Evening star., 1944-02-14
Compromise Revived
On Soldier Ballot;
COP Seeks Test
By the Associated Press.

~ s1e Associated Press.
A compromise bill to provide
Federal ballots for veterans who
DO not receive full State lists of
candidates was revived on Capt.
tol Hill today as House Minority
Leader Martin said his party was
ready to meet the challenge if
President Roosevelt tried to
make the voting controversy an
issue in the national election
this year.
Returning from Wheeling, w. Va,
where he spoke at a Lincoln Day
dinner, the Massachusetts, Repub-
ican, who leads the House bloc
demanding State-issued ballots for
soldiers, said of the fight over the
soldiers vote:
I'VE are not afraid of that as
an issue. When the facts are
known, the public will come to our
side. We want to give the boys
just as good ballot as any civilian
mas, and we know that transpor-
tation can be arranged for State
ballots"
The compromise measure of Sen
ator Taft, Republican, of Ohio, ap-
parently Is due for another scrutiny
by Senate and House conferees who
meet this week to seek some COM
mon ground between the Senate's
1nSistence on a uniform Federal bal
lot and the House determination to
let the States take care of votes
Tor the armed forces.
May Replace Taft Proposal.
The Taft proposal was knocked
down three times by the Senate
IN the administrations final drive
to put through its Federal ballot |
bill. But Senate conferees indi-
Gated that the substance of the Taft
proposal might make up the ulti-
mate compromise.
Senator Green, Democrat, OF |
Rhode Island, co-author of the ad-
ministration's Federal ballot bill |
and chairman of the Senate con-
ferees, said the Taft amendment
couldn't be considered in its origi-
nal form, but added:
The conference could settle on
something like it because the con-
ferees have the entire scope of the
issue to consider-all the way from
Federal ballots to outright State
absentee ballots"
Senator Connally, Democrat. of
Texas, one of the Senate conferees
and a States rights" supporter,
spoke of estate and national bal
lots" in connection with the COM
promise seeking conference.
The Senate conferees will meet
tomorrow to arrange joint meeting
with the House committeeman. They
will go into the conference con-
fronted with:
1. The Senate-passed Green-Lucas
bill under which Federal ballots for
President, Vice President and men,
bers of Congress would be used (
generally among the men overseas.
They could request State absentee
ballots, but if they fail to receive
them would be given the Federal
ballot.
Estates Rights" Bill. "a
2. The House passed "States,l,
rights" bill, which recommends that
the States pass legislation to send
their own absentee ballots to menl
and women In uniform. That bill
does not include a Federal ballot.
The Taft plan calls upon the
States to authorize lightweight
absentee ballots for their military
voters and have them ready for
mailing IS days before the election.
It would set up a Federal ballot for
use only in cases where States failed
to furnish voting forms-and then
provide that the Federal ballots be
counted lin accordance with State
law"
Administration supporters protest
that this final clause would restore
local registration and poll tax pay
ments as voting qualifications and
would make it possible for local
election officials to throw out all
Federal ballots. Is