Show FREAK FREAK ELECTION LAWS VS KEEP OPPOSITION J FRO FROM vl GETTING CEilING VOTES I B By MILTON MIllION XEn NEt ZiE Service nt LO LONDON DON Dec Doss Boss 27 Boss cr er Cr in the lie palmy day days when Tarn Tam Tammany many Tain-many many was really Tammany thought he had l a New X York City voting machine which was well night well well- night perfect And today there are arc Americans who think floss Boss I IVare's Vares Vare's machine in Is somo Bomo But Count CountI I Bethlen prime minister of ot Hun Hun-g-ary Hun Hun- Hungary gary can give them all an cards and spades He lie has as just been given an overwhelming endorsement bythe by bythe bythe the vote ote in the th national elections Doss Boss Croker used to roll roil up u huge hue Democratic majorities in New NewYork NewYork NewYork York Yare machine recently rolled up several se precincts there was not a single opposition vote ote But Dut has a little election law on tho the books which leaves very ery little to chance as the Hun JIun- Hungarian Hungarian garian garlan elections proved pro One of the chances in Is the weather It Ir I the weather er Is s nice the opposition Ol Is not t domed lre domed re to defeat so 80 Bethlen picks the Inclement win win- winter win winter winter ter time I HASTENED ELECTION For Instance the present na- na na- na na national IY lasts until spring and there is no 10 necessity to hold elections for a new one until spring But Dut under various arlous ex- ex excuses ex excuses Bethlen in his hia seat t of con control eon con control decreed ed that th the the elections should take place from the eighth to the fifteenth of December That has a a direct connection with his bag of ot tricks called an elec elec- election election tion law bw The voting akes okes place in the place of ot every district Vot Vot- Voting Ing log ing is obligatory when it is by secret ballot Men Ien and women voters oters therefore under penalty If they fall fail have to go to the tI chief place which is often a Q day or a halt day journey from their homes In winter the tho none too good roads roada ire ne encumbered with frost snow or 01 hub-deep hub mud I Those who any vehicles vehicle have to try to procure them I Often they find the tho government election agents agent have havo cornered nil there are for tor the transport of their partisans The Tho peasant voters those of ot the same samo po- po political po political part party trudge along together er At various places place they en- en encounter encounter en encounter counter police polke and troops who stop them an aol anI I ask asle them all nil kinds of questions as to their they ro I going and why The game is to make them arrive late at the poling places so they cant can't vote ote But Dut even It if they tl get to the chief f 4 I I 0 Count n n Prime Minister tiC tf place In time tims there Is more trou trou- trouble trouble ble bic under the plea pIca that It is necessary necessary essary to the voting hail from being overcrowded the tile voters are formed into ino In o queues It Is cas easy when you hav the police pollee under your our control to lo see that your partisans get the front places lilaces and titus thus freeze out many voters As the voting hours are decided by each ach president of the local voting I commission It is also easy to de do declare de- de deI declare I dare clare the pois closed after the government partisans have voted But there is more Only 46 deputies will vill he too elected by secret ballot The rhe other running in the y coun-y coun y districts will be elected by word icord of mouth The voter comes before the commis commis- commission commission sion ion gives hIs name and real resi- residence resi residence dence and then in the presence ot of tho the governments government's agents has hasto to say for tor whom he votes If H he heis is 19 frightened or ur timid the com cola commissioner commissioner missioner may Sn sa say I dont don't know Imo that name Your vote doesn't caunt Junt But even if he be jumps that heir hur- hurdie die he Is a IL marked marled man it if he Opposes the tho governments government's candi candi- candidates candidates candidates dates Heo He lIe I s 1 liable to get In bal bad with his landlord or with the local government officials who know v exactly how he voted I Only about 28 per cent of ot the people arc eligible to vote ole The ballot is restricted to those who plY ay a certain amount of taxes or who have made certain studies Nobody can 11 h ii a candidate unless 10 per pr cent ot of tho ho voters in his h fe signed a a petition to toI make to I ake him a candidate The Tho gov- gov government gov government thus also PISO gets a detailed list of ot all its opponents But Dut Bethen's machine goes farther futher The law Jaw says no political political political cal meetings may be held within eight days h before tore fhe ic election And even e re bc-re re that two meet meet- meetings meetings meetings ings cant can't be ba hId on the same Sante day in the same When hen opposition tion candidates s apply for tor permission permission permission sion to hold hoM a 0 meeting at nt a certain certain tam tain town on a Q certain day they usually find time tima and place pro pre pre empted by government candidates Now it can be seen wh why ono one of Bethlen's subordinates In the ministry of affairs confidently confidently dently predicted d the government would have havo quite a IL majority inthe in inthe inthe the lower chamber cham er of or parliament |