The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1922-02-18
HARD TO LIFT
c. O.P. CLAIM
ON CONGRESS
Democratic Managers Realize
Landslide Needed to Upset
Control-to Focus Work In
Doubtful States.
SOLIDLY ENTRENCH
PALLADIUM NEWS BUREAU


WASHINGTON, Feb. 1S.-To secure
control of the next congress, which is
TO be elected in November. the Demo
Gratis must overturn q Republican ma
jority of "a in the senate, which has a
membership OF SO, and a Republican
majority of 168 in the house, which
has a membership of 435.
The large Republican majorities in
each branch of congress were the re-
suit of a landslide, and Democratic
managers realize that another land
slide this year will be necessary to
life the mortgage the G.. o. p. now
holds on the national legislative body
The situation which confronts the
Democratic leaders does not inspire
them with any particular enthusiasm.
They probably will be well satisfied
If they are successful in cutting down
TO small margins the Republican ma
iorities in the senate and the house.
And. they realize, 10 accomplish this
much their political activities in con-
gress up to the time of it's summer
adjournment must be adroitly con-
Quoted. Watch your step" is now the
Democratic slogan.
The Republicans, however, realize
congress their position is not inn
pregnable. They have been warned by
the Washington Post, a stalwart Re
publican organ, to remember the
''fickleness of the American voter"
Task Not Hopeless.
THE Republican candidate for con-
sress this year will do well to hump
himself" cautions the Post 1T is a
hard task which confronts the Demo
cratic aspirant, mauled by the recent
landslide, but it is not necessarily
hopeless one"
How well the Republicans intrench-
ed themselves in congress as result
of the 1920 elections is shown by a
study of the congressional directory
twenty-five states are now represent
ed in the lower house by solid Repub
lican delegations, and there are II
states, including Indiana, whose rep
resentation is solidly Republican in
both houses.
Democratic strength in the house
being confined almost wholly to the
south, it is 10 the % states now dom
mated by the Republican party that
the Democratic leaders must go to
wage their fight TO secure control of
congress.
Need ShreWd Tactics
Some of these states are commonly
regarded as safely Republican; hence
The first move the Democratic leaders
have made is 10 determine how to
concentrate their efforts in the doubt
sul states where the chances of sue
cess may more surely be found.
Shrewd tactics must be employed. 1t
is realized by the Democratic mana
gers that any mistake in the attitude
ihe minority in the senate assumes,
Tor instance, toward the tariff bill ana
toward the treaties resulting from the
recent arms limitation conference
might be fatal
The work of the limitation of arna-
ments conference has met with gen
eral approval throughout the country
AS political issue the pending treat
les are exceedingly live wires Then
100. The minority managers now re-
alze that any effort to make capital
OF the proposed protective tariff with
a provision for American valuation is
fraught with danger. There is a gen
eral and steadily increasing demand
for such a tariff, even in the Demo
cratic south.
General Issue
1t is probable. therefore. that the
Democratic organization will start of
the campaign on the general issue thai
the Republican party has failed Il
make good on its 1920 platform
pledges.
The political contest in Indiana
probably will center in the first, third
fourth and fifth congressional dis
tricts. Amazing political acrobats have
been witnessed in those districts since
1916. The first district, which was car
ried by the Republican candidate fo
congress in 1920 by 1850, returned
Republican in 1918 by only 1903. ant
was Democratic in 1916 by 323. TIL,
third district which was Republican
in 1920 by 2,174 and in 1918 by 567
was Democratic in 1916 by 2,407. TIL,
fourth district was Republican in 1872,
by 5.197 and in 1918 by only 317. Ii
1916 it was Democratic by 2,170. Th,
fifth district, Republican in 1920 b,
more than 10000 was carried by tha
DartV in 1919 bv onIy 500