Presidential Papers, Doc#1969 To Isaac Jack Martin, 31 August 1956. In The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower
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Doc #1970

Document #1969; August 31, 1956
To Isaac Jack Martin
Series: EM, AWF, Name Series
The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, Volume XVII - The Presidency: The Middle Way
Part X: Cracks in the Alliance; May 1956 to September 1956
Chapter 21: "Grave difficulties in the Suez crisis"

 

Dear Jack: I believe every word of the first page of your memorandum.1 But there is a problem inherent in the effort you suggest for which you do not suggest a solution.2 That problem is this: the people that we want to register comprise the great group you talk about as being unaroused and really not interested in government except when they have to be. Now to get these people to register, it would have to be done on a partisan basis--that is, we would have to reach for them in the same way that we reach for a vote. This makes the matter a partisan one--and so makes the work separate and distinct from the non-partisan efforts of organizations like the American Heritage Association, the Boy Scouts, and so on.

Since our political "campaign" is scheduled to start about the middle of the month, a date subsequent to the date that the registration period expires in many states, just how do we go about getting registered the particular people we want?

Now with respect to the final statement you make that "you are the only one who can convince this great segment of our population," if this is true, this puts me in the position of making a speech requesting people to register so that they can vote for me.3 So far as I have come in this political business, I have never yet asked a person to vote for me, and it comes pretty hard to think that I must begin now. However, I would like to have this whole subject thoroughly studied by the staff and see whether we can't come up with some new ideas.4

1 Martin's memorandum of August 31, 1956, regarding voters' indifference to politics is in AWF/N.

2 Martin had warned Eisenhower that satisfied supporters might not vote in the upcoming elections. As he had noted, this could pose serious problems for Republicans, given the enthusiastic participation of those voters who had a different philosophy and who increasingly voted Democratic. Martin had suggested that Eisenhower actively encourage his supporters to register and vote.

3 Martin had written that only Eisenhower could convince supporters that "this Administration with which they are so pleased is in danger of being liquidated by their own indifference and negligence . . ." (ibid.).

4 In a memorandum to Eisenhower of September 3, 1956, Martin would suggest that the President make short radio and television speeches reminding voters to register (AWF/N).

Bibliographic reference to this document:
Eisenhower, Dwight D. To Isaac Jack Martin, 31 August 1956. In The Papers of Dwight David Eisenhower, ed. L. Galambos and D. van Ee, doc. 1969. World Wide Web facsimile by The Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission of the print edition; Baltimore, MD: The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1996, http://www.eisenhowermemorial.org/presidential-papers/first-term/documents/1969.cfm

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