Evening star., 1946-12-27
Notions S Editors
Also List Strikes,
OPA DecontroIs
By John L. Springer.
AP kaMsfeoturss Writer

The Republican Party's election
sweep, assuring 1t of control of the
new Congress and giving it the
favored historical position in the 1948
presidential race, was the outstand-
ing news story of 1916 in the opinion
of member editors of the Associated
Press who participated in this years
annual poll.
When final election results were
compiled in November, It was found
that the COP had picked up 81
seats in the House of Represent
atives, giving it total of 245 to the
opposition's 1888. 1t now also holds
81 out of 96 seats in the Senate.
This meant that the Democratic and
New Deal tides, which had been
running since 1880 and through
three full administrations of Frank
lin D. Roosevelt, finally had sub
sided. 1t meant that legislation
enacted in the next two critical
years would carry the Republican
stamp In foreign circles the vote
Was interpreted widely as swing
to the right.
Other outstanding stories of the
year, in the order chosen by the
editors, were:
2-Strikes.
News of Industrial shutdowns was
on. front pages ct hesheginning OF
the year--With ethe vast General
Motors plants closed as a result of
a.United Auto Workers strike begun
in the previous October--and was
still there at the years close as the
Nation suffered from the effects of
the history making strike by John
L. Lewis United Mine Workers.
During the year there we're strikes
by steel workers., railroad workers,
communications workers, packing
house workers, and scores of others.
- 3-OPA fDecontrols.
At the end Of June, President
Truman refused to sign a bill ex-
tending the Office of Price Admin
istration, but demanded law to
give that bureau greater powers. For
a month. the country was without
price controls. Then a new OPA
bill was passed and signed. BY the
years end only rents, sugar and rice
were still under controls. The rising
cost of living was main topic of
conversation in every kitchen, but
economists debated whether it was
because the OPA had stayed too
long or had not stayed long enough.
4-Nuernberg Trial.
This year saw the end of II Nazi
bigWigs who were found guilty of
war crimes after precedent-setting
trialAby an Allied court at Nuern-
berg. The story had dramatic
clima;t: Before 10 went to the gal
lows according to plan, the No. q
NaZi, Hermann Goering, swallowed
poison and had last, grim joke on
the hangman.
5-Atomic Bomb.
Two of these at Bikini lagoon in
the Paciflc-gave new insight into
the destructiveness of the worlds
most aWesome power.
6-Degnan Murder Case. .--..
From the brutal Staying of 6-year-
old Suzanne Degnan In Chicago in
January to the confession of William
Heirens in July. this story gave a
series of shocks to the public.
7-U. s. Gets Tough"
During the year Americas rela-.
'tions with Russia provided headline
after headline. Behind the head
lines there was apparent evidence
of a developing United States policy
to adopt q. firmer attitude on ques-
tions upon5 which there was a diff
ference OF opinion with the Soyiets.
81Railroad Strike.
Until President Truman stepped
down on. two, rail unions and vir-
tually forced them to return to work,
q shutdown of the countrys economy
was in prospect.
9-Hotel Fires.
One of the worst domestic tragedies
In years was the blaze in Chicagos