The Northwest times. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1947-1955, 1950-11-11
BY HARRY 1. TAKAGI

| The 1850 election, winch greatly
strengthened the Republican position
in Congress and throughout the ma
ton in general, was remarkable ir
that political representation was
conspicuous only by it's absence
Commentators on the political scene
generally so free with gratuitous adj
vice and predictions on all coming
events, apparently remembered the
fate of their attempts at crystal-gaz-
ing in 1913, and refrained from max
ing any brash statements which
might later be held against them.
To man, they refused to stick ou
their necks, thus preserving the re.
mains, such as they might be, of theil
Irrespective regulations for truth anc
veracity.
However, now that the election.
are over. some reasonable attempt.
| may be made to evaluate the results
and it strikes us that, while the out.
come in certain individual case:
might be considered somewhat sur,
| prising, the general pattern of a Re.
publican surge" was recognized anc
indicated even before the election.
actually took place.
additionally, an "off year" cleo.
ton favors the minority party Gas i
did in 1946), and therefore there wa.
reason to expect that the Democra.
tic high-tide of 1913 would somewhat
recede. Too much significance
should not, consequently, be paid tt
the 1850 results in looking forward tt
1852 On the other hand, the GOF
might make real presidential race
of it two years hence, should they
consolidate and strengthen their pre-
sent position.
The election results in the State
| of Washington again showed that va
rious proposals to expend public
funds in one way or another, the vo-
tiers approved some projects anc
turned thumbs down on others. Per-
haps the most important financia.
action taken by the electorate was
the approval of Initiative 178, the
"common-sense" welfare bill, and the
overwhelming defeat of ultra Liberia
Initiative 176. Bond issues for the
states public institutions and system
of secondary schools were approved
while an opposite fate was dealt tc
similar proposal for the states In
situations of higher learning.
In Seattle, the voters rejected pro-
posals which would have meant a
new central public library and a CT
vic center, while the fate of the Pu-
get Power purchase remained in
doubt until absentee ballots could be
counted.
In contrast to the violent uphea-
walls which occurred in certain other
states, all members of Washington
Congressional delegation who stood
for office were reelected, although
the races were closer than usual.
Representative Mitchell, in parti-
cular was given nip-and-tuck bat
tie by Seattle City Councilwoman
Mrs. F. F.. Powell, in her first VEN
ture outside of municipal politics.
Warren B. Magnuson emerged with
a somewhat larger margin than was
expected in the senatorial campaign.
The most popular vote-getter,
however, was Representative Henry
M. Jackson of Everett, whose strong
showing may induce him to carry
the Democratic standard against
Senator Harry P. Cain two years
from now. For the Democratic no
in that race, however, Jack
son will no doubt have rival in
Mitchell, who met defeat at the
hands of Cain in the last senatori-
ial campaign and might desire to e.
ven the score against his former
The reelection of Sen. Mag
nuson and Rep. Mitchell will pro-
badly be regarded with favor by
the JACL and politically conscious
Japanese Americans, although the
JACL does no campaigning and
there are no "blocs", politically
speak. However, it cannot be
denied that both Magnuson and
Mitchell have consistently voted
in favor of civil rights legisla-
tons. including measures in which
the JACL ADO is particularly in
Perhaps Mrs. Powell.
had she been elected, could be ex-
pected to do the same, based upon
her past record of fair minded IL
beralism. In a way, the high
quality of two such congressional
oc AFrc pau,a11 ood