POLL-TAX IN U.S.

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25243, 23 July 1947, Page 7

POLL-TAX IN U.S.

HOUSE PASSES BILL FOR ABOLITION

DEMOCRATS IN SENATE FEAR NEGRO VOTES (Rec. 7 p.m.) WASHINGTON, July 21. The United States House of Representatives to-day passed and sent to the Senate an anti-poll-tax bill which would make it unlawful for any State or municipality to require payment of poll-tax as a prerequisite to voting in a primary or general election for the Presidency and Congress, Seven States—Virginia, Texas, Mississippi, Tennessee, South Carolina, Alabama, and Arkansas—now have poll-tax laws. To-day’s move was a surprise manoeuvre by the Republican leadership of the House, but there are no present plans for pushing the measure through the Senate, where it is expected to be opposed by most of the Southern Democrats, who object to voting by negroes, many of whom are virtually disfranchised. Tile Southern Democratic senator* fear that abolition of the poll-tax would enable the negro majorities in many districts to obtain control of Congressional seats.