Evening star., 1954-09-12
By Gould Lincoln

Maine, which used to be re-
garded as the Nations political
bellwhether, starts the 1854 Con-
gresisonal elections tomorrow
with every prospect that it will
re-elect its Republican delega-
ton.
Senator Margaret Chase
Smith, observers report, will win
overwhelmingly. Representative
Hale, Nelson and McIntire also
are expected to be returned.
Reports in Democratic quar-
ters. however. are that the Demo-
Gratis have been picking up
strength. Some claims are made
that the Democrats will elect a
governor for the first time in
20 years.
The Boston. Post Is announc-
ing today that its poll shows q
Democratic drift in Maine, and
that the race for governor be-
tween Republican Governor Bur-
ton M. Cross and Democratic
Candidate Edmund S. Muskie of
Waterville is extremely close"
Political Tempo Picking Up.
The political tempo will be
increased by primary elections
for party candidates in nine
States, completing all Con-
gressiona1 nominations except in
Rhode Island. These States are
Colorado, Massachusetts,, Mime
sofa, New Hampshire, New York,
Utah, Vermont and Washington.
Republicans and Democrats
will seek a trend" in the Maine
elections. The Boston Posts
copyrighted article by Louise H.
Bean, Washington analyst, and
James G. Colbert. political
writer, says Mrs. Smith will be
reelected by about the same
margin by which she won in
1948. At that time, she had 70
per cent of the vote for Senator.
although it was former Presi-
dent. Truman who carried the
country in November of that
year. ...,.
The Boston Post analysts
maintain that If Republican
Congressional c a n didates S re-
ceive more than so per cent of
the votes cast tomorrow, Re
publicans will control the next
Congress. Anything less might
spell defeat for the present ma
jority in Congress.
To support this estimate. they
show that in 1946 Maine Repub-
licans polled 63.4 per cent for
their Congressional candidates
and won the 80th Congress,
while in 1850 they polled 57.6
per cent and the Democrats con-
trolled the 81st Congress.
Senate Races in Four States.
Candidates for five Senate
seats will be nominated in four
States: Colorado, Massachusetts,
Minnesota and New Hampshire.
Two Senate seats are at stake
in New Hampshire.
In Colorado, a real battle is
on for the Democratic Senatorial
nomination. Senator Ed john
son, Democrat, declined to run
again for the Senate, but is the
unopposed candidate for the
nomination for the governor
ship he held twice before going
to the Senate 18 years ago. For
mer Representative John A. Car
roll and Mayor Quigg Newton of
Denver are fighting for the SEN
atorial nomination. Mr.. Carroll
was an unsuccessful Democratic
candidate against Senator Milli-
kin, Republican in 1850. Repub-
licanS have selected 1t. Gov.
Gordon Allot for the Senate and
32-year-old State Senator Dom
aid G. Brotzman for governor.
Neither is opposed in the pri-
mary.
Senator Saltonstall is unop-
posed for the Republican Sena-
torial nomination in Massachu-
setts. Democratic State Treas
urer Foster Furcolo Is the likely
winner of the Democratic nomi-
nation for Senator. He has two
opponents: John I. Fitzgerald,
former president of the Boston
City Council, defeated by Mr..
Saltonstall in 1948, and Joseph