The sun., 1918-12-23
SENATE CONTESTS
NOT FEARED BY COP.
Prepared to Retaliate Should
Democrats Assail Moses,
Phipps or Newberry.
CONTROL DEEMED SURE
All Previous Attempts to I'm
seat Senators Have Re-
suited in Failure.
snoctni pesrntcA 70 TIE stN.

Secctdl Despatch 70 THH BIN
WASHINGTON, Dec. 22.-If the three
contests for seats in the Senate threat
ened by the Democrats are to be
pushed through to a finish. the Repuo-
leans in the Senate are prepared 10
contest the seats of no fewer than a
half dozen Democrats apparently
elected and possibly one more.
Senators of the present majority
talk of contesting the election OF
George H. Moses IN. h, Truman IL
Newberry (Mich.) and l.. c. Phipps
(Col.). Mr.. Moses was elected TO sue
coed Jacob II. Gallinger, who died IN
ONCE. Mr.. Newberry defeated the
pscifst Henry Ford running as a De-
mocrat with tho Presidents indorse-
rnent in the Michigan fight, and Mr.
Phipps defeated Senator Shafroth
CCoi.). self-styled Honest John"
According to the Republican leaders,
there is nothing to arouse suspicion
that any of these contests will be sue
cessful. They said tonight that the
clamor against the election or MT
Newberry is founded entirely upon
charges Of extraordinary expenditures
made In advertising his candidacy.
In the Moses case the only charge
has been the embryonic suggestion
that all of the ballots were not counted
auite fairly. In the Colorado case
there have been only hazy suggestions
Of the use Of a campaign fund ex-
ceeding the limits prescribed by law.
Previous Contests Failures.
Privately, Senatorial leaders of both
parties admit there is little hope OF
successful contest being promoted
by either party. They called atten-
ton TO the fact that from the foun-
dation of the republic to the present
time there never has been a successful
contest for a seat in the Senate. he
CARELESS OF this series OF precedents
the Republican Senators are not rail-
inR 70 list the alleged Democratic VIC
tors whose successes at the last election
NAV not stand the acid test of analysis
ny the Privileges and Elections Com
mittee of the next Congress.
II Democrats in the Senate are pre-
uared to ask qualifications for the
seating Of those Republican Senators
whose election is open to the least
shadow of doubt Republicans are pre-
pared to ask number of embarrass-
ing questions in regard to the election
Of several Senators OF the Democratic
faith. They are prepared to question
the right Of Augustus Owsley Stanley
once a member OF the House, now
Governor of Kentucky, TO occupy a
seat in the Senate for six years and
three months when the Constitution
prescribes term of six years for
Senators. The continuance in office OF
Senator Martin (Ky), appointed to
succeed the late Ollie NJ. James, is
merely sidestepp;rg the issue. accord
ing to Republican Senators.
The election OF Senator Henderson
New may he reviewed by the Re
publicans = the contest grows hot for
control and the Democrats follow out
their plan of trying to forestall Re
publican control of the Senate by
starting contests and lolding up Sen
atorial credentials
May Attack wilson's Choice.
But even more embarrassing to the
Democrats is the suggestion that the
Georgia primaries may be investigated
by the Senate and the election of Will
lam J. Harris. formerly chairman OF
the Federal Trade Commission over
Representative Howard, and Senator
Hardwick in the bitter battle OF last
August may be reviewed. Harris was
backed by the Wilson Administration
and the suggestion that his narrow
margin over Howard and Hardwick
was won through the misuse Of powers
and prerogatives by Federal employ
ees in Georgia may furnish an issue IT
the way Of holding up the initiation
of the Georgian in the Senate.
These are but three of the oppor
tunities for the Republicans to NEE
Democratic suggestions OF contested
Senate seats. They do not represen
the limit to which the Republican:
may go in questioning Democratic sue
cesses, but they do mark the limit o
possible adventures before the Privi
leges'and Elections Committee for thu
Democrats.
The Republicans have the Montana
election as their holdout. They alst
have the results in North Carolina a
a basis for suggested contests. All IL
all the Republicans have slightly TIL
edge, II the issue of election purity Il
called into question in the organiZa
ton of the next Senate. They ar
ready for the Democratic blast with
more ammunition to meet 1t than thu
na0nOcrat9 have sllSDaCtel.