Evening star., 1940-10-19

by the White House inner circle, and
probably by the President himself,
because of his fight on the court
bill. But Indiana Democratic lead
ers, when the showdown came, did
not dare to go through with the
plan to eliminate Senator Van Nuys,
fearing it would split the party wide
open here and result in the election
CT Republican Senator. So they,
Gov. Townsend among them, in
vited' Senator Van Nuys to be a
candidate.
In an upsurge of Republican and
anti-NeW Deal sentiment two years
ago, the G.. o. P. elected seven
members of the House to five for the
Democrats. This was a remarkable
upset. Senator Van Nuys was re-
elected, but largely because he had
Republican support for his court
bill battle and because he was run
ming against a comparative "un-
known in the person of Mr.. Willis.
State Districts Juggled.
Several years ago the State was
"Gerrymandered" by the Democrats
and the congressional districts so
arranged as to make it easy for the
Democrats to carry all but one of
them. The Republicans cast $4,000
more votes than the Democrats in
the u House contests in 1898, but
carrier only districts.
This year the Democrats are claim
ing they will win back at least three
of the House seats they lost two
years ago, and Republicans privately
are declaring that they will be eX-
tremely lucky if they can hold the
seven House seats they now have.
More impartial observers look for
$3.50 split, with the Republicans
electing six and the Democrats six
members of the House.
Democratic hopes in these con-
gressional races center particularly
in the Sd, 9Th and 7th districts
Democrats insist that the 4th dis
trict presents a ''hoss race"
George Sands, former prosecutor
and State Senator, is the Demo-
cratic candidate in the Sd district;
Lenhart Bauer is the Democratic
white hope against Representative
johnson in the 9Th, and Charles
H. Bewell is running for the Demo-
Gratis against Representative Lands
in the 7th district.
Ludlow Has a Fight.
Representative Ludlow, hard
working, anti-War Democrat, who
fathered the war referendum reso-
luton in recent Congresses, is ex-
pected to be reelected, although
he has tough fight on his hands.
He represents the 18th district, part
of Indianapolis.
Mr.. Ludlow has gone down the
line in Washington for Indiana
businessmen as we'll as workers. He
has a host of friends, and probably
only a Willkie landslide in this area
of the State would defeat him. Rep
resentative Halleck of the I'd dis
trict, who placed Mr.. Wilkes name
IN nomination at the Philadelphia
convention, is regarded as certain
of reelection. His district is
strongly Republican.
Senator Minton has no illusions
about his status in this campaign
If President Roosevelt carries In
diana, Minton stays in the Senate;
if Mr.. Willkie wins here, out goes
Minton. He's in no different po-
sitlon from that of countless other
Democratic senatorial and con-
gressional candidates throughout
the States.
Should he be defeated, Senator
Minton probably could have Fed
eral judgeship if he wanted one.
Indeed, I was told in Washington
months ago by one of the highest
officials of the Government that two
Senators would be appointed to the
Federal bench this year. One was
Senator Minton and the other Sen
ator SchWellenbach of Washington
The latter already has been ap-
pointed. If Senator Minton is de-
feated, one of the Presidents S
strongest ieutenants in the Upper
House will have been removed.