Evening star., 1944-01-26
President Calls
Senate Soldier
Vote Bill Fraud
Requests Congress
To Pass Federal
Ballot Measure
(Tert OF Message ON Page A-16.)

SIsSA sNtS0S0uS
(Tert OF Message ON Page A-16.)
Condemning the Senate-ap-
proved soldier-vote bill as mean
ingless" and "a fraud" President
Roosevelt today called on Con-
gress to enact legislation that
would give servicemen and wom-
en- "a voice in choosing the per-
sonnel Of their own Federal
Government"
The President in a message said
the Eastland- Rankin bill which put
service voting up to the St, es would
not permit servicemen to vote with
any greater facility than a Federal
absentee ballot law enacted in 1942
under which only approximately
$4,000 men voted last November out
of a total of $1,000 at that time
in the armed forces.
What is needed is a complete
change of machinery" the President
said, adding that he believed the
bills proposed by Senators Green Of
Rhode Island and Lucas of Illinois,
and Representative Worley of Texas,
all Democrats, would meet the situ-
alton, adding that they set up
proper and efficient machinery for
absentee balloting"
Senator Taft Protests.
The moment the Senate clerk
finished reading the Presidents
message, Senator Taft, Republican.
of Ohio jumped to his feet and de-
clared:
Il resent, as one of those who pro-
pose State voting for the armed
services the designation of that pro-
posal as e fraud"
Senator Taft said the President
had delivered "a direct insult to the
Senate and a direct insult to the
House" with his message indorsing
the Greeen-Lucas Federal vote bill
now pending in the Senate.
Some of the statements are not
true, Senator Taft continued.
Some Of them are argumentative."
Could Vote Straight Ticket.
Under the Federal ballot plan blank
ballots would be sent to the armed
forces all over the world and imme-
diately after the primaries and NOM
mating conventions lists of candi-
dates would be distributed to enable
choices to be written in. The serv-
ice people also would have the op-
portunity to vote a straight party
ticket if desired.
The President also called on the
Senate and House to let their votes
on this legislation be publicly re-
corded. He explained he understood
that under the rules of CONGRESS
the legislation could be approved
or rejected without a roll call. but
that he feels there would be wide
spread resentment on the part of
the people of the Nation If they
were able to find out how their in
dividual representatives had ex-
pressed themselves on this legisla-
tlon-which goes to the root of the
right of citizenship
a AAAoNC 1ldS bCClt SUd1 III LIl6
House by supporters of a Federal
ballot to line up members pledged
to join in a move to insure a roll
call vote on that type of ballot. To
do that they will have to muster
sufficient strength to amend the
special House rule drafted by the
Rules Committee to govern debate
on the issue.
The President said he had hesi-
tated to speak on the roll-call issue
because he realized it was legisla-
tive matter and that the executive
had nothing to do with such rules,
but that nevertheless, there are
times, I think. when the President
can speak as an interested citizen"
Soldiers Have No Lobby"
In unusually vehement language.
the President said, Our millions of
fighting men do not have any lobby
or pressure group on Capitol Hill
to see that justice is done for them"
and added:
i am sure that can express their
wishes in this matter and their re-
sentiment against the Discriminate
which is being practiced against
them"
At the outset of his message the
President said the American peo-
pie are much concerned over the
fact that "the vast majority of the
100000 members of the armed
forces" will not get to vote in the
important" national election this
fall unless adequate legislation is
promptly enacted and that "the
men and women who are in the
armed forces are rightfully indig-
nant about it,
Mr., Roosevelt said practical diff
flculties and the element of time
make it virtually impossible" for
the servicemen and women to COM
ply with the different voting laws
of the 48 States, such as would be
required under the Senate bill
which is now before the House. He
explained:
Four States permit no absentee
voting in general elections: II others
require personal registration, while
still others permit absentee regis
tration but in some instances under
such complicated procedure that SOL
diers and sailors in ditsant parts Of
the world cannot comply with the
requirements as a matter of practi-
cality. Even though registration re-
quirements could be met, the Presi.
dent continued, there are other
mechanical difnculties in the way.
1912 Statute Ineffective.
Mr.. Roosevelt said Congress took
cognizance Of this ''intolerable situa-
ton facing millions of our citizens"
in 1912 and passed Federal absen-
tee balolt statute, but, he added, the
results in the last general election
showed how ineffective that was.
THE need for new legislation Is
evident If We are really sincere-and
not merely rendering lip service to
our soldiers and Sailors" the Presi.
dent declared. ...
Mr.. Roosevelt said he was sure
that 1t was with tongues in cheeks
l