Evening star., 1954-10-26

sound peacetirne economic basis.
They argue the unemployment
is a temporary result of shifting
from a war to a peacetime econ
omy-and that the situation
isn't as bad as the Democrats
picture it; that it's far better to
have things as they are than to
have the country at war. The
Republican theme: Stay with
Ike-and stay at peace.
Issues in Background.
For the most part. foreign pol
icy, taxes: Senator Mccarthy
and other national issues have
been dumped into the back
ground. They don't appear to be
anywhere near as influential as
in the campaign two years ago.
If there is any single develop
ment in the campaign more sur
prising than the others it is that
the Democrats have bounced
back from their 1852 defeat so
full OF optimism and confidence.
The optimism is on the Dem
ocratic side. Party leaders have
sold optimism from the start of
the campaign in early September
when former President Harry S.
Truman convinced them they
should double their campaign
goal and throw 81 million into
the battle for Congress.
But now there's some Demo-
cratic uneasineSs this barrage
of optimism might ricochet.
Democratic National Chairman
Stephen A.. Mitchell last week
cautioned party workers that
"overconfidence and compla-
cency may rob the Democratic
Party of the congressional vic
tory that is within our grasp"
Whether this optimism is
merely a product manufactured
genuine grass roots surge will be
by professional politicians or a
revealed next Tuesday.
Working on the Democratic
side is the tradition that of-year
elections usually run against the
party in power nationally. On
top of this. the Republicans were
Jared by the election of a Demo-
cratic Governor in Maine which
gave some substance to claims
of a Democratic trend. The
gloom wasn't lifted. either, when
Alaska swung back to the Demo-
Gratis.
G. o. r. Appeal.
The G. o. p. has tried hard to
sell the idea that "a Democratic
Congress won't work with Gen.
Eisenhower and the result will
be a stalemate in which the Eli
senhower program will be tossed
overheard. Whether this argu-
ment has caught on is one of
the unknowns.
Here's brief rundown on the
situation State by State as seen
by experienced political observ-
ers. But it is outlined with the
reservation that a strong Demo-
cratic surge would shift the
estimates far more sharply in
favor of the Democrats.
KENTUCKY-The big attrac-
tion is the popularity contest
between Democratic former Vice
President Alben w. Barkley, rs,
and Republican Senator John
Sherman Cooper, SO. Mr.. Bark
ley is the favorite because of his
tremendous personal popularity
and the Democratic tradition in
Kentucky. His age is a factor
which some Kentuckians believe
could swing the election to Sem
ator Cooper, s
y TO win, Senator Cooper must
get d solid Republican vote, win
the independent vote, and con-
vert some Democrats to his
cause. It would look like an i'm
possible task except that he is
popular in his own right and
he's won in two past races.
The consensus: Barkley to
win. No change in the congress
sional lineup of six Democrats
and two Republicans.
OHIO-Unemployment in the
industrial centers and lower
farm prices are the two major
issues in the race between Re-
publican Representative George
Bender and Democratic Senator
Thomas A. Burke for the unex-
pired Senate seat of the late
Senator Robert A. Taft. This
is a tight one, with the experts
inclined to give Mr.. Bender a
shade better of it because his
name is better known to the