Evening star., 1953-11-08


His statement was signal for
other Republicans to view with
alarm. Fears were voiced that
the 1854 congressional elections
already were lost to the G. O. P.
And even President Eisenhower
believed his party had at least
"lost a Skirmish."
BY the end of the week, how
ever, the Republicans had thought
over the elections a bit more care.
fully. Statements then became
more optimistic-though still sober
and all good Republicans rushed
to the aid of their party with sug-
gestions for a revitalized push
toward '54.
The Contests
Here were the elections that
first dismayed the Republicans:
Garden State
Ne,o Jersey. There were two i'm
portant races in the Garden State.
One was for the governorship.
Paul L. Troast, head Of the New
Jersey Turnpike Commission, was
the Republican candidate. Robert
B. Meyner, lawyer and former
State Senator, ran for the Demo-
Gratis. The other was a special
election for Representative from
the 9Th district. The contestants
were George F. Hetf1eld, Republi-
can, and Harrison A. Williams, 1r.,
Democrat.
Washington Republicans were
sure of victory in the congressional
race. The 9Th district had been
Republican since it was set up in
1882. The Republicans knew they
had a fight for the governorship,
however, and they spared no et-
forts to put over Mr.. TroaSt. They
we're encouraged by a Washington
research organization which pre-
dicted a 54.3 per cent majority for
Mr.. TroaSt.
Both Republicans lost.
Mr.. Troast trailed, 807,0 900 to
$4,000: Mr.. Hetfield lost, $1,000
to $4,000. A governorship changed
hands Though G. o. P. domination
of the legislature was unhurt) and
a vacant congressional seat went
to the Democrats, making the
House lineup now 218 Republicans,
215 Democrats, one independent
and one vacancy.
At first Republican leaders ac-
cepted the elections as reouke
to the Eisenhower administration
and compared it in seriousness
with the Republican loss three
weeks ago in a wisconsin congress
sional contest.
No National Issue
But a more careful evaluation OF
the elections indicated that the
national administration was not
an issue at all. Actually, II the
campaigns themselves were any
indication, the Jersey citizens were
voting for a change in New Jersey
for about the same reasons the
Nation voted for a change IN
washington last year: They were
tired of stories of corruption and
bad government.
Troast was the writer of a letter
urging the parole of convicted
labor racketeer Joey Fay in New
York State. He was reputed to be
partisan in his dispensing OF pa
tronage on his turnpike. He was
the political heir to the Drlscoll
administration which appeared to
be doing little to clean out the
racketeers who had fed from New
York to New Jersey. And Troast
accepted the support OF Atlantic
County boss and former convict
Nocky Johnson, as well as that OF
the smelly Democratic hague ring
in Jersey City.
The national administration was
not dragged into the campaign
until the final days when the Re-
publicans desperately tried to get
an Eisenhower Endorsement OF
Troast. The President came
through, but only after much urg-
ing-and then with an obvious
lack of enthusiasm.
HetfieIds tumble
Early attempts were made in
the congressional race to identity
Mr.. Hetfield with President E1sen-
hover. But the candidate spoiled
the picture by criticizing the for
eign policy for which the President
stands. This did not go over well
in internationalist Union County,
which had loved its liberal Repub-
Iican Congressman Francis Case,
who quit this year.
Democrat Williams, however,
claimed to be Case man, and his
campaign statements seemed to
indicate he was telling the truth.
The Republicans in the 9Th dis
trict also we're tangled up with
local bosSiSm in the person of Al
bert j. Benninger, county council
chief And as an added handican
their candidate, Mr.. Hetfield, had
not been a legal resident of the
district until the last moment,
when he switched residence in Or
der to vote in his own election.
So again. If the people voted