Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-03-12
Slow Registrations
Stir House Warninu
Robout Scores
Next to Zero
Voter Response


Members of the House served
notice on the District today that
they are closely watching the
city's participation in the cleo
ton May /.
Testimony released by the
District Subcommittee on ap-
preparations limited that q
change may be made in the law
giving Washington a right to
vote unless the people display
considerably more interest.
Several committee members
made it clear that appropriations
for the local election procedure
could be affected by lack Of
adequate interest.
Small Registration Total
Subcommittee Chairman Ra.
baut OF Michigan indicated his
concern oyer the low registra-
ton to date by this comment to
commissioner Spencer during
the recent hearings:
People have been talking
here about getting the vote in
the District for years and now
here is the first time that regis
tratlon comes up, and the num-
Der OF registrations is next to
zero"
| At the time of the hearings
registration totaled only 2,7O0
persons. Under mounting pres
sure from political parties, the
Junior Chamber of Commerce
and other civic groups, the total
now has been pushed up to 4,343.
The intensive city-wide cam
palgn for registration has Just
taken hold. The Board of Elec-
lions headquarters on the ground
floor OF the District Building
was sWamped with voter appli-
cantS today.
Registration Booths
Civic leaders expect the total
to soar this week because, in
addition to the permanent head
quarters in the District Build
ing, the Elections Board will
operate registration booths at "a
neiehborhood locations Wednes-
day, Thursday. Friday and
Saturday.
Representative Rabaut said at
the hearing:
For years. we have heard of
the voteless District and this In
the first time we have had some
thing of this kind. The amount
OF interest taken in it up to date
is very discouraging to the peo-
pie who were interested in it and
IN seeing that an opportunity
would be given to try it out.
1T will be a little more inter-
leSting to see what is going to
be done when these additional
places to register are made avail
able to the people in the differ
ent areas"
Jaycees Spearhead Drive
Chairman Rabaut and Repre-
sentative Wilson, Republican of
Indiana, expressed some doubt
that a separate appropriation
would be needed to conduct
permanent registration facilities
after the May election is held.
Ion the assumption that there
would be little activity for an
other four years.
The campaign to boost regis
Itration and get out the vote
lis spearheaded by the Junior
Chamber. 1t was launched in
Iernestl Friday with a ceremony
in front of the District Building.
At that time, President Eisen-
hover sent a telegram calling
upon the people of Washington
ito demonstrate willingness to-
accept prime responsibility, of
citizenship.
The vote May l is not a gen.
eral election. 1t is more like a
primary. Members of each party
win go to the polls to settle
party issues.
Women Voters Help
Both the Democrats and the
Republicans will organize their
local Central Committees, choose
their representatives on the ma
tional party committees and
elect delegates and alternates to
the 1856 political conventions.
In this way Westinghouse
will have some voice in the
selection of presidential and
vice presidential candidates and
in framing of the party plat
form. The District has six
votes in both the Republican
and the Democratic conventions.
The League of Women Voters
today began distributing, through
schools. 100000 pieces of liter
ature on registration and cleo
ton. 1t is hoped this will get
information into the hands Of
eligible voters in all sections of
the city.
1t costs nothing to register.
FIemino Resions