Evening star., 1944-09-03
District Doctor in War Zone Denied Ballot;
Judiciary Committee 'PoI|ed on Representation
Seven Are Favorable,
Two Against and Four
Are NoncommittoI
BY GEORGE KENNEDY.

By GEORGE KENNEDY.
TITS an outrage" said Senator
Capper. "Just think" he said,
there must be $4,000 young men
from Washington in this situation"
The thin, white-haired Kansan
was examining a card from Col.
Edward Clarke Morse; a postcard
with a red band across the address
side marked "Of1cial Election War
Ballot-Via Air Mail"
Col. Morse is in command of a
station hospital in Corsica.
When he was given one of the s.
500, 1000 postcard applications for al
ballot which the Army has printed
for the men overseas, he filled 1t in
and mailed 1t.
Alaskans Given Data.
But, charts showing primary dates
of the States and Territories posted
by the Army at every headquarters
overseas, chart which even shows
soldiers from Alaska what they
must do to vote, bear this notation
opposite District of Columbia:
mo provision for a soldier whose
home residence is in the District
| to vote in person or by absentee
ballot"
Col. Morse filled in the blank
space on the address side of the card
opposite Secretary of State Of
by writing in District of Columbia,
care of Evening Star, washington,
D. c.
Resident for "a Years.
Col. Morse was an orthopedic
surgeon at Emergency Hospital
before the war. He was born in
Washington and it has been his
home for 81 years. His residence
is at 2023 Massachusetts, avenue
NV. His wife is a granddaughter
of Gen. Pierre G. T. Beauregard.
He is not able to vote as an Ameri-
ican citizen because he happens to
live in the Capital of the United
States. This reporter was dispatch
ed to the Capitol Hill to see what
could be done about getting Col
Morse a ballot. He first called on
Senator Capper.
Perhaps" said the Senator,
this realization on the part of every
young man in uniform from the
District that he is different-that
he has been given an application
for a ballot but he can't have one
will do something to change the
situation"
The Senator became angered
why, if the citizens of Topeka were
denied the vote-there would be
blood on the pavements."
What can we do about it?" he
asked.
Queried on Measure.
What about the -Capper
resolution for national representa-
ton for the DISTRICT" asked the re-
porter. Where is it?"
ITS in the Judiciary Committee"
said the Senator. Ever since the
last war I have been introducing
resolutions for national representa-
ton and they always 60 to the Ju-
dietary Committee and stay there"
An offer by this reporter to poll
the Senate membership won the
Senator's approval.
Good" he said, "let me know
how you come out and if enough of
them are amenable, III make a
speech from the floor asking that
it be reported out"
Chairman McCarran of the COM
mittee is at home in Nevada. This
reporter first called on the ranking
member of the majority, Senator
Hatch of New Mexico
"I'll vote to submit it," Senator
Hatch said.
Connally Opposed.
Senator Connally, Democrat, OF
Texas, was next:
I'm against it," he said.
The reporter took the Senator's
arm and led him to a window of
the historic Senate Foreign Rela-
tions Committee room.
Senator" he said, do you see
that brownstone church building
down there?" The 5th Marine Re-
serve, most of them District boys,
used to drill there Tuesday nights
More than 200 of them were in the
first landing at Guadalcanal and
from all reports, they did pretty well.
Why not make them voting citizens
of the United States when they come
back?"
That softened the Senator a little
He said:
I'D favor their voting for Mayor
or councilman, if they wanted to,
but Id be against their representa-
tion in this body"
why, Senator?" the reporter
asked.
Too Much Influence.
Because they'd have too much
influence here Besides the Con-
stitution didn't intend it that way
and I'm for the Constitution.
Editors note: The Summers Cap
per amendment would not interfere
with the constitutional provision
giving Congress exclusive legisla-
tive control over the District)
At this point, two State Depart
ment officials arrived to report on
some development at .Dumbarton
Oaks and votes for the District went
by the boards.
Senator Chandler came off the
floor of the Senate where he had
been taking part in a debate on
more and larger islands for America
;,a rnf{lnveenv,f
I'm for it," he said. I'm for
their voting"
Senator Eastland of Mississippi
looked at Col. Morse'S postcard,
heard the story and countered a
question on how he stood with:
tsvTyl..& L~ ~,4,,