Editorial: It’s up to the states
House and Senate conferees, under the tireless flailing of Mr. Rankin of Mississippi, have now compromised and re-compromised the soldier-ballot bill until it is acceptable even to Mr. Rankin, which is passable evidence that the hodgepodge measure falls far short of making it easy for the troops to vote.
The responsibility is thrown back upon the state legislatures.
It may be that most men in uniform are not overly excited today about voting. Other, and urgent, matters are on their minds. But it is reasonable to suppose that as the nominating conventions come and go, and the election draws near, the Armed Forces will work up an active interest in the outcome.
If we were politicians, we would not like to risk letting the idea get around that we had helped either actively or passively to prevent the fighting men from voting.
Some think that those soldiers and sailors who are permitted to vote will vote preponderantly for the Commander-in-Chief. Some think they will vote more or less the same way as the folks back home. As far as we are concerned, such considerations are not appropriate to the issue.
The issue, as we see it, is simply this: If anybody is entitled to vote in a presidential election in a war year, it is the men who are fighting the war.
Congress having flopped its job, it’s up to the legislatures to get busy to that end.