Coming up on American History tv. A 1945 film from the u. S. Office of war information, about how americans voted in the 1944 president ial election. Where frank roosevelt, won a fourth term as president. It is Early Morning of the first tuesday november. This is an american city. A ci that is not very large. Not very rich, not very old. It is situated in the western part of the United States, in caifornia. Its name is riverton. The woman in the car is mrs. Dawson, one of rivertons 15,000 residents. Shes principal of Public School number two. But today, there will be no classes held here, for this is election day. This classroom is one of the 130,000 plaacethe country over in which american citizens are going to cast theirotes today. This is the table where the votersnames will be checked. The locked ballot box and the polling booth. Here it is in the privivacy of this curtained space tt the americavoters every four years on the first tuesday after the first monday in november oose their national government. Here come mrs. Dawsons colleagues on the election board of rivertons 7th precinct, each representing one of the Major Political parties. Mr. Schwartz is a republican whoo works for the street car company. Mrs. Abernathy a housewife and democrat. Mrs. Dawson is chairman. Theyve all known one another for years. First they remove thlast traces of their campaign activities, their party buttons. Then they take the oath. Do you swear to defend the constitution of the United States of america and perform your duties as members of the election board to the best of yo ability, so help you god. I do. I do. This makes them responsible for seeing that the vovong here today takes place according to the laws of the land. And now polls arere open. Here comes the first voter. No wonder hes first. He has been up since 4 00 delivering milk. Good morning, everybody. Youre the first one. I like to vote early, give the republicans a temporary lead. Here is your ballot. Thats as far as we can go. Remember, this is a secret vote. No one ever sees another person mark his ballot. However, if we did have miraculous powers, and if we were able just this once to follow bill johnson, this is what wed see. He votes first for the chief executives, the president and Vice President of the United States. Next he votes for a senator from his state, then a representative from his district. This man is casting his vote for a government of his own choosing under constitution of the United States. This is the way it is set up. There are three bnches of the United States government. The executive branch or president , the legislative branch oror congress, and the Judicial Branch or Supreme Court. The duties of each branch are established in the constitution. Lets see how they work. The president is the executive head of the nationon. He innitiates l important policies, such as treaties with other governments and national affairs. He is commander in chief of the army and the navy, an important consideration in wartime election. The Vice President is the president s legal successor. T president keeps him ininformed on matters of state and policy. The vice prresidenent by custom sits as a member of the president s cabinet. The cabinet members are the heads o of the executive departments of the government, such as the state department, war department, treasury department, department of the interior, of labor, commerce, and so on. The cabinet advises the president on matters of policy. The powers of the president and his helpers are limitedfor this is a government not of men but of laws, based upon the constitution. Congress makes the laws. It is a parliament which unlike many democratic par meant has no connection with the executive branch. They have the senate and house of representatives. A law may originate in either house, must be approved by both of them. When a bill is passed byoth houses, it is sent to the president. If the president also approves the bill, he signs it. It then becomes law. President nt may veto a bill passed by congress, but congress may still by twothirds majority make the bill law. Alalthough the chief responsibility of congress is that of making laws, certain other responsibilities are delegated to the two houses. In the senate or upper house as it is called, each of the 48 states in the nation is represented by two elected members, making a total membership of 96. Small states and large have equal representation in the senate. The senate has two important functions aside from law making duties. To pass on important president ial appointments and to approve or reject all treaties with h other nations initiated by the president. When a treaty is under consideration, the members of the senate express their opinions, either of approval or disapproval, and then a vote is taken. If twothirds of the senate appros of the treaty, it is in effect. In the house of representatives, or lower house, each of the 48 states is represented in proportion to its population. The more populous states have greater number of members in the house of representatives. All measures dealing with appropriation of money are initiated in the lower house. Money appropriated is turned over to the president for expenditure, and the president with the aid of the cabinet spends the money in the manner decided upon by congress, whether it be forpurposes of peace or of war. Although the congress of the United States makes the laws of the land, its powers are also limited by the constition. As a check on both executive and legislative branches of the government, theres a third branch, the judicial. The Supreme Court whose members are appointed for life by the president. The Supreme Court protects the constitution by violatioion of congressional laws or executive orders. The three branches, executive,e, legislative, and judicial, each with some power, none with all the power, check and balance each other in the manner intended by framers of the constitution so that the ultimate power rests always in the hands of the voter, bill johnson. Voting for a federal government, he must also choose a governor for his state, members of the state assembly, county judges, all the minor offices and various legislative amendments. When bill johnson is finished, he elected an entire government from top to bottom, that is if majority of voters think the way he does about it. Its not only here in riverton that the voting is heavy today. All over the country people are conscious of the momentous issues facing the nation and the world. This is their way of expressing their conviction of how and by whom these issues should be met. The two major president ial candidates vote likell of the other citizens. One of them in new york city describes himself as a lawyer. The other up in the country where his home is gives his occupation as farmer. For those who cannot come to the pollsentee ballotisvi supervised by the local notary. This is the same kind of ballot in this wartime election is sent to member of the armed forces at home andbroad. These ballots are returned to be counted in their rerespective states. In 1864, with the nation auctions are held on schedule writer shine, a chalk on his sleeve as part of yesterdays history lovers in. In 1864, with the nation in the throws of civil war, abraham lincoln, one of the greatest president s was opposed in a Bitter Campaign by one of his bitter generals. The people chchose to reelect m. Lincoln. In 1916, during the first world war, an election was held. Now again in 1944. Early summer nominating conveentions are held. At these tditionally noisy political jamborees, the chosen delegates of each major party meet to select a candidate for presidency and Vice President of the United States. Now the candidates have been chosen. And the campaign is on for presidenent to local sheriff. For three months through the late summer and fall wherever people come together, issues and men are discussed and argue about. Some feel this isnt all together a good thing but a lot of time and energy are wasted this way. It may be. But thats the way americans like to do it. Every attempt is made by every attempt is made by all parties to influence peoples thinking. All over the country, week after week, 140 million citizens take part in the great debate. Business, professional, civic groups endorse oneandidate or the other. For the first time in American History, organized labor takes an active part in the campaign. Radio plays a great role. Time on the air is time in the air is paid by all parties and distributed evenly. So theres no advantage over its opponents. Its estimated that in the last days of the 1944 campaign, 70 million americans for the speeches of the various candidates. music now all that is over. The votes are cast and americans have aggreed to accept the will of the majority, whatever it may be. Apparently even the younger generations have declared peace. Now the election boa begins its last duty, the counting of the votes. The figures are checked and doublechecked. Then they are telephoned to headquarters. Hello . Thisis is mrs. Dawson, seventh precinct, ready to report. From coast to coast, precinct by precinct, city by city, state by state, the resultsare recorded. All over america tonight, the people are waiting to learn whom they have chosen to govern them for the next four years. Towards midnight the, final results are announced. A nationon of 140 million has elected a government. On American History tv, a news style film from the u. S. Information agency about the 1960 president ial election from the nominating conventions to the concession and victory speeches by Richard Nixon and john f. Kennedy