Evening star., 1924-11-06
REPUBLICANS GET
MARGIN NECESSARY
TO RULE IN SENATE
Strength of "ReguIars" Now
so, Assuming Brandegee's
Seat Is Held.
LODGES ILLNESS MAY
BE SOURCE OF TROUBLE
Death Would Necessitate Special
Election and Might See
Democrat Victor.
by G.. GOULD LINCOLN.

BY G.. GOULD LINCOLN.
The Progressives, lead by La Fol-
1ettc and Wheeler. played for a big
stake in the election and lost not
only that stake but also the balance
Of power which they have held in the
Senate and House during the present
congress. The results of the election
cannot fail to be a bitter blow to
Progressive bloc in Congress and to
these outside of Congress
In the short session of Congress
which opens December l and closes
March next, the Progressive bloc
will still hold the balance of power
IN both houses, as it did in the last
session. But when the new Congress
comes into being after March 4, the
Republicans will have a real working
majority. They will be able to con-
troll both houses of Congress- having
II majority over and above the Demo-
Gratis. plus the Progressive blocs.
Majority Is Safe.
The control Of Congress is vital to
the Coolidge administration if it is to
make effective all of its policies. The
lack Of this control handicapped to a
great extent. the administration in
the last session of Congress. The
, control in Congress after March 4
Will be narrow but nevertheless it
VIII be Il majority control
ON the face of the returns SO far
re"eived-and they are nearly all in
today-the Republicans will have 50
seats in the Senate. the Democrats 40
ana the Farmer-Labor party /. From
the Republican 81. however, must be
Subtracted the little group Of Pro
gresSives who follow Senator La Fol
lette, when it comes to a question of
control of the Senate. In addition to
Senator La Toilette there are Sena-
tors Frazier and Ladd of North Dako-
Ia. both of whom declared for La Fol-
Iette during the campaign, and Brook
hart OF Iowa. Senator Norris of Ne
braska. Republican, has joined with
the Progressive bloc in the past but
IL independent and votes as he sees
lit on all occasions.
The republican strength in the new
Senate-55-less the Progressive bloc,
including Senator Norris, therefore, is
80. or one vote more than the neces-
sary 40 to make Il majority of that
body.
Promise to BE Regular.
Other Senators with Progressive
lcanngs will sit on the Republican
side, including Senators Norbeck and
| oichdSteF OF South Dakota, the lat
ter just elected. But both of these
Senators declared themselves for
Coolidge and Dawes, the Republican
national ticket, during the campaign,
and are expected to be reasonably
regular when they are called upon
20 vote in the Senate.
The % seats allowed the Repub-
licans include one vacancy in Con-
hecticut. caused by the death of Sen
20 be hlled soon at a special election
1t is expected. however, that a Re
publican will be elected in that State
Word comes to Washington today
that Senator Lodge of Massa chusetts
the veteran leader of the Senate Re-
pubitcanS, is in critical condition
and may not live. Should he die. an
other Republican vacancy would be
caused and a special election prob
ably would be held in Massachusetts
IL might even bring back to the SEN
ate Democrat. Senator David I.
Walsh. just defeated by Speaker Gill
lett. Senator Walsh would Seem to
be the logical selection of the Demo-
Gratis for the nomination. The Re
publicans might have difficulty find
ing candidate to beat Walsh in
special election.
No Change in Iowa.
d,
hcan. but d member of the La Fol-
lctte bloc in the Senate, reported YES
terday to have been defeated BY
Steck, the Democratic nominee TODAY
appears to be the winner. The latest
returns show Brookhart with lead
of about 700 votes and the entire
state has been heard FROM But Sena-
tor Brookhart's election cannot af-
feet the control of the Senate by
had not been elected. Democrat
would have filled his place.
DOUBT still exists about only two
OF the senatorial elections today
t.aat in 'I7x Mexico and that in
minnesota. Senator Bursum is run
ming behind his Democratic opponent
In New Mexico and Representative
Schall, Republican, is ahead of Sena-
tor Magnus Johnson, Farmer-Labor
III Minnesota. The estimate of Re
publican strength has been made with
the idea that Senator Bursum will
lose and Mr.. Schall will be elected.
Walsh and Warren Win.
Senator Walsh of Montana, perma
nent chairman of the Democratic ma
tional convention in New York and
leader in the oil Investigations, has
been reelected, although a desperate
defeat him. Senator Warren of Wv
omng, chairman of the appropria-
tions committee and next to Lodge
the Senator with the longest record
of service. has won in that State
after a hard contest.
, That the Republicans would con-
troll the House with real working
majority was expected But that they
would be able to control the Senate,
in spite of the Progressive bloc, even
the most optimistic Republicans
scarcely dared hope.
When the Harding administration
came into pd wer in 1921, the Repub-
licans had majority in the House
so large that 1t was almost unwieldy,
and a very considerable majority in
the Senate. The same fate overlook
the Republicans in 1922, however,
that overlook them at the close of
the first Congress under the Taft ad-
ministration. Their control of Con-
gress was swept away.
Three Men Drowned.