Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1952-08-07
The Political Mill
Democrats Lose Pillar
In Death of Mcmahon
Senator Highly Popular
With Connecticut Voters
BY Gould Lincoln

WIN AOnHeCtICut VOTERS
BY Gould Lincoln
HYANNIS, Mass, Aug. 7.-Connecti-
cuts Democratic Party lost a tower of
strength when Senator Brien Mcmahon
died.
His popularity with the voters was
demonstrated twice in senatorial cleo
tionS, once in 1914 and again in 1850.
In the latter year. Senator Mcmahon
was reelected with lead of 1883 votes
over his Republican opponent Bush. At
the same time Senator William Benton,
his Democratic colleague, just managed
to squeak through with lead of 1.102.
It's an unusual coincidence that Con-
necticut should have elected two Sena-
tors each in successive biennial elections.
In 1850. it came about because former
Senator Baldwin, Republican, resigned
to take appointment as judge, and Sena-
tor Benton was appointed to fill the
vacancy in the Senate by Gov. Chester
BowleS, Democrat. Senator Mcmahon
was seeking reelection in that year.
This year, Senator Benton, having
completed the short term for which he
was elected, is seeking reelection, and
0C11dtOA V1S1NoAAOAAo ANQVAA NAVoVS6 oAA-
other vacancy.
G. o. p. May Pick Up Two Seats.
Should this turn out to be Republic
can year. the G. o. p. may pick up two
Senate seats in Connecticut which, dur
ing the present Congress, have been held
by Democrats. This would go far toward
giving the Republicans an opportunity
to capture control of the Upper House.
regarded in some quarters as extremely
difficult because of the small number Of
Democratic Senators up for reelection
this year.
1t may be one Of those breaks" which
occur sometimes to change the political
picture.
Gov. John Lodge Of Connecticut. who
has doomed as the controlling figure in
Republican politics in his home State
since he won election two years ago over
Democratic Gov. BowleS, may very well
name the Republican for nomination for
the seat made vacant by Senator Nc
Mahon's death. He may do 1t by tho
simple process Of giving appointment to
the man or woman of his choice to fill
the Senate seat until the election Is held
next November.
Certainly, if he picks wisely. the occu-
pant of the Senate will have the adj
vantage, both for the nomination and
for the later election.
Mrs. Luce Is available"
Mrs. Clare Boothe Luce, former Re-
publican member Of the House from
Connecticut, has announced she is
available" for the Mcmahon seat. Two
years ago she was urged by Republican
leaders to make q race for the Senate.
At that time, however, she declined.
From Los Angeles. where Mrs.. Luce is
fulfilling film commitments. comes word
that she told Gen. Dwight D. EiSen-
hover, whom she enthusiastically sup
ported for the Republican presidential
nomination, that she would be available
for the senatorial nomination if the
people want her and the Republican
State convention should nominate her.
Mrs. Luce, playwright and wife of
Henry r. Luce. publisher of Life and
Time, is clever campaigner and
glamorous. She would make. it is be-
lieved, strong candidate should she
be nominated. The intricacieS of Re-
publican politics in the Nutmeg State.
however, may make the selection of a
man important. Should Mrs. Luce be
nominated and elected, she would be the
second Republican woman to win adj
mission to the Senate. Her feminine
colleague would be Senator Margaret
Chase Smith Of Maine.
Gov. Lodge Ii . Possibility.
Several aspirants for the Republican.
as we'll as Democratic nomination, to
I'LL the Mcmahon seat may be expected.
There has even been talk that Gov.
Lodge, himself, might like to resign his
present Office and run-he could run
without resigning If he wished. In 1850
it was toSsup whether Mr.. Lodge
would become a candidate for the SEN
ate or for Governor. His brother is Sen
ator Henry Cabot Lodge, jr., Of Massa-
chusetts, who managed Gen. Eisen-
howers successful campaign for the
presidential nomination, and who him
self Is up for reelection in the Bay
State this fall.
Prescott Bush, who nearly defeated
Senator Benton two years ago, would
like another try. Representative James
r. Patterson Of the 9Th Connecticut
congressional district. United States
Marine in the Second World War. would
make a good run, too.
Perhaps, on the theory that the De-
partment Of Justice is q training ground
for Democratic candidates for the Sem
ate, Deputy Attorney General A. Dewitt
Vanech has resigned his post to be-
come a candidate for the seat made
vacant by the death Of Senator Nc
Mahon. Senator Mcmahon served in
the Department of Justice half dozen
years before he was elected to the Senate.
first as special assistant to the At
torney General and then as an assistant
attorney general in charge of the
criminal division. He was out Of the
department and in private practice for
four years. however. before he ran for
the Senate. Mr.. Vanech has been in the
department for years and so away from
his State, which does not appear to
Ss,,o1iPx, him a n etronu candidate