Evening star., 1944-11-02

of course. if the soldiers have vote'
heavily for one of the candidate
and against the other-as is gener
ally expected to be the case.
BY ali accounts the Army and tn
Navy have done splendid job il
handling the voting of the service
men, BY this is meant not merel,
transmitting applications for ballots
delivering the ballots to the men
collecting them and returning then
to the States, but the furnishing o
every facility, including competen
instructions. An excellent job o
leaving the Servicemen alone t
decide for themselves for whom the,
should vote or whether they shoulc
vote at all seems also to have beer
done There has been no marching
of men to the polls, no ordering ol
men to the voting booths
Deliveries to States.
The Army's part in the election
ends when the soldiers ballot, seer
by nobody but himself, is delivered
in a sealed envelope to the Army
Post Office and thence to the proper
official back in the voters State. In
the case of the Federal ballots, per-
mitted by some States and not by
others. delivery is made to the
States secretary of state and by
that official to the election officials
of the voter S home county
The Army and the Navy it is be-
lieved. have enabled most of the
servicemen desiring TO do so to cast
their votes in time to be counted
Most States require the ballots TO
be in the hands of the election Off
ciaiS on or before November T. Some
of them have named much later
dates.
Anv apprehension concerning the
handling of these ballots has now
been shifted to the States and, or
the part of some people at least
this apprehension is very real.
Womens organizations in some
communities, fearful that service,
mems ballots may 60 astray, are
urging this danger as reason why
wives. mothers, sisters and sweet,
hearts must not fail TO vote, the
assumption being that the womer
will vote the same way as theil
men in the service.
There is fear that ballots may no
ke horl1nI nj IL, Ior r
carefully after they reach the
States; fear that the secretary OF
state, in some cases, may not de-
liver the Federal ballots to the
counties in time to be counted.
On the other hand, tales are being
told of bundles of ballots already
kicking around county clerks offices
unprotected, waiting for election
day.
Once the ballot boxes are opened
and the counting begins, represent
atives of both parties will be or
hand to watch the count, but ur
to that point the protection of the
soldiers ballot rests largely with
the partisan State administration
II the election is close. don't bt
surprised to hear cries of fraud II
some States.
Warning Sent Out.
Anticipating this ard because, he
says. a number of complaints
alleging improper use of service.
mems ballots already have beer
received. Attorney General Biddlt
few days ago sent i warning tt
United States district attorney!
throughout the country to be on the
alert.
One type of dispute likely to arise
over the servicemens s votes will have
TO do with the number actually cas-
as compared with the number re-
ceived and counted. The Soldiers
Ballot Commission will have report.
eventually from every military unit
on every Federal ballot cast and tc
what State it was dispatched From
its records it should be possible tc
tell how many such Federal ballot.
have been forwarded tn anv pivnr