The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1938-04-25
DENIS SEE BIG
MAJORITY IN
LOWER House
Minimize Advance Claims
Republicans to Make
Inroads There
By MACK JOHNSON
United Press Staff Correspondent

WASHINGTON, April 20. (uP)
Jubilant claims by Republicans
that they will capture 76 addl-
tional seats in the house at the
elections next November drew
counter-claims last night from
Democratic leaders who say they
will hold the lower chamber
Overwhelmingly"
Representative Joseph w. Mar
tin, Jr., Mass, chairman OF the
Republican congressional cam
paign committee, said the coun-
try is fed up" with President
Roosevelt's spending and social
reform policies and that the Re-
publicans will gain a minimum
of 76 Seats" mostly in Pennsyl-
vania, New York, New Jersey,
Massachusetts, Michigan and
Ohio.
This was ridiculed promptly by
silver-haired Representative Pat
rick Drewry, Va, chairman OF the
Democratic congressional cam
paign committee, who, after
checking his charts, said the Re-
publicans could not win more
than 25 seats, if that many.
/. "Remember," he said, they
claimed gains before the 1883
and 1886 elections, too, and each
time the Democrats wound uo
with additional seats.
Seeming the first gains since
the New Deal landslide in l95Z,
Martin said the Republicans are
preparing an aggressive campaign,
aimed at so-called "borderllne
states, and that internecine war,
fare within Democratic ranks Will
aid the Republican cause.
He bases his predictions on:
|. The usual "off year" switch
in congressional seatings.
2. Dissatisfaction with the New
Deals pump printing" and other
policies, emphasized by the pres
ent depression.
3. A decline in President
Roosevelt's personal popularity
''in the grass roots"
4. Bitter fractional disputes
among Democrats. in such Key
states as Illinois, Pennsylvania
and Indiana.
SAYS NEW PUMP PRUNING
is SOARING PEOPLE
This new $4,5l2,000,00O pump
printing program, even If 1t
primes the polls in November, IS
soaring the people," Martin said.
at is established definitely now
that neither relief nor pump
printing was responsible for the
original business pickup under
the New Deal,
at was the soldiers bonus that
did the trick, and that is gone
now. Business is terrified of the
future and is hamstrun" by Grip
ping taxes" -. -,
Martin and House Minority
Leader Bertrand H. Smell, r., N.
Y, noted that party discipline is
growing stronger" and that there
is close harmony within Republl-
can ranks.
Every indication points to
sweeping gains next November, -
Smell said. Look at the newspa-
pers every day. They are telling
the story of what we have been
preaching the past few years
about the New Deals ultimate re-
suits"
Both Drewry and House Major
ity Leader Sam Ravburn. D., Tex,
said however that Republican
claims of the 76 seats, even II
they come true, would still leave
that party far short Of the 2l8
members necessary to control the
lower chamber. 1t now consists Of
327 Democrats, the largest ma
jority in history, 80 Republicans,
five Farm-Laborites and seven
Progressives. There are SIX va
cancieS.
FORESEEs CHANGES ON
BOTH SIDES
"The Democrats will retain con-
troll of the house overwhelming
ly," Rayburn said.
Drewry contended that the con-
gressional races, in the absence
Of a presidential ticket, will re-
volve around local issues mainly
and that there will be some chang
es "among both Democrats and
Republicans" arising from prl-
mary fights.
BOWLER HITS 800 TWICE