Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-09-03
By Jock Bell and Reed Smith
Assoeioted Press Stoff Writer'S


Associated Press Staff Writers
CINCINNATI, Sept. 3.-Re-
publicans apparently will find
themselves fighting primarily a
defensive battle in the Eastern
half of the country in their No
vember election contests with
the Democrats for control of
Congress.
Although they maintained the
same outward confidence dis
played by their G.. o. P. coll
leagues in IA Midwestern, Rocky
Mountain and Pacific Coast
areas. Republicans from IL key
States in the Eastern half made
far more modest claims in an
Associated Press survey.
interviewed at the Republican
conference here this week. Ma
tional Committee members and
State chairmen claimed a net
gain of IA House seats and one
Senate seat in the, Eastern half
Their Western colleagues had
claimed gains of II House and
five Senate seats in IA States.
Open to Dispute.
This total shift of 81 House
and six Senate seats seemed to
represent peak Republican claims
and was open to hot dispute from
the Democrats. The present
House lineup includes 218 Re-
publicanS, 213 Democrats. one
independent and three vacancies.
In the Senate there are 48 Re-
publicans, 46 Democrats and one
independent and there is one
vacancy.
One of the chief G. o. P.
trouble spots in the East appar-
emily lies in New Jersey, where
criticism of Senator Mccarthy,
Republican, of Wisconsin, by
former Representative Clifford
Case, the Republican senatorial
nominee, has stirred up a revolt
among pro-McCarthy members
of the party.
Democrats expect their nomf-
nee, Representative Charles
Howell, to benefit by this, but
Republican State Chairman
Samuel L. Bodine said he re-
mains confident Mr.. Case will
make the political grade.
Il don't think Mccarthy is an
issue in the New Jersey cam
paign," Mr.. Bodine said. I'm the
last analysis. I think the people
are going to respect Case for TAX
ing a fortnight position on a
difficult problem"
Mr.. Case announced that if
elected he would support a move
to strip Senator Mccarthy of his
Senate chairmanships.
Mr.. Case has been criticized
by some party members, too,
on the basis of his voting rec
ord while a member of the House
in 1858. He was generally
aligned then with the wing of
Republicans who term them
selves liberals.
Thinks G. o. p. Can Gain.
Mr.. Bodine said he thinks that
If the Republicans work hard
enough they can gain two New
Jersey congressional seats to
boost their total to 10 of the
States Is Representatives.
Republicans also may be in
trouble in the Ohio race for. the
Senate seat formerly held by
the late Robert A. Taft and now
filled by Democrat Thomas A.
Burke.
Representative Clarence j.
Brown, Ohio Republican national
committeeman, said he thinks
Repub lican Representative
George H. Bender can beat Sena-
tor Burke if Ohio turns out its
normal G. 0. P. vote. But Brown
said the G. o. P. has a fight on
its hands
One factor the Democrats be-
lieve might swing the senatorial
battle in their favor is that Dem
ocratic Gov. Frank j. Lausche,
running for a fifth term, is ex-
pected to give Senator Burke
much greater support than he
has given Democratic senatorial
candidates in the past. Privately,
Republicans aren't too hopeful
of defeating Gov. Lausche in
his own race.
Situation In Indiana.
National Committeeman Ralph
F Gates thought Indiana Re-
publicans would hold their own
in contests for House seats. but
some other campaign strategists
said privately they fear two Re-
publican congressman might be
upset if economic conditions in
the districts don't improve.
In Kentucky, Mrs. Stanley D.
Pace, national committeewo man,
gave Republican Senator John
Sherman Cooper good chance"
to thwart the efforts of Alben
Barley, Democratic former Vice
President, to return to the Sem
ate.
Politicians generally regard
Senator Cooper's chances as
among the least favorable of the
Republican Senator's running for
reelection this year.
National Committeeman G..
Mason Owlett was optimistic
about the Republicans chances
of gaining at least four congress
sional seats III Pennsylvania and
of holding on to- the governor
ship by a comfortable margin.
He thought Republicans might
make substantial House gains in
Philadelphia.
Some other Republicans said
however, their party's chances
may not be too good unless there
is an improvement in employ
ment in the soft and hard coal
regions. in railroads and steel