Evening star., 1944-11-07
New Congress Is Seen
important to Allies
Political Situation Within u. S.
Little Understood, Says Writer

Political Situation Within u. S.
Little Understood, Says Writer
By Dapid Laurence
Judging by the dispatches from
abroad, nearly all Of the oficials Of the
Allied governments are eager to see
President Roosevelt reelected. But
what is more important to foreign
countries, after all, Is the political
complexion Of Congress
In the past whenever there has been
q landslide the successful presidential
nominee has usually carried with him
both Houses Of Congress, but in a close
election this has not happened. In
fact. the party in power usually loses
seats in both Houses when its presi-
Dental nominee wins by close margin.
No public opinion polls are taken of
all the congressional districts, as this
would be far more complicated process
than determining the trend in the
States. So the people generally are not
familiar with the local situations in
various parts Of the country. This year
there is an added complication In the
fact that many Of the soldiers are voting
what Is known Is the Federal Ballot"
which merely emphasizes the top of the
ticket Of either party and does not
contain the names of the congressional
candidates. The net effect of this might
be to have the congressional results
determined in some States by civilians
rather than the soldiers, especially in
close contests.
Makeup Of House.
The House of Representatives at pres
ent Is Democratic by a handful. The
Republicans have been confident all
along that they would increase their
strength and actually organize the
House and elect Speaker next January.
Also an increase in Republican strength
In the Senate has been confidently ex-
pected by Republican leaders.
The reason why the Republicans might
possibly be found in the end to have
increased their strength, irrespective
of the way the top of the ticket goes,
Is that the CIO-PAC has concentrated
Its efforts on the larger cities which are
normally Democratic. A substantial in
crease in the Democratic vote in New
York City, for example, would only serve
to swell the majority Of the few Demo-
cratic Congressman who come from
that metropolis. While such a majority
could swing the States electoral vote
Tor the Democrats, the heavy Upstate
Republican vote could bring a complete
sweep for the Republicans in the many
congressional seats outside New York
City.
This phenomenon of elections is well
understood in this country, but it is
doubtful whether many abroad know it.
1t is possible, therefore, for Mr. Roose-
welt to have won a vote of confidence
in the Electoral College and yet to have
a Congress composed of a House of
Representatives organized by the Re-
pubhcans and Senate in which the
Democrats do not control two-thirds
The meaning of this, of course, Is that
In any ratification of the treaty pro-
viding for American entry into a new
League Of Nations, substantial Republi-
can aid must be obtained to get the
necessary two-thirds.
Check on New Deal.
On domestic issues both Houses of
Congress are likely to be anti-New Deal.
This is because the Southern Democrats
are sufficiently numerous to form a
coalition with the Northern Republicans
In both the Senate and the House.
The Southern Democrats have held the
balance OF power during the last two
years, and 1t Is significant that few
radical measures have been passed
whereas, the tax bill which was vetoed
oy the President was adopted over the
veto by two-thirds vote of both
Houses.
From a business point of view, the
check against New-Deal bureaucracy
and radicalism is to be found In
Congress. If the Republicans have in
creased their strength, 1t assures a con-
servative era Notwithstanding the fact
that some of the important positions in
the executive branch of the Govern
ment are held by New Dealers.
II the Republicans have been success
ful in winning the House, it probably
Will mean a series Of Investigations of
various governmental agencies and
policies of the New Deal. This is the
usual political preparation for the next
election. which comes in 1916.
Almost everybody In Washington Is
glad, however, that the campaign is
over and that attention can be focused
now on the major problems of the war
effort, though in week or so members
OF Congress win be laying the lines for
the 1916 congressional election. Politics
is rarely adjourned in the Nations
Capital
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