Imperial Valley press., 1920-11-01
FIGHT
To CONTROL.
COMPLEXION
Of HOUSE
Odds Are Considerably in
Favor Of Republicans Be-
cause of Their Present Ma
jOrity of 46; Contests in
Many States.
(By United Press)

(By united PreSS)
WASHINGTON, Nov. In the
! struggle for control OF the next House
OF Representatives the odds are con-
siderably in favor Of the republicans,
| owing to their majority in the present
House of 46.
But, Notwithstanding this handicap,
| democratic managers, at the close OF
i; one OF he hottest congressional cam
palgnS in recent years, are confidently
predicting democratic margin OF
from ten to fifteen votes. On the
other hand, the republicans are hop
ing to increase their lead to at least
60 and possibly 70.
There has been very little congress
sional courtesy9in this campaign. The
democrats have put up vigorous fights
in districts hitherto considered safely
republican, and the G. O. 2. managers
have boldly invaded traditional demo-
cratic soil.
For example, some of the closest
results will likely be recorded in the
republican states of Massachusetts,
Connescticut and Pennsylvania, where
the democrats have been especially ac-
tive on behalf of their congressional
candidates. In Massachusetts they are
expecting to increase their four votes
to seven; in Connecticut, they hope
to elect for representatives in place of
the one in the present House, and in
Pennsylvania to make it twelve instead
Of seven.
Similarly, the republicans have gone
into Alabama and North Carolina,
where now they have no representa-
tion in the House, and expect to elect
or three from the latter. They" are
counting also on a gain of two each
in Kcntucy and Tennessee.
Republicans generally claim all the
seats they hold at present east of the
Mississippi, with gains Of the one
democratic seat in Connecticut, three
in Pennsylvania, two in New Jersey,
one in Maryland, three in Ohio and
one in Illinois. West of the Mississ
ippi, without taking into account the
much predicted landslide for the ma
tional ticket, which the say would con-
siderably increase the number of con-
gressmen, the republicans are count
ing on at least the following gains:
Missouri four, Kansas one, Colorado
one, California two, and Nevada one.
Democratic managers, besides ex-
pressing entire, confidence in being
able to hold their own in the south,
and in addition to their hopes in the
eastern states, above referred to, are
predicting gains of four in Ohio, six in
Indiana, where at persent they have
no congressman; one in West Virginia,
one in Maryland, one in Oklahoma, at
least one in Illinois, and one or two
each in Wisconsin and Minnesota. In
the far west they expect to keep what !
they have.
In the congressional campaign, in !
asmuch as members of the House have
no direct voice in the fate of the Ver- !
sailles treaty, the League of Nations
issue has cut comparatively little fig |!
ure Instead. there has been much talk
on the one side of the failure of the /
present administration and on the !
other of the sins of the present con-
gress. In many districts the Esch-
Cummins bill has been the chief issue !,
in others the wet or dry question, and
in others soldiers bonus or labor legis- !
lation or Mexico or the Yellow Peril.
One of the most interesting fights
has been in the 7th Ohio district,
where the democrats are trying to GUST
Rep. S. d. Fess. The fact that Fess
is chairman of the republican congress
sonal campaign committee has natur-
ally added zest to the democratic pur-
suit of his scalp The main fight on
Fess, however, is because of his vote
for the Esch- Cummins bill and against
the soldiers bonus.
Other republican wheel-horses whom
the democrats have marked for
slaughter. if it can be accomplished,
are "Nick" Longworth, of Cincinnati,
son-in-law of the late Col. Roosevelt,
and Rep. Slemp of Virginia, the only
republican member form the old do
mnion.