Show r r A F L I- IC C CIO I a 0 Join Forces to Demand Congress 1 Outlaw Collection of State Poll Taxes WASHINGTON Oct 25 p- p The American Fe Federation of Labor Labor Labor La La- bor and the Congress of Industrial Organizations demanded Monday that congress outlaw collection ion of I the poll tax by which they said American citizens are arenow I I now disfranchised 1 Counsel for the two big labor laborI I I unions defended the constitutionality constitutionality constitutionality constitution constitution- of a bill passed by the house housein in May prohibiting the collection of a poll tax as a requirement for voting either in primaries or gert- gert eral elections for federal offices The bill would outlaw the tax now required by eight southern states in so far as it applies to voting for United States senators and representatives and presidential electors Joseph A. A general counsel for the A F L told the senate judiciary committee his organization organization organization or or- is in the fight to the finish because most of those disfranchised disfranchised disfranchised dis dis- dis- dis franchised are workers This is not a race issue Pad- Pad way declared At least 60 per cent of those denied the right to vote are white workers Lee Pressman general counsel for C CIO I 0 declared that the right to vote for federal officials is a aI aright aright I right protected by the constitution tion I It is not he asserted a 1 lege loge to be conferred or withdrawn at the whims of any state IThe I The committee Chairman Van I Nuys D. D Ind asserted is confining confining con con- fining its hearing to the constitutional constitutional questions involved Opponents of the bill Van Nuys said will be called later this week or early next week I |