The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1954-09-02
BY JACK BELL
and REED Smith

that the COP will more than hold
its own in the western half Of the
country in the battle for control
Of Congress.
Through their public statements,
however, ran some dark threads
Of doubt about the farmers re-
action to the Eisenhower admins
tration's flexible price support pro-
gram and fears of possible party
losses in depressed employment
areas.
In interviews with Associated
Press reporters, Organization lead
ers attending the Republican Ma.
tional Committee campaign STRAIT.
egy conference which ended yes
terday claimed . net gain of II
House and 5 Senate seats In IA
key Midwestern, Rocky Mountain
and Far Western states.
The present Senate lineup is is
Republicans, rs Democrats, | in
dependent and / vacancy. In the
House, there are 21s Republicans
2l3 Democrats, independent aEd
> vacancies.
No COP National Committee
member or State chairman was
willing to concede publicly any
losses to the Democrats, althoug gin
Vice President Nixon said frankly
such results were possible in areas
where Unemployment is high.
Michigan was mentioned as
among SUCH areas and John Fei-
kens, state COP chairman, said
this factor must be taken into ae-
count. He said economic conditions
in October might determine the
Michigan outcome In November
elections.
THE economie situation in
Michigan Is tight" he said, "We
Republicans think it viii improve
before the election and that it may
prove the determining factor"
Sen. Homer Ferguson, RepHbli-
can, is opposing Democrat Patrick
MCNAMARA for the Senate and Re.
publican Don Leonard, former
state police commissioner, is bat.
ting Democratic Gov. G.. Mennen
Williams, seeking reelection.
FeikeRs said he thinks Repub-
iicans have z lighting chance to
gain one seat In the House,
John H. Rouse, executive sec.
rotary of the Republican party Of
Wisconsin, predicted q third term
for COP Gov. Wafer Kohler and
a gain Of one or two seats in
the party's congressional delega-
ton.
In Minnesota, Republicans are
bucking . tough, adroit campaign
er in Democratic Sen. Hubert II.
Humphrey. But State Chairman
Gordon Yock said he expects Val
Bjornson to win the COP sena.
torial nomination in . Sept. II
primary and take Humphrey in
November.
F. Peavey Reffelfinger of Miu-
nesota, the party's national finance
chairman, thought the outcome
may be determined to a great ex,
tent by farmer reaction to the
Eisenhower administration's farm
program, Humphrey has been a
vigorous hacker Of rigid, high-leyel
price supports.
Yock predicted Minnesota Repub.
licans will hold their five present
congressional seats and win two
of the four now held by Demo-
Gratis.
Morton H. Ho.'ingsworth, Illinois
COP chairman, expressed conf.
dence Republican Joseph T. Meek,
lately given . politieal@pat on the
back by President Eisenhower, win
defeat Democratic Sen. Paul H.
Douglas in November. But
Hollingsworth's outward confidence
evidently was not fully shared by
some Republican eampaigners.
Hollingswofth said Republicans
have Q chance of upsetting Demo.
Gratis In three House races, in the
Ind, 9th and 2lst districts.
There have been reports Repub.
icans are in trouble in Colorado,
but COP State Chairman Charles
A. Haskell couldn't see II that way.
He predicted a Republican sweep
In contests for senator, governor
and four house seats. Democrats
now hold two Of the latter and
the senatorial post.
Ralph s, Linn, state chairman.
and Mrs. Kathryn X. Meloney, ma.
tional committeewoman. said they
think Republicans are going 10
keep the Wyoming Senate seat
they gained with the death of Dem.
ocratie Sen. Lester Hunt and his
replacement by Republican Sen.
E. D. Crippa,
Mrs. Clifford Mayes, national
commiiteewoman, said Idaho Re.
publicans are happy the Demo.
Gratis nominated former Sen. Glen
Taylor to run against Republican
Sen. Henry Dworshak. Taylor was
Henry A. Wallace's vice-presiden-
tial running mate on the Progress
sive party ticket In 1913.
Mrs. Mays said Dworshak is
running scared" but she thinks
he viii win. She predicted the Re.
n,,hlieans will nick IN one Hnuse