Evening star., 1944-07-17
Suffrage
Continued From First Pageo

Government, the extent OF Wnlcn
should be determined by Congress
by law.
Il have talked with people In Al
IStates-and kept count-and I be-
lieve their overwhelming sentiment
is to extend the franchise to the
citizens of the District. Tens of
thousands of young men and wom-
en-, born in the National Capital,
are denied the right to vote. The
need for relief grows greater every
year.
Grossly Unjust
These people cannot claim resi-
dence in any OF the States. 1t Is
grossly unjust to continue to deny
these good Americans. intelligent
and patriotic, the use OF the ballot
in the affairs of the Government to
which they pay taxes, to which they
give military service, and meet all
obligations OF citizenship"
Mr.. Randolph said that the for
mer chairman of the District Com
mittee, Mrs. Norton of New Jersey.
and Representative DAlesandro of
Maryland, both Democrats, favored
suffrage for the District and in the
past had sponsored legislation for
that purpose.
The West Virginian also urged
the Resolutions Committee to place
in the Democratic platform a plank
favoring a constitutional amend
ment to extend suffrage to all per-
sons l8 years of age and over who
meet the other constitutional re-
quirements. He introduced a reso-
luton in the House in January,
ls43. proposing such a change in
the voting age.
We placed bullet in the
hands of l8-year- -olds," said Mr.
Randolph. referring to the military
draft of youth. Il believe we should
place ballot In their hands"
Appeal to Youth.
He contended that declars ton
in favor of l8-year-old voting
would have a strong appeal to youth
of the country, and 60 much fur
ther than the Republicans have
gone along this line, with their
nomination of the 42-year -old Gov.
Dewey for President.
While Georgia alone OF all the
States has so far extended the suf-
frage to l8-year-olds, Mr.. Randolph
said he was convinced that IS
to 70 per cent of the American peo-
pile were in favor OF lowering the
present voting age to 81.
A third plank proposed by Mr..
Randolph deals with postwar avia-
ton. 1t says:
I'VE propose to continue the sue
cessful policy established during
Democratic Administrations, of fos-
Itering the development OF privately
owned and independently managed
air transportation systems. These
should be free from monopoly and
needless regulation, to serve as car
riers of our commerce and mail and
as auxiliaries to the national de-
tense. We insist upon the unre-
stricted use, with other nations, of
air bases built on foreign soil with
American funds"
Mr.. Randolph said that the Re-
publican platform had been weak,
in his opinion, on this important
matter, when it merely declared:
The Republican Party pledges
itself to foster the development of
such strong privately owned air.
transportation systems as will best
serve the interest of the American
people"
Text Of Proposed Plank.
Mr.. Randolphs s appeal was backed
up by Melvin D. Hildreth, the Dis
trict member of the Platform Com
mittee, who presented the text of
the plank the local delegation is
fighting for. 1t reads:
I'VE favor amending the Consti-
tuition SO as to provide that there
shall be in Congress and among the
electors of President and Vice Presi-
dent members elected by the people
of the District constituting the seat
of Government of the United
States"
Mr.. Hildreth reminded the COM
mittee that -four years ago the
Democratic convention. for the first
time in the history of any party,
approved . District suffrage plank
and as a result the whole cause was
stimulated. The District of Colum-
bia asks that you do it again."
A statement presented by Mr..
Hildreth on behalf of the Demo-
cratic Central Committee Of the
District said that the action Of the
Democrats in 1910 was hailed by all
Of the newspapers in the Nation s
Capital, The Evening Star stating,
"A fine achievement and the Wash
ington Post Leaders hailed suffrage
plank as q gain"
The Republican party has never
adopted such . plank and In its re-