Evening star., 1944-02-09
Soldier Voting Bill
Solution Is Placed
In Conferees' Hands
House Takes Action to
Settle FederuI-Stute
Ballot Controversy
BY ]. A. O'LEARY.

The long disputed service
mems voting question was sent
to conference today for solution
of the State Federal ballot con-
troversy.
Representative Rankin, Democrat,
|of Mississippi, leader Of the States
rights forces, made no objection in
the House to the request of Chair
man Worley of the Elections Com
mittee for appointment of confer
eeS.
Speaker Rayburn then appointed
the following: Representatives Wor-
ley. Rankin and Bonner of North
Carolina, Democrats, and LIE Compte
Of Iowa and Ellsworth of Oregon.
Republicans.
The Senate is expected to name
its conferees later today.
The measure going to conference
is the Eastland-Rankin bill, which
left-eontrol of service voting COM
pletely in the hands of the States,
until Senate administration forces
late yesterday succeeded in attach
ing the Federal ballot plan to it.
No Action on Lucas Bill.
No immediate action was taken by
the House on the Separate Green
Lucas Federal ballot bill, which the
Senate also passed yesterday, but
Mr.. Rayburn indicated that measure
probably would be referred to a
house committee.
Meanwhile, observers looked to the
Taft proposal to limit Federal bal
lots to servicemen and women who
do not get State ballot as possibly
forming the basis of final agreement
on servicemen's voting.
One of the concessions the ad-
ministration made to win Senate
approval of Federal voting form
was to restrict its use in camps in
this country to those who certify
they are unable to get absentee bal
lots from their States. The Taft
proposal would apply the same rule
overseas, whereas the Senate bill
provides for more liberal distribution
of the Federal ballot outside the
United States.
Although the Taft substitute was
beaten three times during the long
Senate debate, it is not likely the
House will agree to all Senate pro-
visions. The Taft proposal offers a
middle ground between full State
control and use of Federal ballots
! by those who cannot get a ballot
| from home
Ferguson Plan Also in Bill.
The conferees also will have as a
possible basis of settlement the
Ferguson amendment, which the ad-
ministration permitted to go in the
Eastland-Rankin bill yesterday
This would give every person in
uniform chance 80 days before
election to mail a postcard apph-
cation for State ballot, but en-
title him or her to use a Federal
ballot if the State ballot had not
arrived in time to be marked and
returned.
Throughout the fight. States
right advocates have contended the
Federal ballot is unconstitutional,
but this view has been vigorously
contested by supporters of the plan
to give servicemen uniform, blank
ballot on which to vote only for
President, Senators and Representa-
| tiveS.
When Senate debate started the
Green-Lucas bill would have given
the simplified Federal ballot to all
members of the armed forces, at
home or abroad.
Changes Made by Senate.
In addition to the Danaher
amendment, requiring use of State
ballots wherever possible in this
country, the Senate made these
changes before approving the bill:
Eliminated voting by party desig-
nation, by requiring that the names
OF candidates be written into the
blank Federal ballot.
Eliminated provisions opponents
claimed would have resulted. in
marching servicemen to polling
place in military formation.
| The vote on adding the Federal
ballot to the Rankin bill
was 46 to 40. The same proposition
as separate Green-Lucas bill was
approved, Al to 38.