Evening star., 1949-10-27
Virgiinians Told
1oDrop Poll Tax
0rFace Chaos
Congress Sure to Act
Smith and Almond
Say in CuIpeper
BY Alex R. Preston
Stor Staff Correspondent

SobI Tx 6lI, Vd., oCb. IT,
Eighth district Democrats toda
had warning from two part
conservatives that unless Virgins
repeals her poll tax. chaos will re
suit from "sure" passage of sucl
legislation by Congress next yeal
The predictions came from Rep
resentative Smith of the 9th dis
trict and Attorney General
Lindsay Almond, jr., who until tw
years ago was a member of tn
House from the 9Th district.
Representative Smith used yes
terday's t-out-the-vote" rail-,
to publicly state for the first tim
his views on the controversial
Campbell suffrage amendments t.
the State constitution. Voters will
approve or reject the amendments
which would abolish the poll tax
among other things, in a referen
dunn held in connection with tn,
general election November 8.
Also Endorsed by Battle.
Abolition of the poll tax alsc
was indorsed by State Senator
John S. Battle, Democratic nomi.
nee for Governor. and Gardner
L. Boothe of Alexandria. district
chairman.
When the second session oi
the 8lst Congress convenes next
year" Mr.. Almond said, at the
top OF the legislative agenda will
be the Norton bill expressly de-
signed to repeal the poll tax. ."
1t already has passed the House
and just as surely as you can see
the light it will pass the Senate.
The attorney general said that
II Virginia voters fail to repeal
the $3.50 poll tax before Congress
outlaws the levy for elections fol
Federal officers. this situation may
result: One set of qualifications
would prevail for voters to fill
House and Senate vacancies while
another set might exist for voters
to select State officers from the
Governor on down.
Sees "Widespread Confusion"
He predicted widespread con-
fusion if this comes to pass.
Mr.. Smith let it be known at the
outset that personally he is not
opposed to a poll tax but he saw
the danger of having the Federal
Government impose the law be-
cause the State failed to act.
II am an old-fashioned reac-
tionary," he said. land I never
did see why you shouldn't pay
sl.50 for the privilege of voting.
But the Congress now is about
to take the unconstitutional step
of determining the qualifications
OF the voters in the State.
now am for the amendments.
Eere is what is going to happen:
The bill has passed the House; it
will pass the Senate and the
President will sign it with great
ceal of pleasure. as you can
imagine.
1T will create an impossible sit
uation next year during the con-
gressional campaign. You will not
know who is entitled to vote and
who is not, unless we act first"
Caravan in Richmond Today.
With Senator Battles election
virtually assured. the "get-out-
the vote" caravan has been trav-
cling over the State in an effort
to stimulate sufficient interest on
election day to get the suffrage
amendments adopted. The cara
van moves on to Richmond today
Referring to the four-way race
for the gubernatorial nomination
in the August primary. Mr.. Battle
said:
Il, for one. come out of that
contest without any i'll will toward
any Democrat"
Mr.. Almond agreed that the is
sue should not be drawn along
party lines, but asserted:
1T looks like an anomalous sit
uation when men, who have
fought for years to repeal the poll
tax, now travel the State fighting
these amendments"
He said erroneous arguments
have been advanced by opponents
There is not one word of truth,
he said, in the contention thai
q person will have to register
annually under the proposed set.
up. He declared the existing con-
stitution provides for annual reg.
istration and the proposed re.
newal of registration could be &C.
complished by any one of three
different ways: BY applying to ar
election registrar, by paying up al
due personal property taxes or by
having voted in the preceding
general election.