Evening star., 1943-11-23
Soldier Vote Debate
Postponed by Death
OF Senator Barbour

Senate leaders today postponed
until Monday further debate on the
soldier vote bill, as the chamber
adjourned out Of respect to the
memory of Senator Barbour, Repub-
lican, of New Jersey, who died. last
night.
Majority Leader Barkley an
nounced there would be a session
Friday, but with the understanding
the Green-Lucas vote bill would not
be taken up. The measure is facing
two distinct drives In the Senate for
revision.
While Republicans merely pressed
for amendments they believe neces-
sary to safeguard the servicemen's
voting privileges, a group of South
ern Democrats presented a COM
plete substitute to meet their con-
tention that the bill involves uncon-
situtional Federal control of Safe
election machinery.
Sponsored by Senators McKellar
OF Tennessee, Eastland of Mississippi
pi and Mcclellan Of Arkansas, the
substitute would be limited to a
recommendation from Congress to
the States to pass whatever laws are
necessary to facilitate absentee bal
loting by men in the armed forces.
Senator Connally, Democrat, of
Texas, previously had called the
pending Green-Lucas bill unconsti-
tutional. =
Vandenberg Changes Accepted.
During the first day of debate yes
terday. Senator Vandenberg, Re-
publican, Of Michigan succeeded in
having two changes made in the
Green-Lucas measure which seeks
to simplify the casting OF absentee
ballots next year by the millions of
servicemen and women both in this
country and overseas. They were:
Elimination Of the section that
would have allowed the War Ballot
Commission to throw the presiden-
tial election into Congress by recon-
mending invalidation of the electoral
vote of a State If the commission
found there was not Substantial"
compliance with the Soldier-vote bill
Elimination of the provision that
the President invite the Chief JUS
tice to name a Federal Judge to act
as umpire whenever the four-man
ballot commission was unable to
agree. This provision was killed
after Chief Justice Stone wrote
Senator Vandenberg that he would
decline to take any part in the ad-
ministration Of a law which might
later come before the court for
judicial review.
Majority Vote Rules.
Instead, the Senate agreed to q
Vandenberg proposal that the four
man commission-two Democrats
and two Republicans-act only by
majority vote. This would mean
that any action taken would have
the approval of at least one member
Of the opposite party.
In an interview, Senator Lucas,
Democrat, of Illinois, co-author of
the bill, declared Republicans are
trying to beat the bill without at
tacking it directly. Denying any
such intention, Senator Brooks. Re-
publican, of Illinois said Republicans
want the servicemen and women to
vote and are confident of the result,
There are a lot of Republicans in
this country who don't want the
soldiers to vote" Senator Lucas de-
clared. They want to keep the elec-
ton machinery just as it was in 1912
when they won some victories. They
can't be against the bill openly. but
they are willing to cast suspicion
and doubt on its purpose in an at
tempt to defeat It,"
Brooks Has Amendment,
Senator Brooks, who will move te
strike out a provision allowing civil.
ians and Government employees out.
side the United States to use the
simplif1ed servicemen's ballot, saio
Republicans want the soldiers tt
vote, but we don't want all of thu
Communists, fellow travellers anc
payroll hordes of the New Deal tt
be furnished absentee ballots al
over the world in the guise Of pro.
viding the ballot for the men doins
the fighting"
Senator McKellar said he wantee
the servicemen to vote, but wantes
the bill drafted in accordance with
the Constitution.