Evening star., 1944-03-08
Gov. Dewey's Stand
On Service Vote Seen
As Nomination Bid

ThomaS E. Dewey OF New YOrl
on the Federal servicemen vote
plan convinced many politica
observers here today that he i.
receptive" to the Republican
presidential nomination, though
he has stated several times that
he is not a candidate.
Meanwhile Senator Connally, Dem.
ocrat, of Texas planned to present
to the Senate tomorrow a confer.
ence report on the service voting
bill agreed on yesterday. Regarded
as complete victory for the States
rights bloc" the legislation woulc
provide a Federal ballot only te
soldiers who had been unable tt
obtain a State ballot, then only II
their States have approved this form
of vote.
Gov. Deweys message to the New
York State Legislature yesterday
outlining a four-point program fol-
getting State ballot to troops and
vigorously attacking the admins
tration-supported Federal ballot a.
a blank piece of paper" brought
this comment from Senator Lucas
Democrat, OF Illinois, one of the
principal hackers of the Federal
plan:
Apparently the coy candidate is
now real candidate. Gov. Dewey S
message to the New York Legisla-
ture demonstrates how little he
knows about what has transpired
in Congress concerning the uniform
ballot for servicemen. If he speaks
on other national issues I hope he
informs himself better about the
facts"
Strong Political Implications.
Senator Brewster, Republican. of
Maine, agreed with his colleague
that Gov. Deweys message had
strong political implications, saying:
The Governor certainly took off
the mitts, didn't he? 1t certainly
looks like he is candidate now"
The four-point program advocated
by Gov. Dewey provides:
/. That every member of the
armed services wishing to vote send
his name and home and service ad-
dresses to New York's secretary of
state.
2. That the State War Ballot
Commission forward the informa-
ton to local election boards. which
would mail directly to the voter a
ballot and addressed return
envelope, both of size and weight
approved by the Army and Navy.
8. That the servicemen mark their
ballots for each Office listed and mail
them to the ballot commission.
4. That the ballot commission
then forward the marked ballots to
local election boards for tabulation.
Gov. Dewey, in his message, called
the Federal ballot plan an attempt
to force on the people Of this coun-
try a blank piece of paper called
q soldiers ballot" which drew this
retort from Senator Lucas:
"It is to be regretted that Gov.
Dewey thought it politically prof
liable to charge the sponsors OF
this measure with organized fraud.
1t comes with poor grace in view
of the fact that Republicans raised
such a hullabaloo about the Presi--
dents charging the Eastland-Mc-
Clelland Mcclellan (State BALLOT
amendment with fraud"
Fight Not Yet Over.
While leaders Of the States
rights" bloc hailed the conference
agreement as a final solution Of the
long debated soldiers vote prob
lem, advocates Of a simplifled Fed
eral ballot indicated that the fight
was not over. Presumably it will
break out in the Senate tomorrow
when the report is presented by
Senator Connally, who was asked
to do so after Chairman Green of
the Senate Elections Committee re-
fused to sponsor the compromise.
Senator Green already has an
nounced that he will take the floor
in opposition to the report.
If I were the President" he de-
clared, Il would veto it. Fewer men
will be able to vote under 1t than
may vote under the 1912 law, which
waived State registration require
ments and the poll tax collections
in some States"
Senator Hatch, Democrat, of New
Mexico, a conferee, also joined with
Senator Green in opposition to the
report, but Chairman Worley of the
House Elections Committee and
Representative Bonner, Democrat,
of North Carolina-both of whom
have been Federal ballot advocates
said they would support the COM
promise when it reaches the House.
AS finally revised by the conferees,
the measure leaves control of SOL
diers' voting to the States, but pro-
vides that the Army, Navy and Mari
time Commission shall arrange for
the transportation of ballots.
Two States Left Out.
Soldiers overseas would use Fed
eral ballot only if they swear that
they applied before September !, but
did not receive a State ballot Oc-
tober /, then only if use of the Fed
eral form has been authorized by
their States. Use of a Federal bal
lot by servicemcn in this country
would be denied except to residents
OF New Mexico and Kentucky, which
have no absentee ballot laws.
Even if the compromise legisla-
ton is approved by the House and
Senate, there is no certainty that it
will become law. President Roose-
welt had indicated that his decision
on veto will depend on his opinion
Of whether the new legislation
makes it possible for more soldiers to
vote than could under existing laws
Both Representative Rankin, Dem
ocrat, of Mississippi and Represent
ative Halleck, Republican, of In
diana yesterday attacked Sidney
Eillman CT the CIO Political Action
Committee for his statement oppos-
ing the State voting plan.
Mr.. Rankin referred to the CIO
tp2 dor - on "aliap-noipGpd Trot cL-y