Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-10-31

It Is all over but the counting. For
every practical purpose, the congress
sional campaign Of 1880 closes with the
end Of October. The three days re-
naming before Tuesday, November 4,
when the die Il to be cast, will be
devoted to "mopping up" including
intensive plans for getting out the vote
An Indifferent electorate, from party
managers standpoint, Is almost as bad
as O hostile electorate. AS the zero
hour approaches both Republican and
Democratic managers are skeptical as
to the size Of the congressional poll.
Though it has been an exceptionally
feverish excitement for the most part
has been confined TO the politicians
There are few signs Of anything re-
sembling popular uprising among the
voters. The commonest explanation Is
that people everywhere have their
minds attuned to the business situation
and are not worrying about politics"
So
In that very state of affairs lies the
chief Democratic hope Of sweeping VIC
tories all over the country. Messrs
Raskob and Shouse are convinced that
voters are in punitive mood and VIII
NOW down Republican candidates for
House and Senate right and left. The
Democrats are relying upon the ancient
American custom of rebuking the party
in power when the times are out Of
Joint. They themselves have been the
victim Of that habit and do not see how
the Republicans can expect to ward on
political fate. Making due allowance
for Democratic super-optimism and
serene Republican confidence, it is this
observers Judgment that the @. o. P.
will emerge still in nominal control Of
both houses of Congress. But the
control will be so narrowly nominal
that it will border on the precarious.
organize the House Of Representatives
and the Senate and little else. The
outlook for Hoover administration
measures after March 4, 1881, will be
dark and dismal. They will face ship
wreck any time 1t suits the whim Of
the Democratic Republican Progressive
coalition at either end Of the Capitol.
+
Unless Democratic gains assume land
slide proportions-as Jouett ShouSe
thinks they will-the Republicans
should see their present majority Of
l03 in the House dwindle to a frag-
|
sent net Democratic wins of anywhere
from "a to 80 seats. The Democrats
need to make 50 net gains to rule the
lower branch by a mere majority. They
face the test with practical assurance
of scoring at least 81 wins, that being
the number of normally Democratic
seats lost in the Hoover avalanche of
1928 The full extent Of Democratic
victory will depend upon the Republic
cans ability to hold ~ other seats
ordinarily safe for the q. 0. P. II
these are lost, Republican control of
the House Is lost. The supreme battle
is being waged around them. Some are
certain to go. The principal fighting
ground IL in the so-called border States
Of Indiana, Kentucky, West Virginia
and Missouri.
If the contest for the House Is close,
the struggle for mastery of the next
Senate is no less intense Republican
or Democratic ascendancy there may
hang on the margin Of a single vote.
This radioScribes estimate is that the
Democrats will roll up no fewer than
six net senatorial gains. If that result
ensues, the incoming Senate will num-
Der so Republicans, As Democrats and
Farmer-Labor member. It will re-
uuire 10 net Democratic wins to wrest
majority control from the Republicans.
Senator Willard E. Tydings Of Mary
land, astute chairman of The Demo-
cratic Senatorial Campaign Committee,
in his most sanguine moments has rot
identified himself with any such hopes.
If the Democrats elect Gerry in Rhode
Island, Coolidge in Massachusetts,, Bay
ard in Delaware, McNeely in West Viz
ginia, Buckley In Ohio. Logan in Ken.
lucky and Gore in Oklahoma, they will
consider they've done good days work.
A they count On losing Eteck IN iowa.