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W. Earl Hall World War II stories, 1944

Letter #46

slug-GI's Little -4
By W. EARL HALL
Globe-Gazette Managing Editor
Letter No. 46
In a Boeing Clipper Over the Atlantic--If you think that the forthcoming presidential election is the one thing uppermost in the mind of the average American fighting boy in the European theater of war, you're about as wrong as you could possibly be.
While this question is frequently discussed by these lands in their tents, barracks, foxholes and ships, there's another matter 10 times as important to every mother's son of them.
THAT'S GETTING BACK HOME AT THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE MOMENT!
I've talked to them in England, I've talked to them in Scotland, I've talked to them in Normandy and I've talked to them in Paris.  Not 1 of the hundreds, if not thousands, I've met up with put the election first in his field of special interest.
How large a percentage of these fighting men in the European area will vote, I couldn't guess with any degree of accuracy.  It will be somewhat higher among officers than among enlisted men but it isn't going to be high in either category--something less than 40 per cent, I would say.
There is, of course, a wide variety of state laws government voting by service men.  Iowa, I'm glad to report, is one of the states most generous in the bestowal of suffrage privileges.
Generally speaking, the voting is going to be heaviest among those from states which permit those back home--relatives or office-seekers--to send ballots to the boys, unsolicited.
It will be lightest among those from the deep southern states where there is reluctance to relax election laws because of the fear that colored boys will be accorded the voting privilege which has been denied them back home.
This latter, I can report from repeated observation, is deeply resented by many of the Negro lads.  On their return, they're not going to be so passive in their denial of a right of citizenship as they have been in the past.
Nearly every boy with whom I discussed the matter expressed satisfaction that he was going to be able to vote on local and state offices as well as for national offices, as would have been the case under the federal vote plan.
It's against the law to take a poll among service men.  I didn't break the law.  But I did do some observing of trends, as did also my colleague, Fred Christopherson, editor of the Sioux Falls, S. Dak., Argus-Leader.
Both of us drew the conclusion that among the enlisted men, the service men's vote would be divided about 60-40 in favor of President Roosevelt and that among officers, it would be at least 50-50 split.
For some reason which I can't explain, the "commander-in-chief" argument for the president's re-election seemed to possess a much greater potency among the G.I., than among those with decorations on their shoulder.
In one respect, our fighting men have revealed themselves to be entirely human.  Given the right to vote, they aren't greatly excited about it.  Maybe it would be a little bit too much to say they're indifferent--but it's almost that.
But when, a few months ago, there was some question about whether voting privileges would be extended to them, they really were up in arms, I'm told.  So it was too when the government showed a disposition to deny them the right to read British newspapers.  Now that issue also is water over the dam.
A poll of British opinion on our presidential election wouldn't be hard to take.  As a matter of fact, I think I've already take it and it's 99 to 1 for Roosevelt's re-election.  Dozens have put their opinion to me this way, in effect:
"It might be an open question if I lived in America.  In fact, I think I would vote for Dewey.  But I don't live in America.  I live in England.  And I know that Franklin D. Roosevelt has been a good president FOR US.  He's given us lease-lend (that's the way it's spoken here) and he's given us lots of other things.  Why shouldn't we be for him 100 per cent."
The Churchill political philosophy, of course, is much more like Dewey's than it is like Roosevelt's.  Incidentally, the skids seem to be greased to replace him with a socialist-laborite--Bevin or Morrison--as soon as the war is won.

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slug-GI's Little -4 By W. EARL HALL Globe-Gazette Managing Editor Letter No. 46 In a Boeing Clipper Over the Atlantic--If you think that the forthcoming presidential election is the one thing uppermost in the mind of the average American fighting boy in the European theater of war, you're about as wrong as you could possibly be. While this question is frequently discussed by these lands in their tents, barracks, foxholes and ships, there's another matter 10 times as important to every mother's son of them. THAT'S GETTING BACK HOME AT THE EARLIEST POSSIBLE MOMENT! I've talked to them in England, I've talked to them in Scotland, I've talked to them in Normandy and I've talked to them in Paris. Not 1 of the hundreds, if not thousands, I've met up with put the election first in his field of special interest. How large a percentage of these fighting men in the European area will vote, I couldn't guess with any degree of accuracy. It will be somewhat higher among officers than among enlisted men but it isn't going to be high in either category--something less than 40 per cent, I would say. There is, of course, a wide variety of state laws government voting by service men. Iowa, I'm glad to report, is one of the states most generous in the bestowal of suffrage privileges. Generally speaking, the voting is going to be heaviest among those from states which permit those back home--relatives or office-seekers--to send ballots to the boys, unsolicited. It will be lightest among those from the deep southern states where there is reluctance to relax election laws because of the fear that colored boys will be accorded the voting privilege which has been denied them back home. This latter, I can report from repeated observation, is deeply resented by many of the Negro lads. On their return, they're not going to be so passive in their denial of a right of citizenship as they have been in the past. Nearly every boy with whom I discussed the matter expressed satisfaction that he was going to be able to vote on local and state offices as well as for national offices, as would have been the case under the federal vote plan. It's against the law to take a poll among service men. I didn't break the law. But I did do some observing of trends, as did also my colleague, Fred Christopherson, editor of the Sioux Falls, S. Dak., Argus-Leader. Both of us drew the conclusion that among the enlisted men, the service men's vote would be divided about 60-40 in favor of President Roosevelt and that among officers, it would be at least 50-50 split. For some reason which I can't explain, the "commander-in-chief" argument for the president's re-election seemed to possess a much greater potency among the G.I., than among those with decorations on their shoulder. In one respect, our fighting men have revealed themselves to be entirely human. Given the right to vote, they aren't greatly excited about it. Maybe it would be a little bit too much to say they're indifferent--but it's almost that. But when, a few months ago, there was some question about whether voting privileges would be extended to them, they really were up in arms, I'm told. So it was too when the government showed a disposition to deny them the right to read British newspapers. Now that issue also is water over the dam. A poll of British opinion on our presidential election wouldn't be hard to take. As a matter of fact, I think I've already take it and it's 99 to 1 for Roosevelt's re-election. Dozens have put their opinion to me this way, in effect: "It might be an open question if I lived in America. In fact, I think I would vote for Dewey. But I don't live in America. I live in England. And I know that Franklin D. Roosevelt has been a good president FOR US. He's given us lease-lend (that's the way it's spoken here) and he's given us lots of other things. Why shouldn't we be for him 100 per cent." The Churchill political philosophy, of course, is much more like Dewey's than it is like Roosevelt's. Incidentally, the skids seem to be greased to replace him with a socialist-laborite--Bevin or Morrison--as soon as the war is won.