Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-10-24
Truman Backs
Both National,
Local Suffrage
Would Like Citizens
Of D. 6. to Have Same
Rights as in States


President Truman today in
dorsed both local and national
suffrage for the District.
His emphatic support came in the
course of news conference dis
cussion when he was asked for COM
ment on the November plebiscite at
which the people here will make
known their views on voting.
The President said he did not
know whether or not the plebiscite
would do any good but he added that
he always favored the vote for Dis
trict residents.
Does that mean home rule, too?"
the President was asked.
1t does, the President said. Then
he added that he would like the
citizens of the District of Columbia
to enjoy the same right of franchise
as do the citizens of the States.
He said he hoped that the people
here got the vote.
On an earlier occasion Mr.. Tru-
man said he favored the vote for
District residents but did not specify
whether he meant local or national
suffrage or both.
Time off to Vote is Urged.
President Humans previous dec
laration on District suffrage was
included in his message to Congress
January 81, this year.
The President also had before him
today formal request from the
Plebiscite Committee asking that
Federal workers be given two hours
off duty to vote in the plebiscite.
The request went to the White
House in a letter from. James r.
Kirkland, chairman of the Plebiscite
Rules Committee.
L would appreciate your issuing
an order" wrote Mr.. Kirkland, on
behalf of the committee, permitting
residents of the District of Column
bia in the local Federal service to be
given two hours of on that day in
order to vote in the plebiscite.
1T is my understanding that
throughout the country a similar
privilege has been extended to the
residents for voting in their particu-
lar State"
CLIO Union Pledges Support.
In another move to get Federal
workers time of to vote Daniel
Schwartz, regional director Of Unit
ed Public Workers Of America (CIc)
today called on all the organiza-
tons locals and branches to take
the matter up with Government de-
| partment officials.
Mr.. Schwartz, in a statement,
pledge full support" of his organi-
zation in the drive to assure a big
turnout on November 81
Mr.. Schwartz pointed out that no
violation of the Hatch Act, which
prohibits certain political activities,
would be involved in casting ballots
in the plebiscite. He said the rights
of those few" Government EN-
ployes who wish to retain voting
residence elsewhere would not be az
fected by taking part in the unofi-
clal referendum here.
Radio Chains Ask Returns.
National interest in the plebiscite
was shown today by requests from
all Nationwide radio networks for
| frequent returns that night from
their Washington stations.
Despite the fact that this Is the
night of the general election and
the airways will be taxed with
returns from the congressional bal
loting, decided interest in the
Capitals referendum has been
shown in other cities.
The Executive Committee for the
Plebiscite was advised that ar
arrangements were being made for
all local outlets of networks to
broadcast returns from here as soon
as they begin to reach headquarters.
Coast-to-coast listeners will be
served over WMAL, American
Broadcasting Co.; WRC, National
Broadcasting Co.; VOL, Mutual,
and WTOP, Columbia.
$4,000 Sample Ballots.
More than $4,000 sample ballots
were being distributed today to in
terested organizations, so that their
members could see the exact form
of the official ballot and scatter it
among their friends.
The Board of Trade, which Is
sponsoring the referendum, received
the first batch of sample ballots
from the printer late yesterday. The
yellow samples, besides printing the
exact language to be contained in
the official white ballot, states at
the top:
vote for your right to vote,
November 5. Follow newspapers
and radio for voting place in your
neighborhood."
Three campaign speeches in the
battle for District suffrage were
delivered this morning over WINK.
The speakers were Mrs. Louis Of
tenberg, civil leader; Mrs. Robert
Fisher, from the "Voteless" District
League of Women Voters, and Ray
mond HolubowicZ, student at George
Washington University and former
Navy seaman. They were inter-
viewed by Pat Griffith.
ALL Paper Takes Stand.
In the current issue of the Trade
Unionist, local AFL weekly which
came off the press today, Fred s.
Walker, the editor, writes:
ION November S, the day when
all other Americans will be casting
votes for officials from Senators
down to og-catchers, we in the Dis
trict will indicate merely whether
we care to ask Congress and these
other Americans to give us the same
privileges they have enjoyed since
(See PLEBISCITE, Page A-5.)
Amor;ron (oItior