Evening star., 1946-07-28
By GouId Lincoln

Members of Congress will hurry
home this week to take on the jot
of getting themselves reelected next
November-provided the Senate con-
ours in the sine die adjournment
resolution which passed the House
yesterday.
II the Republicans should wir
control of one or both houses OF
Congress. it would be regarded as
a forerunner of Republican victory
in the presidential election Of l948
Such a midterm upset in political
control of Congress has in the past
been followed by defeat of the ad-
ministration party two years later
Chief among the issues, as the
Republicans see them, are the OPA
and other bureaucratic government
agencies; the labor problem-eXem-
plifled in the Case bill, vetoed by
President Truman: taxes. with 9
20 per cent reduction promised by
representative Knutson of Mime
sofa. ranking Republican member
of the House Ways and Means Com
mitttee, and a tax increase threat
ened by President Truman to prevent
imitation, and the Governments for
eign policy.
The Truman administration has
made an issue of the OPA, denounc-
sing Republican opposition to the re,
tention of price controls. Republi.
can members reply they are satisfied
to take the issue to the voters. They
see plenty of trouble ahead of tha
Administration in its handling o.
the new OPA lsw-which they say
may have the effect of driving goods
including foods, out of the market
and preventing adequate production
Republicans Are Hopeful.
The OPA issue may crop up in q
big way in Connecticut If Chester
Bowles. former OPA administrator
becomes the Democratic nominee
for the Senate
/ AS they prepare to leave Washing
ton, Republican congressional lead
ers express confidence they will have
control of the House next January
and some of them are now declar.
ing they have an even chance o.
taking over the Senate All of thi,
Is vigorously discounted by tn.
Democrats.
To gain bare majority in the
House. the Republicans are faceo
with the task of holding their pres
ent seats and picking up 26 now
held by Democrats and third party
members. A recent by-election ir
Pennsylvania cut the number re.
quired to win Republican contro
from n TO 26. This political shift /.
/ by no means an impossible task
considering the closeness of the vote
in large number of congressional
districts in the 1914 election. Re.
publicans are figuring, as a matter
OF fact, on gaining IS to 40 HOUSE
seats.
Eye La Toilette Seat.
! In the Senate, where only one.
third of the membership plus two
other Senators serving short term.
under appointment are up fol
election. Republican victory is OF
the doubtful side The Republican.
already are figuring on the La Fol
lette seat-Since Senator La Toilette
Progressive of Wisconsin. has en-.
tered the Republican primary il
his State and seems assured O
nomination. Whether or not Sen.
ator La Toilette wins in the primary
the Republicans seem certain t,
carry the senatorial election ther,
in November.
1t remains, therefore, for the Re
publicans to hold all their presen
seats and TO win nine others from
the Democrats. Two Republican
seats may be in jeopardy-in Cal
ifornia and Kentucky - although
reports from both States indicat,
the G. o. P. had as good, if no
better, chance to win.
The Republicans list IA States il
which they believe they have chance
Of victory in Senatorial races owe
incumbent Democrats, or Democrat
nominated in place of sitting Sen
ators. They are Ohio, Pennsylvania
Idaho, West Virginia, Delaware
Massachusetts, New York, Wyoming
Washington, Missouri, Montana. Ney
Mexico, Maryland and Rhode Island
Included in the list, however. ar
States that have been strongly Dem
ocratic in recent years-for example