Page 31 - TheGoldBug1972-73

7,1972 THE GOLD BUG PAGE 3 consistency plagues student voter registration Cathy Nelson and Nellie Arrington of the newly enfranchised students will not proof of residence a bank statement. He was ac- County after graduation?" This has no bearing use their voting privileges in this election cepted, but then was told he could only register at whatsoever on the legal right of the student to find a place to register and certain stations. Eventually, "after much hassle, I register and vote. It is a Constitutional violation of Westminster temporarily got registered that night, but even as I registered comparable to the poll tax and literacy test. If a college students a few weeks they were still refusing students." Nita tried to question is to be asked of a student, then it should a debate of legality whose register initially at Leggett's, but was told that no also be asked of other Carroll County residents still being felt. Several students students whatsoever were being registered. "I registering, or else discrimination is being com- that they had been denied their showed them a letter saying I was a resident mitted. It can be argued that the students do not and said so. student-an official letter-and they said it wasn't pay taxes in Carroll County, and therefore gain a enough. After a trip back to school and then another sort of "representation without taxation" by being trip to the shopping center, I finally gave them a W- able to vote, but this is a legal entanglement which 2 form saying I received my paycheck at Western is the Supreme Court's problem, not the Board of Maryland." Both Nita and Rich eventually Elections of Carroll County. registered, but other students were not so lucky. One person who thinks the issue will go as far as Edgar Palmer, Vice-President of the Board of the Supreme Court is Terry Smith, instructor in Elections of Carroll County, explained the in- WMC's political science department. The plea, he consistencies by stating that each person was says, could be violation of the 14th amendment, treated by the board on an individaul case basis. Mr. Palmer defined a county resident -as anyone ;~t~ti~nn~u~~~lf~d~t~P[h~~~teO{e~~i H~n~re~~~ who lives in Carroll County in an apartment or that the Supreme Court will decide that the students must 1) all register in the home of their parents 0;- house, or who owns property, but said students at the college could only vote by absentee ballot to 2) all register in their college location. His belief is their home district. He quotes the state department that the latter will come about. Mr. Smith, also of election~ as saying that a nine month college raised the ethical Question of students' influence on residency IS not sifficient for voter registration an area which is not their year-round home. He cited purposes, an interpretation which is not upheld by as an example Michigan, whose' student population the Attorney General's ruling as stated by Attorney somewhat controls t~~city council of.East Lansing. Roemer. A similar instance would be Maryland's own of some of the WMC students are is the Another explanation for the inconsistency l.l~~,~~~~r;;,,~~~~o"~~;,~tlh~~~a!~dm~ftan~~~I~~oSn~~~ ethical question of whether or not a student College Park, where the impact of 30,000 student votes would influence greatly a small city council. they encountered with the ethically has a right to vote in a local Carroll 'rhus, he concludes, the opposition to students voting . team. Both cited in- County election. This may have accounted for the would be most vociferous in these areas because, the main fault of the registrars, reluctance on the part of the Carroll County Board "despite the fact that college students are not precedent had been set when the of Elections to reinterpret their policies in line with monolithically liberal, the perception is there that was registered, earlier that morning. the state ruling. One of the questions asked by the they are." he had arrived around noon, giving as his registrars was, "Do you plan to stay in Carroll Ethical questions aside, the basic issue seems to be whether or no enough students will be suf- ficiently disenfranchised to raise the problem before the courts. Until they do, the same thing may keep happening every four years, and the 18 year- old vote may never come to fruition. Bryson Popham is peaceful this time of year. The end of and hopefully digested back to the floor. Then End of draft came with September, and one comes the vote. suspect that this quaint and What are their hopes for survival". This is a •• lackadaisical little town boasts the oldest State difficult question, for traditional dividing- lines in use in the United States. One would among the legislature vanish with the issue. It is not not in sight to see that such lethargy is entirely at all a partisan debate, and an efforl in concept is •• superficial. Deep within the catacombs of the State not expected beyond an inevitable enfilade from the Jeffrey Building, committees are old-line conservatives who oppose any legislation by Fred Rudman have been since the beginning of not rooted in archaism. Unfortunately, this election campaign has passed diligently slicing and shaping the Are special interests ..involved? Yes and no. without so much as a decent day's debate centered which will hit the floor of Congress in Senator Thomas Merryweather, who supports both on the issue of the continuation of the selective bills, noted that youth groups have actively lobbied for the legislation throughout its stormy history. service system. Students (and others) continue to is yet to come, for two proposals which House Majority Leader John Amick said that the grope around in the dark, totally unaware of their this morass of possibility are ones one group which opposes the alcohol bill are the legal rights until such time as the government turns us here, and they will un- Lavern operators. He could offer no reason for this, the lights on, usually with a note bearing a greeting a lively reception in which ever other than a general feeling that, as soon as the bill from the President of the United States of America choose to visit: becomes law, their esLablishments will be overrun informing the young man that he has been inducted by a horde of unruly eighteen year-olds. Such logic, into the armed forces. I confess, escapes me. Finally, Dean Mowbraybas At Western Maryland there is, however, an thrown his weight behind both bills. alternative. At present ther-e are three people on The omnibus bill will probably not emerge un- campus who have had considerable experience in scathed as law. Some revisions might include draft counselling. Dean Ira Zepp, Dr. Robert Governor Mandel's reservations about granting Hartman (philosophy department), and Fred handgun licenses to eighteen year-olds. Martin Rudman ANW 421 have had at least two years ex- Kircher, representative from the Third District, perience in handling problems of conscience, was similarly cautious about allowing this group student deferments, physical deferments and a failur.e oue, in part at least, to unlimited power to contract and receive bequests nearly any other problem which could crop up. •• he reluctanceof legislators to deal with-the problem three years earlier than they now can. "Maturity is Freshmen and sophomores are urged to consider As a result, it was thrown definitely a factor." explained Del. Kircher. their positions on the draft. Already many have and should reappear next Overall,·however, he feels that the time is come for received orders to report for pre-induction physical two bra~d new (almost) pieces of this legislation. examinations, and unquestionably some will be Del. Kircher is also Chairman of the House pulled out of. the ivory lowers of dear Western Judiciary Committee, and hopes that the bill will Maryland College, and forced to serve in the deal with alcohol and return to his committee from the House floor. "The military. Juniors and seniors should also look In order to come to good thing about most legislators," he said, "is that, ahead-the draft will probably not end in June. must first pass the given a valid reason, they will change their minds." a joint body which If Del. Kircher and his faith in youth are per- Think about it. If you feel like rapping, please This accomplished, 'suasive enough, a large segment of Marylanders will avoid the dorm bull sessions as a means of ob- House of Representatives no longer be forced to merely watch while America taining veritable information. See one of the above 0.. race , "' uU''"'Y fl}l1!}ele_d~.i'1t.P...com_IJl!!l_ee, greens, they may participate in the process counsellors. tfie committeee members, themselves. The-end of the war is not the end of the draft.