THE NEW YORK TIMES, TUESDAY, JULY 6, 1971
ite House
Nixon Hails Youth Vote as 26th Amendment Is Certified at the
Wh
Special to The New York Times
was certified by Robert L. the Ohio legislature, the last
told
the
singer
s.
"But
it
sion
of
new
spirits
WASHINGTON, July 5— Kunzig, the General Services of the 38 states needed for a dent
is not that that makes America to time," he said. from time The President listened to the
The 26th Amendment to the Administrator, who bent over three-quarters majority. But
"As
I
stand
perform
ance
with
a fixed smile
the hope of the world.
here, I sense that
we
can
Constitution, which lowers to a mahogany desk thought to Mr. Kunzig added that today's
have
on
his
slightly
upturned face.
"America has never in this confidence
that
Americ
18 the minimum voting age in have been used by Thomas ceremony was a legal require- centur
a's
new
Afterw
ard,
he said that he had
y used its strength to votes
will
provid
e
what
all elections, was officially cer- Jefferson during the Continen- ment.
this
"heard
'The Battle- Hymn of
break the peace, only to keep country
needs."
tified today in a ceremony con- tal Congress in Philadelphia.
the Republic' at least seven or
The General Services Admin- it. In the last third of this cenAlthou
ducted by President Nixon.
gh
he
did
not
The President noted later that istration is responsible
say
so,
eight hundred times, but after
for the tury, America's strength will be Mr. Nixon clearly hopes
More than 500 members of Jefferson had also stood over preserv
to hearing this rendition I can tell
used to bring peace and keep
ation and safekeeping
of
capture
a singing group, Young Ameri- the desk while writing, because the nation
many
of
the
new
voters
you that no group has ever
's historical docu- peace in the world.
in next year's Preside
cans an Concer
of
t,
ntial
his
witnes
arthrit
elecsed
sung
is.
the
it better, believe me."
"The
ments.
United
States
of
Amertion. But one
event in
the
of
East
the
young
Room
of
the
Mr.
Nixon
The lowering of the voting
and
three
mem• Mr. Nixon noted that the ica doesn't want an acre of singers,
White
David
House.
Van
Dyke,
17,
bers
of
the
age to 18 by constitutional
singing
group
signed Young Americans in Concert, territory—we don't want to of Toms
River,
Mr. Nixon arrived by heli- the document as officia
N.
J.,
offered
amendment was made necesl wit- who. range in age from 15 to dominate anybody else. We the President a caveat.
copter shortly after 3 P.M. aft- nesses:W.-the certific
sary by a Supreme Court deThe 20, were about to embark on only want the people to have
er a weekend at Camp Da- three ,siugers, selecteation.
d at ran- a tour of Europe, and he asked the freedom we enjoy, and Would he vote to re-eleCt cision last December modifying
vid, Md.
dom, Were Julianne Jones of them to pass on "some.
what you can tell them." Mr. Nixon next year, the youth a law, previously passed by
of the that's
He told the young people Memphis, Joseph Loyd of De- things that We
Glancing around the room at was asked. "Depends on if Congress, that gave citizens
in
the
United
we're
out
of
Vietna
that
m,"
it
was
he re- over 18, the vote in al
"partic
troit
and
ularly
Paul
Larime
apr
of
ConStates
would
like the people the sea of blue blazers and plied.
propriate" that the ceremony, cord, Calif., all 18 years old. in Europe
elections.
hear." The sing- starched white blouses, Mr.
which marked the addition of The three kept their pens as ing broup, to
Before
retreat
ing
to punch The Court ruled that Conwhich. is baseddn Nixon said he was sure that and
11 million 'potential voter's to souvenirs.
cookies, the group sang gress had exceeded its
Princeton,
J., includes mem- the young singers would "reppowers
the electorate, had fallen on Afterward, Mr. Kunzig said bers from N.
all over the nation. resent America well abroad "The Battle Hymn of the Re- by setting voting standards for
the official observance of the that the amendment had taken
that
the
11 million new public." One member later said state and local elections as well
"You all know that America and
that it was only the group's as national elections.
nation's 195th birthday.
votes will do well
for
effect
this
the
momen
t
it
was
It upheld
ratiis
the
richest
and
stronge
st na- country at home.
third public
The
amend
perfor
ment's
mance
validit
toy
fied
only the granting of national
last
Wedne
sday
night
by
tion in the world," the Presi- "The country needs an Mfugether.
voting rights to the teen-agers.