Evening star., 1943-11-11
The Political Mill

Dy Representative MdItll ol
Massachusetts,, Republican lead
er OF the House, and others on
the ground that under it the
President not only could appoint
three Democrats, majority Of
the commission. but also could
select Republicans who would not
be acceptable to the Republican
party.
1t has been suggested that the
Republican members be selected
by the chairman of the Repub-
lican National Committee and
the Democratic members by the
chairman of the Democratic Ma
tional Committee, and that the
fifth member be Federal judge,
selected by the Chief Justice.
This has met with considerable
approval. But the question has
been raised whether it is possible
for Congress to take the ap-
pointive power away from the
President, when these officials
are to be officials of the United
States Government. 1t is ques-
tionable whether either political
party, however, desires to have
the head of an opposing party
name the election officials who
are to serve as representatives of
the other party. In the States
governed by Republican Gov
ernors, for example. the Demo-
Gratis would not agree to allow
the Governor to name their elec-
ton officials and vice versa.
A subcommittee of the Senate
Privileges and Elections Commit
tee has reported a bill to the full
committee after amending the
section relating to the appoint
ment of a War Ballot Commits
sion. The new form calls for a
commission of four members, two
from the party casting the largest
popular vote and two from the
party casting the second largest
vote The appointments are to be
made by the President and con-
firmed by the Senate. In case of
a tie vote in the commission, the
President is to request the Chief
Justice to designate an associate
justice of the court, or a circuit
judge or a judge of the United
States Court of Appeals of the
District to decide the matter at
issue, and to serve as temporary
chairman.
Plan Causes Anxiety.
Many members of Congress
look askance upon Federal
ballot They do not like the
idea that the Federal Govern
ment shall take charge of any
part of the elections held in their
States. They fear a precedent
which may rise to plague them in
the future. If this kind of thing
can be done in war time, they
argue, it might be attempted in
peace time-and election ma
chinery be taken out of the hands
Of the States, so far as President,
Vice President and members OF
Congress are concerned. At pres
ent there are bills pending which
seek to extend Federal power over
elections. One would by Federal
statute provide that no State
shall levy poll tax. The other
would make the time of voting
the hours during which the polls
shall remain open-the same in
all States At present the States
regulate the hours of voting.
Since the recent elections,
which went strongly Republican
in several States, the determina-
ton to have the votes of the men
in the armed services counted in
next years elections has gained
in strength. 1t has been Demo-
cratic contention that the young
men of the country have been in
clined to vote Democratic.
The Republicans are anxious
because they fear that, after the
candidates for President have
beer nominated, they may not
have as good a chance to get their
case before the overseas men as
have the Democrats, particularly
should President Roosevelt be re-
nominated.
Finally, some members of Con-
greSs point out that the consti-
tutionality of the proposed law
may be challenged, which would
have the effect of throwing the
whole thing into the courts-and