
to you who hear me to give your
support to this effort to bring de-
mocracy to our whole people. -. I
feel that I am carrying out the
mandate of the American people to
give the best that I have to the
cause of national unity and victory.
/ thank you."