The Washington times., 1930-09-22
DEMOCRATS
IN GLEE At
PROSPECT
Are Amply Financed for At
tack on Prosperity" See
Hoover Policy As Failure
BY GEoRGE R. HoLMEs
-, ss lntsrnatIonaI New. service

BY GEORGE r. HOLMES
BY international News Service
The big guns start boom boom
Ing along the national political
front this week.
With primaries ended, candi.
dates nominated, the party man
ayers now step into control Of
things, and for the next six weeks
the air viii be filled with fur and
feathers in the biennial battle for
control Of the next Congress.
That the Democrats are due
Tor some sharp gains in the House
Is conceded on all sides. The
Democrats gleefully proclaim it;
the Republicans rather grudgingIy
admit it.
Many Sore Spots
1T would be miraculous If the
Democrats did not gain material.
ly, for the Republicans are now
enjoying the greatest majority
they have ever had in the House,
and invariably the pendeluln
swings back between presidential
elections.
"The Republican majority will
be reduced, but IL will be suf-
fiCient," Representative John J.
TilS0n, Republican leader Of the
House says:
"The Republican majority will
be reduced-tO the point Of in.
visibility" Democratic spOkes-
men report.
TO the anticipated normal off
year swing against the party in
power is added this year the ef-
fects Of Sagging business condi-
tionS, widespread unemployment,
the lowest grain and commodity
prices in many years with ac-
companying resentment in the
agricultural regions, and bitter
prohibition struggles in scores Of
districts. These latter fights cut
into both parties, although the
Republicans generally are to be
found on the dry side.
Want Showdown
Already the Republicans have
sounded the tocSin Of stand by
the President Every Republi-
can keynOter to date has signified
the Republican determinat to
60 to the, country on the record
of the Administration, and de-
mand a vote Of confidence there
on. j.,
The same sentiment will be ex-
pressed this week by Secretary Of
State Henry L. Stimson when he
.skeynotes" the Republican con-
vention in New York State.
The Democrats have accepted
with alacrity the opportunity to
20 to the country ION the record.
Amply financed for the first
time in many years. militant. and
aggressively confident, they plan
during the next six weeks to pro-
claim from every stump that the
s.Hoover prosperity" promised two
years ago has proved bitter
That the farmers are now
worse off than they were before
the passage of the Hoover Farm
That there is unemployment
and breadIineS in the cities; that
the Republican tariff bill is re,
sponsible for falling exports and
bitterness against the United
states abroad; and that, in short,
ssRepublican prosperity" has be-
come, in fact, Republican hard
times"
Have 1O1 Objectives
While the Democratic plan OF
attack takes in, Of course, the
whole country. the real spear
head OF the attack will be GEN.
tered in some 101 congressional
districts where in recent elections
the margin of victory has been
expressed in 5000 votes either
way. This list has been care
fully compiled, and represents
weeks Of research and concentra-
tion. @.t..'.t
The present Republican major
ity in the House Is 102 over all.
Thus to gain control OF the House
to the point of organization the
Democrats will have to gain 81
seats-a herculean undertaking
and one that no party has ever
accomplished in an election. But,
taxing the 100 districts where the
margin of victory either way is
expressed in 5000 votes or less,
and add to it the abnormal condi-
tions that prevail this year as to
business and prohibition discon-
tent, and the net result Is to
make the Democrats Singularly
hopeful and confident.