Evening star., 1950-02-16
The Political Mill
@. 0. P. Makes Some
Gains in 7 Elections
Republicans Seize Their
Chance to Cheer
BY Gould Lincoln


It's the voting that counts. In the
last two congressional elections to fill
vacancies in the House, one in Massa-
chusetts and the other in New Jersey, the
truman Fair Dealers showed no signs
whatever of making gains in Republi-
can territory.
Indeed, the Republicans apparently
did better than hold their own. actually
making percentage gains compared to
former election figures Whether this is
significant of what is to happen next
November is problematical. But the Re-
publicans have seized their chance to
cheer.
Representative Joe" Martin of Mass
achusetts. Republican leader of the House
who spoke at the final big rally in the
Massachusetts 9Th district last SATURDAY.
for the newly elected Representative Will
liam H. Bates, Republican, commented
on his return to Washington: I'VE are
much stronger with the people out in
the country than we think we are, and
1 am confident we can win in the con-
gressional election in the fall
Democrats Made Effort.
The Democrats really made an effort
in this district. They put up Richard
M. Russell, former Mayor of Cambridge
and former member of the House-from
a metropolitan district. They sent into
the district Secretary of Labor Tobin,
former Democratic Governor of Massa-
chusetts, and present Democratic Gov.
DeFer to campaign for Mr.. Russell
The CIO turned loose its leaders and
workers for Mr.. Russell. But it did not
cause any Democratic uprising Mr..
Bates Won by 43947 votes to 16422 for
Mr.. Russell, or 1878 per cent of the total
vote to 27.2 per cent. Representative
Bates father, who had represented
the district until he was killed four
months ago in an airplane crash, was
unopposed in 1948, but in 1916 he was
elected with 70.6 per cent of the votes to
29.4 per cent for his Democratic op-
ponent.
The 9th Massachusetts district has
much industrial development - shoe
manufacturing, etc. However. Mr.. Bates
carried every city and town Further.
he was elected without visiting the dis
tTlct. A lieutenant commander in the
Navy, he was prevented not only from
making campaign speeches but even
from visiting the district. He won the
nomination in abSentia handily, and his
trends put him across in the election.
The disparity in Democratic and Re-
publican interest in the district is illus
trated by the fact that when Gov. Dever
spoke in Salem on Friday night before
the election 38 persons turned up for the
meeting, and when Joe" Martin spoke
the next night. 1000 were present.
Inc election in New Jersey, held
week earlier, filled House vacancy
caused by the resignation of j. Parnell
Thomas, Republican,, who is serving q
jail term for getting kickbacks from Of
nee employees. The Democrats made the
most OF this scandal. William B. Wild
nall, 43-year-old assemblyman, Repub-
llcan, was elected by 32,226 to 1871
votes Tor his Democratic opponent. for
mer Mayor of Paterson George T. Eng
llsh. This was better than two to one.
and represented an II per cent gain for
the RepuoIlcans over the Thomas figures
in 1948
Both OF these congressional districts
nave oeen Republican strongholds, and
Eepuohcan victories were to be expected.
II is IN Republican territory, however.
enaG tne Far Dealers must make gains
u they are to strengthen themselves in
the next congress and make it possible
Ior the truman Fair Deal program to 60
forward.
1hey must gain, too, in the congress
slonal representation from the Demo-
cratic South. The recent Raleigh Demo-
cratic conference, however, did not prove
that such gains could be made. 1t was
conference attended only by Truman
supporters and Government officials
With the sinners ostentatiously absent.