Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-03-17

OF Gerrymunderlng
Claim Democratic Toeties
Assure More Scots in South
By Gould Lincoln
The Republicans take dim view Of
the newest Democratic claim that
the Democrats made q real sweep in
the 1854 congressional elections-not-
withstanding the fact the Democrats
failed to PICK up as many House seats
as q party out Of power usually wins in
an of year" election. They ridicule
the analysis Of these elections. published
In the Democratic Digest, April issue.
and also the argument that many con-
greSsional districts had been gerry.
wandered" by Republican State Legis-
latures to make those districts safe"
for the G. O.P.
The gerrymander. political device,
consists of placing many of the opposing
party's voters in one or two congress
sional districts of a State and thereby
making the other districts easy to carry
by the first party. 1t goes back to the
days of Gov. Elbridge Gerry of Massa-
chusetts, in 1912. Gerry and the State
Legislature carved out a district to gain
political advantage. So strange was the
physical outline of the new district that
1t was likened to salamander. A wag
of the day called it "gerrymander.
In their analysis, the Democrats have
charged that Republican State legisla-
lures have SO gerrymandered districts
in California. New York and several
other States that it is impossible for
the Democrats to win the proportion of
congressional districts to which they
are entitled by their actual voting
strength in those States. I
Simpson Disagrees
Representative Richard M. Simpson
of Pennsylvania. chairman of the
Republican Congressional Committee,
commented: THE Democrats have at
long last come up with an explanation
Of their meager gains in the 1854 House
election. Their slide-rule experts and
automatic calculating machines finally
produced something for their spokes-
men-an old reliable whipping post
called gerrymander.
I'm claiming that Republican gerry
Wandering In two States, California and
New York, robbed the Democrats of the
usual off-year gains In the House Of
Representatives, Democratic publica-
tons dwell on the fact that former
President Trnman's political edict on
changing election districts was not fol-
lowed to the benefit of Democrats"
This leader commented that the
Democrats themselves have gerry
wandered some districts in Southern
States-particularly Florida-with a
view to preventing Republican victories
in that section.
He continued: 1.-THE Democrats claim
they should hold 16 seats in the Cali
fornia delegation instead of IL. How
ever, Republican districts in Califor-
mia are in direct contrast to the So
called trend toward the Democratic
Party in 1854. Seven of the Repub-
hcan congressman from California in
the present Congress were elected in
1852 with the nominations of both
parties. It is impractical to compare
their 1852 and 1854 percentages of the
total vote. Of the remaining IL dis
tricts carried by the Republicans. 10
gave the Republican candidates an in
creased percentage vote over the 1852
vote. OF the two remaining districts,
one showed falling off of about one
half of per cent in the Republican
vote, and the other per cent de-
cline" The congressional districts in
1854 were the same as in 1852. Reds
tricting occurred before the 1852 cleo
lions.
New York Situation
So far as New York is concerned, this
Republican leader declared that it is
one of the very few States involved in
reapportionment in 1851 that abided by
the suggestion of President Truman.
Mr.. Truman urged that congressional
districts be shaped so as to make their
population as nearly equal numerically
as possible, and that geographical lines
be properly drawn. 1.-THE populations of
the 43 districts in New York vary from
$4,000 to 385,000." Mr.. Simpson said.
"It is far cry from the variations in
two mocratic-controlled States of
the South" After the redistricting Of
1851. Florida's eight districts vary in
population from 10000 to $4,000. In
Texas, the present spread in population
of districts is from 5000 to 806 900.
Mr.. Simpson, commenting on the
Democratic charge that the redistrict-
ing machinery of Republican State
Legislature gave the G. o. P. bonus Of
eight seats in the last elections, said,
"For some reason the Democrats fail
to mention that on this proportional
representation basis, which, of course,
is unsound. Democrats have at least 10
bonus House seats In five States with
total of only As congressional districts.
The mythical seats involved would be
as follows: Three IN North Carolina,
two each in Missouri, Virginia, and
West Virginia, and one in Oklahoma.
There would be additional seats for the
Republicans on such basis in the
South. where Republicans do not have
complete states Of congressional nomi-
nees. I feel however. that any method
of proportional representation is too
high price to pay for additional Re-
publican House seats any place or any
time"
N.le