Evening star., 1949-11-10
The Political Mill
Few Significant Trends
Noted in Tuesday Voting
Democrats Have Most Reason to Grow
Over Lack of Serious Setbacks
Bv Gould Lincoln

Dy UOWQ LtUCOIn
The elections Of 1949-scattered and sparse
as they were-indicated that nothing has
happened in years time to reverse the
political trend which returned MIR. Truman
to the White House. But that the trend
toward Mr.. Truman and his program Is any
stronger than it was at this time year
ago Is open to doubt. Former Gov. Herbert
II. Lehman, Democrat defeated Senator
John Foster Dulles, Republican, in New
York's senatorial race by some zoe, 900 votes.
Had Henry Wallace run as q candidate Of
the American Labor Party for the Senate
as he ran for President last year and made
1t possible for Gov. Dewey to carry the State
against President Truman-Mr. Dulles might
easily have been the victor.
Democratic victories in Pittsburgh and
Philadelphia are believed to have some
bearing on the question of trends In Phila-
delphia, however, many citizens, sick Of
corruption In the Republican organization.
voted to defeat the organizations candidates
for four offices, including the city treasurer.
Support Of the Democratic city ticket was
lead by the Republican newspaper, the In
quirer. On the other hand, Mayor David
Lawrences reelection in Pittsburgh was ac-
complished with a wider margin than for
many years over his Republican opponent.
Gain for Taft Seen.
d
Democratic and CIO candidate in the mayor
atty contest, by a big vote. And in Ohio.
Senator Taft had virtually personal tri-
umph because Of the adoption by a consider
able margin Of proposed constitutional
amendment making it impossible to vote q
straight party ticket merely by placing one
mark on the ballot. MIR. Taft, who is up
for reelection next year. is expected to gain
by this moye-and certainly the CLOS Polit-
ical Action Committee tied Senator Taft in
with the issue and did its best to defeat the
amendment.
The weight. Of victory in the elections Of
1949. however, was with the Democrats and
1t is quite proper that President Truman,
Democratic National Chairman Boyle and
others should hail the results as indicative
Of Democratic victory In the congressional
elections next year. The issue between
Lehman and Dulles in New York was the
Presidents domestic program and the "wel-
fare state"> or "statism" Mr.. Lehman did
back away somewhat during the campaign.
from the Presidents compulsory national
health insurance and from the Brannan
farm program with its production pay
ments" to farmers. In the main, however,
Mr.. Lehman went along with the gravy
train" proposals advanced by the admins
tration. and he may be expected to vote for
them If and when they are brought before
the Senate. The Republicans will have
another shot at this Senate seat next year,
for Mr.. Lehman was elected only to fill out
the unexpired term Of former Senator Wag-
ner, Democrat.
Hague Out a. Boss.
The Republicans quite naturally, TOO, take
satisfaction from the reelection Of Gov.
Alfred E. Driscoll in New jersey big in.
dustrial State. Here, also. there were cir.
cunastances which contributed to the Repub-
ican victory which were entirely outside Of
the opposition to the Truman program. A
deadly determination on the part OF many
Democrats to make an end to the regime of
Frank Hague as Democratic leader Of the
State cut deeply into the support of the
Democratic gubernatorial candidate in Hud-
son County-the Democratic stronghold for
years. State Senator Elmer H. Wene,
Hague's own selection for Governor, was the
horse which Mr.. Hague had hoped to ride
back to power. In Hudson County, the DEM
ocrattc lead was only few hundreds, instead
Of being from $4,000 to 125 900 as in the past.
x Gov. Driscoll's victory, however, projects
MIN into the Republican picture in q big
way: He may be considered for place on
the party's national ticket in 1852 as result.
He belongs to the younger and more pro.
gressive element in the Republican Party,
but he is strongly against the Truman spend
Ing program and greater concentration Of
power in Washington, D. c.
The final retirement of Hague as q politi-
cal boss" goes along with the retirement Of
another boss-Mayor James NJ Curley Of
Boston. MIR. Curley's, hold on Boston was
finally broken by the election of City Clerk
John B. Hynes. Mr.. Hynes, like Mayor
Curley, is Democrat. He served as tempo.
rary mayor in 1947 while Mr. Curley was in
Jail for mail fraud.