St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1946-10-25

Republican camp. ,...L.,
Rut now that the voters interest," ma,
found a focus in the Congresslonal
races the COP is disturbed 6y the
thought that the loss OF the Ihlre,
Fourth and Eighth District seats
Ia not outside the realm OF the
probable.
This is the way the election
chances up 20 observers who have
watched the Congressional con-
tests closely: Republican ineum.
bents August Andersen (First
DistTicO, Joseph OHaIa lSee-
ond) Walter Judd (Fifth), har:.
Gid Knutson (Sixth), II. Carr
anderson (Seyenth), and Harold
Hagen Eighth hold wide mar
gins over their DFL opponents
In the Eighth, DFL John bat
mix is a slight fayOrite over Will
liam Pittinger. In the Fourth,
DFL Frank Starkey holds a mar
row advantage over George De-
VIII. And in the Third, DFL Roy
Weir and COP George Mackin-
non are neek-and-neek.
Republican concern over the Soh-
gressional situation may result ~
n Iast-minute appeal to Harold
Stassen for his personal help. Stas-
sen is currently completing q speak
inc tour in the East and his plans
do not call for any appearances IN
Minnesota before the election. How;
ever, the top COP strategists would
like 10 persuade Stassen to add a
windup touch to the campaign in
the crucial districts. They feel II
would be especially helpful IN the
Fourth district where Thye and
Youngdahl carried heavily in the
primary.
Election interest generally has
heightened in the last week with
the appearance in the state OF
Florida Senator Claude Pepper, who
smoke In behalf Of DFL candidates,
and with the announced visit OF
Henry Wallace to Minneapolis next
Wednesday. Harold Barker, DEL
nominee for governor, and Theodore
Jorgenson, DFL Senatorial nomi-
nee continue TO push aggressive
campaigns. but so far have been
unable to force their opponents TO
Join issues which would command
widespread attention.
Legislative contests are exciting
interest in only n few scattered
districts. The sharp divisions be-
tween liberals and conservatives
that have characterized the fight
for legislative control in other cleo
tions is almost wholly absent. Here
and there legislative candidate
has pledged himself to increased old
age pensions or to opposition TO a
sales tax, but in the main the con-
tests have produced no pattern OF
division on the major issues which
will be before the l947 session. The
absence Of warm interest in these
contests is puZzling in view OF the
fact that the coming session will
have before 1t the most difficult
set Of problems and the most con-
troversial proposals for their solu-
ton in the legislatures history.
The overwhelming public senh-
ment in favor Of a state bonus for
veterans will certainly create Wig
orous demand for a sales tax. But,
in addition to the bonus, the legis-
lature will be faced with virtually
irresistible demands for increased
old age pensions, increased salaries
for state employees, increased APP
preparations for all state institu-
tons, increased aid TO public
schools, increased allotments for
highway and other construction.
The University, with an enrolment
almost doubled, will present n spe-
cial problem, and the larger cities,
caught in a financial strait
jacket, will clamor for some form
Of state help. Exclusive of the
bonus, which presumably would re-
quire at least 800, 000, 900, the state
legislature must find at least an
additional 500, 1000, 900 to meet min
imum needs. That is roughly 25
per cent increase in the present
total state budget.
Recommended reading: Colone
Campbell c. Johnson's article II
the Oct. Is issue Of the ave Bull
letin. A 10 gun salute to At
torneys Joseph c. Waddy anC
Charlie Houston for the way the!
legally "hoss" whipped the Wa,
Department on that voluntary en-
listment ban. A salute to jessie
Dedmon, veterans representative O
the National Association for tn
Advancement Of Colored People, 70
refusing TO be a go-between FOR tn,
War Department in asking Houston
and Waddy to compromise the suit
and Maggie's drawers 10 March,
Ray, civilian aide to the SecretRr,
Of War, for not screaming blood,
murder Cor taking a walk) whel
the War Department put the bal
ON colored enlistments.