THE FOUNDING OF THE ASSOCIATION

THE FOUNDING OF THE ASSOCIATION THE National Association of Secretaries of State is the oldest organization of major public officials in the United States. [...] It is his primary obligation and duty to direct the election machinery, to preserve the integrity of the ballot and to safeguard the rights of electors.”15 Possibly the fervor of NASS members in support of strong, enforceable and uniform election codes stemmed from their desire to forever place in the past the extensive political corruption wit- nessed at the turn of the century. [...] Few will disagree that the decade of the Forties was the single most important era in the United States’ “rise to glo- balism.” This period forced drastic changes in the outlook of the public and altered the position of the United States on the world scene. [...] The membership of this cen- tral body included the Secretary of War, the Secretary of the Navy, Administrator of the War, Shipping Administrator, an executive officer and an administrative officer.26 The commission served all branches of the military. [...] The lack of discussion with regard to the war indicates a desire to put the horrors of war in the past and move forward with the more traditional role of the Office of Secretary of State.