Evening star., 1920-02-22
By WILL p. KENNEDY.

q PECIAL interest will be taken IN
the congressional elections this
year because they are interviewer
with the presidential campaign
The republicans now have majority
} of forty-seven in the House, and Repre-
sentative Simeon d. Fess. the republi-
can congressional campaigner manager,
says he expects that this will be in
creased to ninety. On the other hand,
the democratic, leaders estimate that
they will win back control of the House
by n majority of five or six.
IL all depends on the drift" OF senti-
nent The drift" has been with the
&pubiicans. Besides, the republicaos
have the same organization whichturned
the control of the present Congress from
democratic to republican. While the
democratic management is handicapped
fy the fact that Representative Scott
Ferris at Okla homa, who is the chair
man of the congressional committee, is
making Il contest of his own for the Sen
ate, and, 1t is expected, the campaign
will be conducted by Representative
Michael +. Phelan of Massachusetts, the
acting chairman. who admits that he
doesn't know much about the political
outlook. There is sarcasm also in the
situation because the republicans con-
GdentIy expect TO defeat Representative
Pbelau himself for reelection.
However, the prospects are not quite
ss roseate as the republican leaders pre-
TEND TO see il. because they cannot
quite have forgotten that in the last
election they swept in several middle
west states on a landslide, and they
will have to fight hard to retain these
seats.
Present House Membership.
-;.-+-
f4o republicans, 1872 democrats and
three independents. Two of tie in
pendents-Ran of California and
tarrs OF Minnesota-vote with the
democrats, while the third. Keller of
Minnesota. votes with the republicans.
So this shows a republican majority
of forty-seven. Thus. change of
twenty -Iour from the republican list
to the democratic list would give the
democrats control of the House by
one vote--if the independents retain
their seats and vote as has been
their custom.
The election is Yet long way off.
but both parties are now busy on the
preliminaries The campaign cannot
begin until after the nominations
have been made in the prima' les, be-
cause it is not the business of the
congressional committees to pick the
candidates. but to elect their party
men after the nominations have been
made = and the primaries run from
June to September.
in the way of making platform and
defining party issues. The work OF
Congress. which must be the basis
for any claim to election. is being
framed by the leaders to stand the
test. The republicans being in con-
troll are taking the lead in that re-
spect.
Republicans show Activity.
xIt is evident that the republican
leaders are endeavoring to get their
side of the argument before the peo-
pie. so as to offset what republican
speakers have termed ''misunder-
standings due to administration prop
aganda in employment of government
A agencies, both during and since
the war to distribute information os-
tensibly governmental. but in reality
merely democratic publicity"
The republicans also are making
much of the slogan of economy and
slashing appropriation bills very Sc
yerely To emphasize this they are
calling in the executive ofnclais 10
nut them on record as demanding
many millions more than are appro-
nriated. At the same time the demo-
cratic speakers in the House are reg
isterinE protests against the heavy
cuts on the ground that they are Grip
pling governmental activities in which
the people are deeply SouSet Hcu. :.
1--WE would double our majority II
.he election was being held now.
said Representative Fess. just back
from a trip through the middle west.
YOf course. we expect to regain con-
f-ol," was all that Representative Phe-
Ian would say.
..soIid south" Democratic Asset.
In the present campaign the demo-
Gratis start off with los members from
the "solid south"-not including Ken
tucky. Missouri and Maryland. Last
wear the republicans made an even