Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-11-04
DEMOCRATS WIN
t. 3 HOUSE SEATS
Score Victories. IN Michigan,
! Ohio and New York in Yes
terday's Election.
tcon.lnued from r.n. Page,

had been represented by opponents Of
national prohibition. Speaker Long
wofth. who refrained from public state
uents on the wet and dry issue while
r. WIS Speaker. was known TO sym
pat.izs with the snti-prohibitionlsts.
The Democrats won three OF the fiNe
congressional elections yesterday, m
o dition TO Hart In the eighth Michi-
gan district. they elected Martin l..
Sweeney in the twentieth Ohio district
ard Joseph Delaney in the seventh New
York district The Republicans elected
HOLSTER in the first Ohio district and
Edward l.. Stokes In the second Penn
syivania district.
Garner Nearer Goal.
The political makeup OF the House
now stands Democrats, at; Repub-
Icans. 2l5. Farmer Labor, / and two
vacancies. John Garner, the Demo-
cratic candidate for Speaker of the
House, as result OF the Democratic
victory In Michigan, has moved appre-
ton. Even should the Republicans win
IN the first New Hampshire district
made vacant recently by the death OF
the late Representative Fletcher Hale
and In the NTH New Jersey district,
hifhe:.a S-sJresented by the late Repre-
eentative Alderman, then total vote in
Fthe House would be the same as that OF
Fehe Democrats. ait.
Under such circumstances, Paul
kyale, the lone Farmer-Laborite from
minnesota, will case the deciding vote
IN matters Of House organization, pro-
vtded the Democrats stand solidly to-
gether and the Republicans do the
same. The vacancy in the fifth New
Jersey district Is to be filled by special
election December !, and the first New
Hampshire district vacancy Is to be
nlled by special election In January
df the Democrats win either one of
these special elections, they will have
an out-and-out majority of l OF the
Aeombined opposition of the Republicans
Nmnd the Farmer-Laborite The Repub-
licans won in the fifth New Jersey dis
! trict with an almost 2-to-1 vote in the
election last year. However, the over
{ whelming victory OF the Democrats in
the gubernatorial race in the State yes
terday has given them hope that they
I may wrest this House seat from the
Republicans in December.
Republicans Won I'm 1880.
The Republicans carried the first
New Hampshire district by almost 49,
900 votes in 1890. In view of the fact
that the Republicans won in the eighth
Michigan district year ago by 10000
votes and that on yesterday the Demo-
Gratis turned the tables on them, win
ming by approximately 10000 votes, 1t
would appear that the Democrats have
ct least n fighting chance OF winning
in either the New Jersey or New Hamp-
shire districts.
The Democratic victory In the eighth
Michigan district was, in part due to
the fact that the Democratic candidate,
Hart, Is a business man In Saginaw,
where at least 40 per cent of the dis
trict's total vote Is cast. while his Re-
publican opponent lives in Ionia, an
outlying rural district For many years
Saginaw has been the home of the
Congressman fram this district. The
late Representative Vincent, who won
there q year ago, lived In Saginaw, and
Mt one time the district was represent
ed by Fordney OF Fordney -McCumber
tariff law fame.
The victory of .iohn B. HOLSTER in the
FIRST Ohio district was won in the face
of the business depression and much
unemployment. Had that district gone
Democratic yesterday, the popular opin-
ion would have teen that the Repub-
licans did not stand a ghost of a chance
for victory in the national election next
year. Even as Ut Is, however, Repub-
lican chances for 1882 have materially
dimmed in the light Of the election re-
suits in Michigan and New Jersey.
WI Elect Committee Heads.
II Democratic organization OF the
House take place, as 1t now seems
likely. not only VIII the Democrats elect
Mr.. Garner Spe lker, but they will also
elect the chairman of the Standing
Committees Of the House and have
charge of legislation in that body dur
ing the coming session of Congress.
While some Democratic members Of
the House may be reluctant to take
charge of legislation at this time new
ertheleSS their control of the House will
psychologically improve their chances
OF victory next year. Frequently when
the political complexion of Congress
has changed midway in an administra-
ton. 1t has been followed by the over
throw OF the administration at the next
general election
The success of the wet Democratic
candidate in the eighth Michigan dis
trtct brings the wet strength in the
House somewhere near $50 votes In the
last Congress the vets mustered con-
siderably less than 100 votes. Attacks
upon national prohibition, in view of
this change of circumstances, will be
vigorously pressed during the coming
session OF Congress. Further impetus
will be given the demand for insertion
OF wet planks in the platforms of the
Democratic and Republican parties next
year. HOLSTER, the Republican who won
IN the first Ohio district, is a wet a
member OF the Srusaders. Had he not
nient, ne probably would have had no
ton.