Evening star., 1942-10-24
By G. GOULD LINCOLN,
Star Staff Writer,

BY G. GOULD LINCOLN,
Star STAFF Writer.
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 24.-The
Democrats are putting on drive to
save as many representatives from
Pennsylvania as possible in the
coming election. With grave doubts
in their minds over the governorship,
the word has gone out to do every
thing possible to elect members of
the House who will go down the line
for the Democratic administration
In Washington.
In the present Congress Pennsyl-
vania has "a House seats. the Re
publicans holding 16, the Democrats
IT, and one Democratic vacancy due
to the death of Representative Bo-
land.
Reapportionment of the House
strength among the States to meet
the 1910 census has cut the number
of the Pennsylvania delegation to 80.
So on election day the voters will
choose one Representative at large
and Representatives In 80 districts,
with some rearrangement of the dis
tricts.
With the State likely to elect a
Republican Governor, it seems en-
tirely unlikely that the Democrats
can hold their present strength In
the House. Some of the Democratic
members rode to victory in 1910 on
the coat tails of President Roosevelt,
who carried the State over Wendell
L. Willkie. The President is not on
the ticket this year.
Pre-War Issue.
The Democrats are seeking to
make opposition to the Presidents
national defense measures, before
Pearl Harbor. the chief issue against
the Republicans. Republican in
cumbents from Pennsylvania. the
records show, voted almost solidly
against these measures, including
the Lease-Lend Act and the Draft
Act. The Democrats are shouting
that the voters should not re-elect
men who were so blind to what was
going on in the world.
Former Gov Clifford Pinchot, Re-
publican, who has been the center
OF many political battles in the
past, has come to the aid of the
Democrats in their assault on Re-
publican House members from this
State. He delivered a radio address
taking the hide off the isolationist
Republicans and urging their defeat.
Pennsylvania Republicans in the
House, Mr.. Pinchot said, had a
worse record by far than the aver
age for all the Republicans in that
body. Mrs. Pinchot is campaign
ing against the Republican con-
gressional candidates, going to Pitts
purgh to address women's meetings.
How much political influence Mr..
Pinchot continues to exert is prob
lematical. He certainly will influ-
ence some Yoters-although they
may be-sRepablicans who hold his
own views already. T.
Fails to Indorse Ross.
The former Governor abstained
from indorsing the Democratic
candidate forsz Governor, Auditor
General F.. Cfatr Ross. Nor did, he
say a good word for the Republican
gubernatorial nominee, Brig. Gen.
Edward Martin. The fact that Gen.
Martin was the candidate put for
ward by Joe" Pew and Joe" Grun-
dy was enough to turn Mr.. Pinchot
from him.
The Republicans have chances to
pick up number of seats in the
House now in Democratic hands.
To begin with. they are expected to
elect the representative at Large.
especially since they are likely to
carry the governorship election.
Their candidate for Representative
at Large is w. I. Troutman and he
Is running against a woman, Inez
B. Peel, a Democrat from Pitts
burgh. She is the daughter of a
labor leader now dead. and has been
an office holder in Allegheny
County.
Philadelphia has seven members
of the House. At present one is
Republican and other six Demo-
Gratis. The Republicans are regard
ed as pretty sure of winning at least
two of these Philadelphia districts
now held by the Democrats.
Representative Leon Sacks, Dem
ocrat, is having a tough time in the
first district, where his Republican
opponent is James Gallagher, sr.
The fifth district, now represented
by Democratic Representative Fran
els r. Smith, also is expected to go
Republican for c. Frederick Pracht.
The Republicans also are given
chances to win in the I'd and 4th
districts.
Racket Charges Raised.
The I'd district, represented by
Representative McGranery, Dem
ocrat, contains ward 36 in South
Philadelphia where the Philadelphia
Record is charging the police with
running political racket to buy
votes for Gen Martin, the Repub-
lican candidate for Governor. Mr..
McGranery is opposed in his district
by Augustus T. Ashton, Republican.
who was given chance until this
row over the police developed.
In the 4th district. the Repub-
lican, Howard T. Scott, is given a
fair chance to defeat the Demo-
cratic incumbent, Representative
Sheridan.
A colored dentist has been entered
as a progressive candidate. There
is large colored vote in this dis
trict. Representative Myers, Demo-
crat, in the 9th district. is regard
ed as the probable winner, though
William H. Sylk, his Republican
opponent, is putting on hard fight.
The 7th district is now Repub-
lican, and Representative Scott is
expected to be reelected.
A district in Allegheny County
(the Pittsburgh area in which the
Democrats have renominated Rep
resentative Scanlon and which is
usually Democratic, is giving the
Democrats concern. 1t may help to
swell the COP list. The Republican
also have a good chance in the oath