The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1944-01-21
ALL in SERVICES WILL HAVE
CHANCE TO VOTE

Declaring that he was strongly
of the opinion that every qualified
person from Maryland must be given
the opportunity of voting in the COM
ing election, no matter in what part
of the world he may be-" Governor
Herbert R. O'Conor told the people
of Maryland in radio broadcast
over Station WFBR that "only the
Governor of this State has the right
10 call special session, but l will
call one in Maryland when and if il
is necessary to assure voting by our
absent Service men and women
In what he announced as the first
of a series of discussions over the
radio, Governor O'Conor promised
20 give direct and impartial informa-
ion on problems of general State
interest, on some of which, particu
.arly absentee voting, he said, direct
and impartial information has not
always been completely available
through other sources. Referring t.
pressure that has been exerted from
various sources to force the immedi-
ate calling of special session of the
Legislature, Governor O'Conor made
dnoWn that:
Instead of specializing w h a
might be done by the Army and Navy
as the editorial writer's are doing,
nave gone to the War Department
and secured first-hand information
At the War Department it was sug
gested to me not to call on a Special
Session at once. l am pleased to state
that the position have taken is sup
ported by the great majority OF
States, because, contrary to newspa
per statements, only two out of for
ly-eight States have taken what
they hope will be final action.
eff special session is required to
permit registration by mail, to bring
forward the time limits on filing and
withdrawal of candidates., and to
arrange the other details of handling
the ballots, this will be relatively
simple task for our Legislature,
the Governor added. 1--WE will be
acting then in the face of known
quantity, and not an unknown guam
tity, as would be the case if the Leg
islature attempted to settle the mat
er before Congress makes known its
decisions
81 urge the citizens of Maryland
to take an active interest in this
question and to keep in touch with
developments starting with Congress
reconvening. If you are in touch with
relatives or friends in the Service,
advise them of what is going on and
urge them to request the right to
vote. Next to winning the war, dc
not think there is anything more
important than the preservation OF
our American system of government
This system rests upon the choice OF
oy the greatest number of peolpe OF
heir governing officials. Under such
a democratic form of government,
the greatest good can be achieved
only if the largest possible number
If voters participate in elections.
SIN this latter connection, I think
It unfortunate that the Maryland
Constitution makes it impossible for
persons under Fl years to vote.
personally would prefer to see voting
rights extended to all persons in the
Armed Services. If soldiers and sail
ors, as young as Is, are depended
upon by the Country to defend the
Nation at the risk of their lives, it
seems to me that they should be al
owed to take part in the elections
which constitute fundamental part
If the American system
However, this right cannot be
given by the Legislature as the Mary
land Constitution requires that per-
sons must be 81 to vote.
but we can strive for the most
widespread voting, even by persons
who are FL and who have not been
able to register. This can be accom-
plished in simple manner. First,
Congress should decide finally what
he Army and the Navy will be re-
luired to do. Then, with this impor-
can't pattern established, the States,
can proceed to set up a uniform sys-
cem which will be workable and
which will enable Service m e
throughout the world to vote. BY
seeking action first by the Federal
government, the various States are
not surrendering any of their rights.
They merely are securing definite
Information as to what the Armed
Services can and will do in handling
the election machinery for the benefit
of Service men who are under their
command and whose whereabouts
they alone know"