Evening star., 1932-08-24
WASHINGTON OBSERVATIONS

A Democratic majority of not less
than fifty in the next House Is the
confident prediction in the Democratic
camp. Representative Joseph w. Byrns
of Tennessee, chairman of the Demo-
cratic Congressional Committee, is tie
latest to SO claim. The count of the
present House at adjournment last
month was: Democrats, 220; Repub-
licans, 2l0; Farmer-Labor, !; vacant, 4.
Thus a net gain of 20 seats will give
the Democrats the 50-Vote margin. Re-
apportionment of the House, 10 years
delayed. but now effective, with re-
sulting changes in representation Of a
score of States, may play an important
part in the political complexion of the
Seventy Congress California and
Michigan, rated Republican, gain IL
seats between them. This is a hopeful
aspect from the Republican angle.
Another important aspect is in the
circumstance that a dozen States have
failed to redistrict Six of these States
gain as follows: Connecticut, l; Flor
ida, /; New York, 2; Ohio, 2; Okla
homa, L. Texas, Sand these addi-
tional seats will be filled by a State
wide vote. This gives to the Demo-
couple of seats in New York and
the same in Ohio and perhaps in
Connecticut.
The case Of States which lost House
seats under reapportionment and which
have failed to redistrict is another
story. In such cases the election of
all the members of the House is on the
basis of a Statewide vote. Thus Mis-
souri, had 16 seats in the present House,
of which were Republican. Losing 3
seats under reapportionment, Missouri
will elect 13 House members in No
vember on Statewide basis. This
favors the Democrats. Kentucky has
IL seats now-Democrats, 9; Repub-
licans 2. Kentucky loses 2 and will
elect 9 at large-probably all Demo-
Gratis. Minnesota and North Dakota
elect 9 and 2, respectively, on a State
wide basis. If the Democrats should
carry Minnesota they would swing 9
House seats from the Republican to the
Democratic column in one fell SWoop.
The Republicans lost seat when
Rhode Islands representation was cut
from to 2 (Rhode Island has redis-
tricted). All in all, the House re-
apportionment business seems to work
to the Democratic advantage this year.
Inc DeUlOCTdIS, NATURALLY tHOuSi, dIc
equally confident of gaining control in
the next Senate, overturning the pres
ent one-vote Republican margin. Even
the stanchest Republicans are obliged to
privately concede that, as the cards now
lie, their chance to retain Senate control
is highly dubious. Democratic control
of the Senate would be a bitter pill for
many anti-Hoover insurgent Republican
Senators-the sons of the wild jackass"
and others, who in that event, will
lose important committee chairman
ships they now hold. Norris of Ncbraska
T will lose craftsmanship Of Judiciary;
Nye. Public Lands; La Toilette, Manu-
factures John2on, Commerce: Couz2ns.
Interstate Commerce. and the great
Borah Foreign Relations. To mention
only a few of the Republican regulars
whose committee chairmanShipS are in
jeopardy: Smoot. Finance; Jones Ap-
preparations; Reed, Military Affairs;
Hale, Naval Affairs, and Moses, Rules.
* x
In the preparation and preliminary
organization Of the business and indus
| trial conference to be staged at the
| Capital this week Henry M. Robinson,
j Los Angeles banker and close friend OF
! the President, is said to have been a
prime mover. Banker Robinson has
/ been a White House guest for the past
several weeks. MI. Hoover leans heavily
en- the financial counsel of his fellow
Californian. The latter is seldom in
| the forefront, and rarely quoted, but
constantly in the background. He could
! have had a place in the Hoover cabinet
| for the asking. Owen D. Young Of
. General Electric and Walter c. Teagle
of Standard Oil have also had much to
! ,,o will, the nresa1t Washington round
up of captains of big business to confer
on new plans and programs to put the
country back on its economic feet. Il
will be an occasion when Mr.. Hoover
will hammer home anew the efforts his
administration has exerted and proposeS
| to exert to aid in credit expansion and
/ to relieve Unemployment.
! y X X
After seven days in office, the new
Secretary OF Commerce, Roy D. Chaplin,
Michigan motor magnate. took to the