CITIZENS’ DAY

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 July 1938, Page 8

CITIZENS’ DAY

UNITED STATES PROPOSALS. Discussing censuses and questionnaires, President Roosevelt recently went on to expound the advantages of turning election days in the United States into “Citizens’ Day,” when voters not only could cast their ballots, but could fill in ample questionnaires, pay their taxes, and even get a polltax of five dollars refunded. The President definitely stated that he was not proposing the Citizens’ Day plan, but added that it was not a bad idea, and said it was getting a good deal of study. On Citizens’ Day, he said, people could go to the polls and cast their ballot, but that would be the least of their duties. They would fill out a blank furnishing the Government with information it required: the size of their families, whether they owned their own home or lived in a rented house or apartment; if they were farmers, they could furnish information on their crops and cattle. In short, they would give all the facts that regular census-takers now require, plus a goqd deal more that is desired by the avid modern statisticians. “What’s more,” in the President’s phrase, voters would be given an opportunity to pay their taxes. In addition, it was proposed to impose a Federal poll tax of five dollars which would be remitted to those citizens who came to vote. Those who did not vote would have to pay the tax through the ordinary tax-col-lecting channels. Thus a financial incentive to vote would be provided, and the results might be expected to be substantial.