Evening star., 1940-11-03
Control Of House
Is Likely 10 Go With
Presidency tuesday e!
4 6. O. P. Must Capture
< 50 Seuts to Achieve
Bdre Majority -
BY WILL p. KENNEDY.

BY WILL p. KENNEDY.
Whether the Republicans gain con-
! troll of the House in Tuesdays elec-
tion depends on whether Wendell
! L. Willkie can score a s. sweeping VIC
tory over President Roosevelt.
The prospect is that If Mr.. Roose-
welt is reelected the House will con-
tinue to be Democratic, probably
with . decreased majority, and that
If Mr.. Willkie wins 1t will be q
Republican House with good work.
ing majority. That Is the history
of congressional elections in close
presidential years-and the present
election is probably the most un-
predictable in the history Of Ameri-
can politics.
That is the situation, in spite Of
the claims Of both Republican Ma
tional Chairman Joseph w. Martin,
jr., and his successor as Republican
congressional campaign manager,
Representative j. Will Otter Of
Pennsylvania, who are agreed on
the prediction that the Republicans
will gain at least so House seats,
enough to give the party a good
working majority. The g. o. P. must
pick up so seats to get q bare ma
jority, and after that each addi-
tional seat gained would count dou-
Bile, through a Democratic loss and
Republican gain.
A checkup Just completed on re-
ports from all parts of the coun-
try indicates Republicans may gain
from 80 to 86 House seats.
Vote in Ratio to Presidency.
The. prediction has been made
that the stronger the vote for Mr..
Roosevelt, the more Republicans
will be elected to the House-that
those who will vote to keep Mr..
Roosevelt in ONCE because of the
foreign situation will elect a Re-
publican House to keep a check on
him.
The survey just completed does
not confirm this prediction. 1t
shows rather that the party vote
in the House will be in close pro-
portion to the party vote for Presi-
dent. The prediction was started
during the defeatiest period when
many Republican voters were will.
ing to swap Mr.. WILKES chances
for a Republican House. But with
the growth Of support for Mr.. Will
.kie that sentiment has been thrown
aside.
Republican campaign managers
are counting on all Republican House
members holding their present seats.
There are two Republican vacancies
as election day. approaches-in the
Sd Wisconsin district, caused by
the death of Representative Harry
w. Griswold, and in the 18th Cali
fornia, due to the death OF Rep
yesentative Thomas M. Eaton.
Former Members Running.
In each of these districts former
House member is opposing the Re-
publican nominee For the Wiscon.
sin seat William H. Stevenson Of La
Crosse, Republican, opposes George
T. Doherty of La Crosse, Democrat,
and former Representative Gardner
r. Withrow, also Of La Crosse.
Progressive. Mr.. Griswold defeated
Mr.. Withrow two years ago by nearly
1000 votes. In the 18th Califor-
MIA district, Ward johnson of Long
Beach, Republican, and former
Representative Byron N. Scott, also
of Long Beach, Democrat, are the
contestants Mr.. Scott was defeated
two years ago by only 342 votes.
Republican estimators make 1t
plain they are not figuring on any
material change in the representa-
ton from the solid South" and no
abnormal" change in the border
States. They look for their big gains
in such States as Pennsylvania,
Illinois and Ohio-and a steady in
crease of one, two or more seats in a
majority of the States.
In California the Republicans hope
TO pick up three to six seats. The
Democrats now have IL, the Republi-
cans seven and one is vacant. The
seven Republicans are sure OF, re-
election because they have the in
dorsement of both parties. -Four
Democrats are sure Of reelection as
nominees OF both parties. The Re-
publicans count their chances OF an
overturn as best in the Atm, long
held by Representative Julius H.
Kahn and his widow, where Repre-
sentative Franck c. Haver1ner, who
has the Democrat and Progressive
nominations, is opposed by Thomas
Rolf, Republican; in the 7th dis
trict, where Representative John
H. Tolan, Democrat, is, opposed by
former Representative Ralph r.
Elise, Republican, and in the 2Oth,
where Representative Ed Y. Izac.
Democrat, is opposed by Ed Fletcher,
Republican. cas-
Chances in Colorado.
In Colorado, the Republicans are
making a fight in all four districts
but say their major chances are IN
the I'd, where Representative
Fred Cummings, Democrat, is op-
posed by William S. Hill, Republican,
and in the Sd, where Byron G.
Rogers has the Democratic nomlna-
ton for the seat vacated by the
death Of Representative John A.
Martin, with j. Edgar Chenoweth
as the Republican opponent.
In Connecticut, the Republicans
hope to gain two seats in the Sd
and 5th districts, which would give
them solid delegation Of six if they
can hold the seats they now have.
In the Sd, Representative James j.
Shanley, Democrat, is opposed by
RanuH Compton and in the 5th,
Representative j. Joseph Smith has
as his Republican opponent Frank
T. johnson.
Representative Compton I. White
of Idaho, veteran of four terms, is
scheduled to be defeated by Edward
Gaffney, Republican. .-s -. ,
In Illinois, the Republicans count
of a gain Of from four to nine seats.
They claim q good chance in the lst