Evening star., 1944-11-24
Virginia COP Leader
Urges Poll Tax Repeal
Unconstitutional Body
lnjects Issue Into ToIk
Of Convention to Write
New War Voters Law
BY the Associated Press.

Ds hIC hSoUCldtSu fCtSSa
RICHMOND, Va, Nov. 24-Cur-
tbs M. Dozier, Republican national
committeeman for Virginia, yester-
day injected the issue of poll tax
repeal in discussions of a possible
constitutional convention shortly
after Gov. Darden and American
Legion officials had agreed that such
an assembly should avoid such ques-
tions in formulating a new and valid
war voters law.
Mr.. Dozier recalled the recent
series of statements favoring repeal
of the poll tax as a qualification for
voting and asserted that it appears
that unusual efforts have been
made recently to hush up the de-
mand for poll tax repeal"
He continued by stating that Gov.
Darden is said to be desirous of a
nonpartisan plan and has indicated
he would confer with Republican
leaders. We welcome such a confer
ence because I believe we are quail
fed to make valuable contributions
to sound solution of this vexatious
problem"
Without committing himself or
his party on the question of calling
constitutional convention. he as
serted that the State Democratic
party had maintained the poll tax
and that lone of the avowed pur-
poses of the trainers of the con-
stitution of 1902 was to restrict
citizens of this State in the right
to vote"
Mr.. Dozier declared that Gov.
Darden and Attorney General A. P.
Staples . both are distinguished
lawyers. They must have enter
tanned reasonable doubts as to the
constitutionality of the act. Most
well-informed lawyers certainly did
Now, failing in a laudabfe but
devious maneuver to give our serv-
ice men and women the right to
vote. it would seem that the leaders
of the Democratic party. who are
now in complete control of all
agencies of the State government,
might relax their grip on suffrage
requirements and permit the as
sembly Of a constitutional conven-
ton SO that the free exercise of the
simple right to vote might again be
enjoyed by all of our citizens"
Mr.. Dozier's statement came on
the heels of an expression on behalf
of the American Legion by its Vir-
ginia National Defense Committee
which said that it deemed a consti-
tutional convention necessary to
open the way for new war voters
law and that this convention should
confine its business to that one OBJ
jective.
Gov. Darden. who is awaiting ad-
vice from members of the General
Assembly before>deciding on course
of action, has taken the stand that
should constitutional convention
be necessary it should confine its
business to the one item of clearing
the way for new war voters act
The provisions of the war voters
act were declared unconstitutional
Monday by the State Supreme Court
Of Appeals, thus raising the question
of a possible extra session of the
General Assembly.
The Legion pointed out that, next
November Virginians elect a Gov
ernor, Lieutenant Governor, attor-
ney general, the entire House of
Delegates and large number of
very important local officials. The
primary elections for these officers
will be held next August.
Whatever is done, in a legislative
way, must be completed not later
than April l, 1945, in order to al
low sufficient time for obtaining
correct addresses, delivering ballots
and having them returned prior to
the elections"