Evening star., 1944-02-06
Soldier Ballot Fight
Enters Third Week
Of Senate Debate
BY ]. A. OLEARY.

Inc DaCCle over Federal or
State control of soldier voting
will go into its third week OF
Senate debate tomorrow, with
each side still hoping to gain the
upper hand in one of the most
complicated parliamentary sit
uations in recent congressional
history.
Lack of a quorum brought an
abrupt end to yesterdays session
half an hour after it started, and
there was no certainty last night
how many days will be required
this week to get a decision on the
voting issue.
With 48 required for a quorum,
A Senators had answered the call
when Majority Leader Barkley
moved to adjourn, q motion which
is not debaRble Advocates of a
States-rights substitute for the ad-
ministration's Federal ballot plan
were in the majority among those
present at the time, judging by a
test vote on Friday. Even if further
efforts had been made to obtain a
quorum, however, 1t is doubtful II
a final decision would have been
reached yesterday.
Senator Barkley said later he
moved to adjourn because he did
not want to spend the day trying
to get a quorum. The lineup for
and against the Federal ballot plan
lis so close both sides will want their
maximum strength present when
the showdown comes.
Army Preparing.
Meanwhile the War Department
said yesterday that information is
being made available at all military
installations on how soldiers may
vote in the April primaries III Illi-
nois, Nebraska and Pennsylvania
and the general election for State
and local Offices to be held in Louis
lana April 18.
Commanding onicers have been in
structed," an announcement said,
ito call the primaries and the elec-
tion to the attention Of men from
the States concerned in time to give
them maximum opportunity to COM
plete all the steps necessary for
balloting.
In addition, postage-free postcard
applications are being made avail
able for all personnel to be used as
indicated in special instructions for
each State"
The department said it expected,
however, that it will be impossible
for some men overseas to apply for
absentee ballots, receive, execute
and return them within the time
limits allowed. 1t asked that the
men keep this in mind saying "it is
not desirable to burden oversee air
mail with applications for ballots
in cases where the time interval is
manifestly too short"
Navy Also At Work.
A>oNy oAASAoAo ot14A t1lCy WCIc WOIAs
ing on the problem of voting by men
in the sea services, but details were
not available on what is being done.
The Senate debate was continued
on the air last night, between Sen
ator Green, Democrat, Of Rhode
Island and Senator Taft, Repub-
lican, Of Ohio, one Of the sponsors
of the substitute to preserve State
control of voting procedure.
Senator Taft warned that the in
PRODUCTION Of a Federal ballot into
the election system may lead to
an election contest, like the Hayes
Tilden fight in 1876, which, he said,
would be most unfortunate in the
midst of q war"
Senator Green declared millions
of service men and women, who
would be able to vote If they were
at home on election day, will be
unable to vote If soldier voting is
left to the laws of the several
States"
Tn tho Ia ef feu dave ~drr{p3st..