Evening star., 1961-03-29


voters will be eI1franchiSed,
Persons 81 or older number
z92, 900 in this city Of 76S, ,956
population. OF the potential
voters, an estimated $4,000
Government employees vote alb
sentee in States where they
maintain legal residences. There
may be q total Of 100, 900 alb
sentee voters in the city.
| Congress has yet to draw an
election law. Drafts in prepa-
ration by city and political
leaders are aimed ct opening
polls for presidential balloting
in 1864.
Started Last Night
Fading into history is the
strategy that led to congress
Sional passage Of the amend
ment proposal last June 16.
Congress sent its recommends
ton to the States June II.
The long, constitutional
amendment route to reform
was chosen because the Con.
stitution provided for presiden-
tial electors to be selected only
in the States.
| The Twenty-third Amend
Iment. drawing the District into
1.-THE Electoral College, made it
Through three-quarterS Of the
tState LegislatIres. in 286 days,
two days faster than the repeal
LOT prohibition. The liquor ban
Twas lifted 2SS days after Con-
EgresS recommended repeal to
the States in 1888.
The only other amendment
TO best the Twenty-third to
ratification was the Twelfth,
setting up presidential election
procedures. It cleared State
houses In . record 204 days.
Opposition to the Twenty
third was scant but tinged with
emotion. The Negro population
Of the District, 53.S per cent of
the total, figured in reluctance
Ito ratify in Southern and Bor.i
der States.
G. o. r. Complication
IN New England and a few
Midwest States. powerful Re-
publicans delayed action by
iyoicihs fears that the District
would vote Democratic. En-
thusiasm of Democratic minor
J tiles in these legislatures for
the amendment helped create
. political issue.
A band Of Southern States
ignored the proposal. The
Arkansas House rejected It out.
right. 59-26. OF former Con-
federate States, only Tennessee
ratified. But Delaware, Nary
land and Missouri indorsed the
reform despite some race ORR
ented opposition. ~
North Carolina's Gov. Terry
Sanford and sponsoring Repre-
sentative Ed Kemp led an eff
!, fort in the Raleigh IN. c.
statehouse which may yet line
up their State with the rati-
i. fiers.
Faced with this tight situa-
tion, suffrage sponsors needed
to win all but two Of the
States in session so far this
year to make the amendment
law.
Hawaii led the way.
The 5oth State Of the Union
ratified without dissent on
June 23 before the General
Services Administration had
time officially to transmit the
congressional recommendation.
Massachusetts, pushed the
amendment through August ~,
and New Jersey, December 10,
leaving IS states to win over
ct the beginning Of 1861.
Forty-seven legislatures were
! meeting. Virginia. Kentucky
and Mississippi are out Of ses-
sion this year.
Alabama, Florida and LOUISE
ana have not yet convened.
The Georgia LEGISLATURE adj
journed without considering it.
Chances seem nil In South
tcarolina.
Treasures Merged Y
4 Washington groups organ
lied. Political and flonpartisan
Ipressures must be meShed,
leaders decided. So, 8 Citizens
Committee for a Presidential
Vote was set UP In December
TO keep track Of both political
and non-political activities.
The committee, in essence,
was the same as @ group organ
lied earlier in 1850 to help
lsteer the amendment through
Congress. r. Elwood Davis.
chairman Of both, set up Of
fices ct 1918 Connecticut ave-
nue. NV, In a second floor
walkup. r
i Stlirgis Warner. attorney
down the avenue In the Ring
Building. agreed to be contact
man for both the Democratic
and Republican parties In the
District. Another lawyer, Timc-
thy May, also nearby In the
Union Trust Building, CO.
crdinated nonpartisan efforts
from such organizations as the
Junior Chamber OF Commerce,
League Of Women Voters and