Jasper County Democrat, Volume 23, Number 64, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 6 November 1920 — ACTED ON STATE BOARD ORDER [ARTICLE]

ACTED ON STATE BOARD ORDER

As to the Challenging of Mr. Leopold’s Vote on Election Day. The Rensselaer Republican throws a spasm of misrepresentation over the challenging *of thd“ vote of A. Leopold here Tuesday. The challenger was merely acting on orders of the state committee, as recommended unanimously by the legal committee of the state board of election commissioners and endorsed by said state board, two of the three members of whom are Republicans, and by the ReiAbllcan attorney-gen-eral of Indiana, that citizens of Germany and Austria could not legally vote on first papers, declaring thSir intention* to become citizens; that only full citizenship papers entitled them to vote. -

Therefore Mr. Leopold was not a legal voter according to the above mentioned rulings and instructions. The fact that he has lived here for 50 years did not change the legal status at all. The U. S. Is technically and legally still at war with the above named countries, as set out in the opinions and instructions followed. Many natives' of other countries have been very careless about taking out their final papers, merely declaring their “intention” and thus being entitled to vote, never paying any further heed to becoming actual citizens. First papers lapse after seven years, '-and the applicant for citizenship must start all over again, which Mr. Leopold did two years ago. Records of citizenship are kept in the archives at Washington, and if one has lost or had his papers

destroyed,; duplicates can be had from the department at Washington, as we* understand it ’ The challenging of Mr. Leopold’s vote meant no personal disrespect whatever to him. It was done, as above stated, and If the authorities mentioned are correct, he was no more a legal voter than any other citizen of Germany or Austria who' had simply declared his intention but had not completed his citizen ship. Legally Mr. Leopold Is still a citizen of Germany, although his patrtotlem and good standing here is unquestioned.