The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-11-08
BY LYLE c. WILSON
Press Staff Correspondent

nation voted today in an o11-year general election in which vital scat tered races were so close that the luck of rain or sunshine may de- termine the winners.
 Weather forecasts were moder- ately unfavorable to Republicans along the mid-Atlantic coast and westward into the plains states. The forecasts for these areas included clouds, rains, and snow.
 New York politicians were espe- cially weather conscious. In rural upstate, rain today might keep many G. o. P. vote away from the polls and perhaps determine wheth- ther the Democratic party retains or the Republican party wins the governorship. That is the grand prize in the election sweepstakes.
 Handicap To G. o. P.
 Election day rain or snow gen. erally is counted a handicap to Re- publicans in the big industrial states where the New Deal-Demo- cratic party finds its greatest strength in Urban areas.
 Pollings took place in AT states to complete the national referen- dunn on the New Deal begun Sept. 12 in Maine.
 Business depression as politi- cal factor has jumped the fence this time. Republicans sought to put Democrats on the defensive for the slump of 1937-38.
 President Roosevelt will vote and await returns at his Hyde Park, N. Y, home, confident that the electorate will give the New Deal- Democratic party a fourth conse- cutive endorsement. He was wear ing an Andrew Jackson watch chain for luck.
 Forecast As Polls Opened
 l. Republican Senate, House and Gubernatorial gains to end a To- year period of consecutive Demo- cratic expansion.
 2. Possible delineation of "con- servative" trend away from the New Deal.
 3. A big but not necessarily mai ority vote for various plans to hike old age pension payments.
 There are 498 major offices-Con- gressional and gubernatorial- at stake of which Democrats now hold 383 and Republicans 94 with other parties and vacancies accounting for the remainder.
 Maine's September election did not change party standings. Re- publicans retained the governor ship and the House delegation of three. There was no senatorial contest.
 Today's election will set LID the 76th Congress whic-I will meet Jan. 8.
 G o P Gains In New England
 Principal Republican gains are forecast in New England, middle Atlantic, and north central states.
 Depressed crop prices, the l937- S8 business slump, continued large scale unemployment and 8 possible reaction against New Deal plans to reorganize the judiciary and meth ods of dealing with acute labor problems are factors suggesting that the G. o. P. may find the be- ginning of the comeback trail,
 But more than mere gains will be necessary to establish a significant Republican upturn. The average ou-year shift in the House from the majority to minority party is SO seats. The G. O. P. must thrust well beyond that number and gain a handful Of Senate seats to justi- " burning more than a dimes worth of political red fire.
 GoVernorShips offer g better field TOT conclusive Republican victories. substantial gains in all catepories would mark a spectacular turning oI the lO-year tide which has ali put submerged the G. O. P since the presidential election of 1923
 Farley Predicts Landslide
 Cnalrman James A. Farley of the Democratic National committee predicted another Democratic land- slide but conceded limited Republi- can congressional gains.
 Cnalrman John D. M. Hamilton or the Republican National commit. tee, countered with polling dav in. siuctionS to all state chairmen to Keep a close watch for evidence of coercion of relief beneficiaries" be- cause an effort was being made to coerce those on relief rolls" He SaIu tnere was Q Republican trend anong persons receiving govern ment aid. Hamilton, who predict. ca the presidential election of Gov nat,I mH ". Landon, few hours before young started two years ago. made no specific claims today.
 MT. roosevelt woI in 1886 with aL put two of the 48 states and a popular vote of 27,476, ,O0O to 16 67o : VoO TOT Landon. Their 44Oo0 mn aggregate vote probably will moi he reacned today but as many as 40 = 0O0,000 votes may be cast
 me charge that WPA employees ana others receiving government 1lu are becoming an effective New Deal ponlcal ""ganization echoed generally from Republican nIat~ iorns during the campaign.
 democrats concede probabIe Re- puDncan gains of ..round 30 house seats, well under the normal t,,rn. over. and possible slight Senate and GuDernatorial success. Republicans atlouSiy S:.ys they expect to in- crease their house membershin Inv h1 SO seats, obtain control of kew iny ouStrlal state cap:tols and add T , mayne lO-to their Senate strengtb mere Is no recognized chance to- . gay that the COP. will obtain co,, yo troi of either House or Senate e
 Gov. Lehman In Hard Fi~ht
 But the gubernatorial grand nriv. es are in doubt. Coy. Herberpt pAi1 1T lehman of New York, luke-warn rn, m, 70 the New Deal bu. drafted T~. for Al q fourth Democratic Examination ,f z. having the fight ( his life aos ,,,st E Thomas E. Dewey, se-year-o,d s~nis' raoS ets prosecutor who will sween across uaTA the sky brighter than a conet o;S ;s ne comes out on top today T,,n m out of three straw polls give DeweU ~v 2 slight margin and the other h"sy rs n0fEG that Q 1r1a in~Sk.. ~