America at war! (1941–) – Part 3

Ford suspends 50 workers after strike

Union approves move by company

americavotes1944

Result of election upset by ruling

Trenton, New Jersey (UP) –
The New Jersey Supreme Court ruled today that men and women in the Armed Forces whose names appear on a list certified by the state adjutant general as eligible to receive ballots are entitled to vote even though they are not registered.

The ruling was made in reversing a decision of the Middlesex Circuit Court which had rejected 241 ballots of servicemen in a recount of last May’s City Commission election at New Brunswick.

As a result of the rejection, Frederick P. Richardson, who received 4,384 votes, was elected to the Commission, despite the fact that 4,393 votes were cast for Thomas C. Radics, another candidate. By today’s Supreme Court action, Mr. Radics is the winner.

Gripsholm brings news, too –
Faced with defeat, Nazis drip kindness over war prisoners

Repatriates warn that morale is still high even tough bombs fall in mounting tons

Three Tule Lake Japs face radio charges

Unions to file information returns May 15

Deadline is set under tax law

WLB lines up against shift in ‘Little Steel’

Action hints denial of steelworkers plea

Nimitz back at post

Pearl Harbor, Hawaii –
It was announced here today that Adm. Chester W. Nimitz, commander-in-chief of U.S. forces in the Central Pacific, has returned to his Pearl Harbor headquarters following a series of conferences in Washington.

Two top aces lost within period of days

Lynch and Kearby got 41 Jap planes
By Ralph C. Teatsorth, United Press staff writer

Curtin hails MacArthur date


Bombers blast Carolines bases

U.S. bombs rake Cassino in murderous pattern

By Clinton B. Conger, United Press staff writer

Negro unit joins Bougainville battle

Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands (UP) –
The first Negro combat unit to go into action in the South Pacific fought the Japs on Bougainville Island Sunday, it was announced today, and gave a good account of itself in jungle warfare.

The unit was the 24th Infantry Regiment of the U.S. Army, which had nearly a year of jungle training before taking over a sector of the Empress Augusta Bay beachhead, where the Japs attacked last weekend.

All line officers are white and the non-commissioned officers are Negroes, with the general command under Lt. Col. Julian C. Hearne of Wheeling, West Virginia.

Give us stuff, Navy exhorts shipbuilders

Labor, industry are shown need
By Fred W. Perkins, Pittsburgh Press staff writer

Film ‘voice’ is a girl

By Erskine Johnson

Roosevelt puts new pressure on Finland

‘Hateful partnership’ with Nazis scored

In Washington –
Surplus goods sales to aid ‘little men’

Policy to discourage monopolies’ growth

americavotes1944

Roosevelt ‘studies’ veto of soldier vote bill

Washington (UP) –
President Roosevelt delayed his decision on whether to sign or veto the compromise soldier vote bill today pending results of his canvass of state governors on effectiveness of its federal ballot provisions.

Acting shortly after the House completed action on the measure by approving it 273–111, Mr. Roosevelt wired the 48 state governors yesterday for their opinion as to whether their state laws would permit use of the federal ballots and, if not, whether steps would be taken to make their use possible.

Rep. Charles A. Halleck (R-IN), chairman of the Republican Congressional Elections Committee, said he believed the survey unnecessary because the positions of the states were already known.

Move assailed

He recalled a similar survey of gubernatorial opinion by Senator Harry F. Byrd (D-VA) and said it shows that governors were:

…willing and ready to provide soldiers with a full local absentee ballot, if the government provided transportation, thereby making the bobtail federal ballot unnecessary.

House Republican Leader Joseph W. Martin Jr. said he was unable to explain the motives behind the President’s move.

What bill provides

As finally approved by Congress, the bill provides that the government shall transport state ballots to the men and women of the Armed Forces, the Merchant Marine, the Society of Friends and the American Red Cross. The federal ballot can be use only if the soldier certifies that he had applied for a state ballot by Sept. 1 and had not received it by Oct. 1; and his state has certified that it will accept and count a federal ballot.

Servicemen stationed in the United States are barred from using the federal ballot.

The President telegraphed the governors “to enable me to form an opinion as to the effectiveness” of the bill. There answers will help him reach his decision on whether to sign or veto the bill**

Vote analyzed

On the basis of the House vote, a presidential veto could be overridden by the necessary two-thirds majority, but the Senate vote, if maintained, would not be enough to override.

The House roll call showed 175 Republicans, 97 Democrats and one Farmer-Laborer voting for the bill. opposed were 96 Democrats, 12 Republicans, two Progressives and one American-Laborer.

The Senate vote on the bill was 47–31.

Editorial: Looking forward

Editorial: Joe Eastman’s testament

Editorial: Don’t spoil this record

americavotes1944

Editorial: The President takes a poll

Mr. Roosevelt’s telegram to the 48 governors, asking whether they think the soldier vote bill just passed by Congress will be implemented by the laws of their states, is a new wrinkle for a President pondering a veto. It seems to make common sense.

If most of the governors reply that their states probably will not act before the July 15 deadline to authorize use of the federal short ballot – in cases where state ballots are unavailable to soldiers and sailors overseas – then the President will have a strong case for a veto.

If on the contrary the replies are weighted on the side of state cooperation, he can safely sign the bill as preferable to the existing but very controversial statute of 1942, in which Congress sought to eliminate poll tax and registration requirements for men, in uniform and to make ballots available to them on request.

In any event, the President draws dramatic attention to the fact that the responsibility for facilitating or blocking the soldier’s right to vote now is back on the doorsteps of the state legislatures.