Montana labor news., 1944-06-08
DEMOCRATIC CLUB
REQUESTS PECIA
LEGISLATIVE SESSION

At a meeting Of the South Side Demo-
cratic club held last April, the follow
ing resolution addressed to Governor S
C. Ford was adopted.
RESOLUTION
Requesting the Honorable S. C. Ford
Governor of the state of Montana, tc
call a special session of the Legislature
of the state of Montana.
Your Excellency:
The South Side Democratic club, an
association interested in the public af-
fairs of the state Of Montana and with
a membership extending throughout the
state, held a large and representative
meeting on Thursday, April goth, 1914,
in Butte, Montana.
Spontaneously, discussion centered
upon the p~ervading fear that our soldiers
will not be able to cast their ballots, or
have them counted, in the coming gen.
eral election. There was no speaker
present who did not express opinion that
the present law is unavoidable M that
new legislation is imperative.
The meeting appointed a committee,
consisting of Jack Healy, county sur
veyor, chairman; Philip O'Donnell, at
torney at law; Margaret Nagle, William
j. Walsh and Adds McGrath, county
clerk and recorder, to reduce the con
siderations before the meeting to writing.
The committee has unanimously re-
ported that there is universal knowledge
that the present soldiers voting law is
unavoidable and impractical; and that
the public generally demands that our
boys in the armed services be provided
with a convenient method Of voting as
well as a guarantee that those votes cast
will be counted in the election.
The recent presentation Of the law for
Interpretation by the Supreme Court is
no answer to the problem involved. For,
the real vice in the law is that whatever
its Interpretation, it will not assure a
convenient opportunity to our soldiers
to register and cast their votes and have
chem counted.
Those in public life are aware of the
difficulty of getting electors to the polls
in times Of peace. though our laws pro-
vide every inducement to vote at pre-
cinct places within a short distance Of
their homes.
The annon which must govern an
adequate soldiers voting law are con-
~siderations of convenience, practicability,
and effectiveness. Chapter 1O1 of the
Laws of l943, is far from meeting these
tests. 1t leaves the certainty that few
of our soldiers will receive ballots. They
move from place to place and can be
reached only by mail directed to them
through their next of kin Or through the
headquarters of the armed services. Elk
perience with absent ballots makes it
certain that few will bother to vote, if
too much is required to be done by the
voter.
But, if voting is rendered difficult for
absent soldiers, counting the ballots has
been made impossible for those charged
with the administration of the law.
Count of supposedly secret ballots by
boards and persons, not vested under
the general election laws Of the state
with the power to count ballots, will lead
to suspicion, uncertainty and scandal.
And the final returns will not be avail
able in time to render the ballot effec-
tive.
Neither the public nor candidates will
know who is elected. The administra-
ton of public affairs will be encountered
by law suits. The divergent viewpoints
presented to the Supreme Court recently
are a mere sample of the differences
which already exist as to the effect of
the law. Election officials of many
years experience frankly throw up their
hands when the law is mentioned.
No mere Interpretation by the Supreme
Court can change or revise the provisions
Of the law itself. Interpretation cam
not change inherent difficulties in the
way Of ballots reaching soldiers; in the
clumsiness Of the method provided for
counting the ballots; in the time at
which the final returns will be available;
or in the uncertainty sure to result. The
law itself is cumbersome and unwork-
able. The conflict between it and the
Federal Law bespeaks confusion. Soldiers
will be discouraged and few will vote.
Under such circumstances there is no
remedy but new legislation. And that
means a special session of the legislature
now.
The South Side Democratic Club con-
tinues its organization in election years
and in off-election years, too. Never
before in its experience has there been
such unanimity as there is now in the
knowledge that our soldier citizens will
be deprived of their franchise under the
present law. And never before was
there greater demand that this primary
right be guaranteed to them.
True, the special session will cost
money. But s~tinginess and parsimony
by their representatives will not come
with good grace to a people who have
asked our boys to give their all for us.
The unanimous realization Of the COM
mittee, and Of all whom it consulted,
is that a special session Of the Legisla-
ture is an urgent necessity.
NOW THEREFORE, the committee,
having unanimously presented the fore
going report in writing to the Club in
present meeting assembled, and, upon
motion duly made, seconded, and car
ried,
Continued on Page two