Heed Youth's Call—Vote As You Think But Vote! Nov. 6, 1956

"Heed youth's call--vote as you think but vote! November 6, 1956. Use your freedom to vote. Boys Scouts of America. Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge."

The printed text on the other side of this doorknob hanger includes the title "The American Way of Life," a list of "political and economic rights which protect the dignity and freedom of the individual," and another reminder to "Keep your freedom—vote!"

According to "Boy Scouts to Leave Vote Pleas at 35,000,000 Homes," an article in the Gettysburg Times (Gettysburg, Pa.), Oct. 25, 1956, p. 1, Scouts planned to distribute 35 million Liberty Bell hangers prior to the presidential election on November 6:

"The nation's 4,175,134 Cub Scouts, Boy Scouts, Explorers, and adult leaders will climax their nationwide Get-Out-the-Vote campaign beginning Saturday, November 3. On that day and on Monday, November 5, they will call on a total of 35,000,000 homes and leave on front doorknobs a Liberty Bell hanger urging citizens to vote.

"They have been conducting a nonpartisan campaign, without reference to any candidate or party. It has been sponsored jointly with Freedom Foundations, Inc., of Valley Forge."

After all the votes were tallied on November 6, it turned out that incumbent Republican President Dwight D. Eisenhower had won re-election and defeated his Democratic opponent Adlai Stevenson.