The Waterbury Democrat., 1944-10-25
COP. Strategists Resurrect an
 Old One

Included in the Election Law for New is this archaic provision; q do swear Cor affirm) that have not made or become interested in any bet depending upon the result of this election" Therefore, if Governor DeWey'S Election Board can't find any other excuse for casting out the ballot of soldier or sailor, Marine, Coast Guard or others entitled to wear the uni- form, the Dewey board can disqualify, or perhaps prosecute for perjury, any of our countryS defenders who have Wagered package of cigarettes with comrade that President Roosevelt or Governor Dewey will be elected in November,
 This appears to be veStigal remainder of forgotten statue reminiscent of the days when only member of church in good standing was entitled to vote. It would be an interesting departure If pr. Gallup would conduct a poll recording how many citizens of the entire state are entitled to vote under these condi- tions. He would not require even his use- ful 1 per cent margin of error in record in gthe result for If every citizen was re-
  not bet on the election the people en- titled to the suffrage might be able to hold convention of their own in a Fifth Avenue bus or perhaps even in tee- phone booth.
 The practical unanimity with which the Prohibition Law was violated-Wtth no consciousness of moral turpitude - would not be more than minor fraction of those guilty of the heinous practice of gambling on political campaign. Doubtless the legislatures and the Gov ernor responsible for the monstroSity that we call the Soldier Voting Law would dis claim responsibility on the ground that they merely follow the language of the aged statute. It Is going to be hard to make anybody believe that either an oversight or routine kept this absurd element in the law It is very much easier to credit the anachronism to guberna- torial super-caution against the prob. ability that 80 or 90 per cent of the vote for President by the members of the arm ed forces would be for the Commander in-Chief
 The ridiculous provision which would invalidate the ballot of girl betting a pair of gloves or a handkerchief with her young man as definitely as that of a partisan willing to risk thousands of dollars on his political foresight and judgment points to political expedient unmatched in modern history Down on Wall Street there are number of most reputable brokerage house that special ize at this season in placing election bets. Probably not one of them, or any en1- ploye, ever heard of the betting prohibit ton but, as ignorance of the law IS no excuse for law violation, probably 90 per cent of the deniZens of the financial dis trict ought to be in jail.
 In any event, this provision in the election legislation is no more grotesque than the complex, elaborate and com plicated body of the enactment which eHght to be termed a Jaw to prevent the men and women who are performing the most patriotic service of which citizens are capable from taking any part in the selection of their government. The pro- hibition amendment was repealed when # became obvious that 1t could not be enforced-perhaps some day we will have New York state government honest and intelligent enough to follow the suggested precedent