Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-09-16

poll large numbers Of votes, and
the Republicans few, except in
a few scattered districts.
II the 1856 Democratic gains
in Maine, percentage-wise. we're
projected and compared to the
1852 congressional elections.
countrywide, the Democrats
would have polled So per cent of
the total congressional vote In
1854, and would poll approx
mately 72la per cent of the vote
in 1856. OF course, they did no
such thing in 1854, nor will they
make any such gains in 1856,
unless there should be an al
most unprecedented political up
heaval.
How Both Sides See it
Democratic strategists and
statisticians figured, before the
Maine elections, that they would
make nationwide gains Of from
4 to 6 per cent in the congress
sional vote November 6. They
figured that this would mean
the Democrats would have 245
members Of the House in the
next Congress, leaving the Re-
publicans 100. Very frankly
they say that the Maine cleo
lions have encouraged them to
believe they will even better
these figures-but they are not
making claims of a vast turn
over. In the present Congress,
the Democrats last January had
23l House seats, the Republicans
203, and there was one vacancy.
There have been some changes
since, due to by-elections.
Republican leaders fatty deny
that the Democrats will make
any such gains. Indeed, until
the Maine elections, the Repub-
licans have insisted that the
House will be Republican as a
result of the coming elections.
They still so insist. There is no
doubt. however, that the Maine
results have jolted them. Ger
tainly those results have indi-
Gated the G. o. P. must extend
itself to the utmost.
What happened in Maine
was not due wholly. as some are
inclined to believe, to a Demo-
cratic trend" It was due to
hard and intensive organization
work in which the Democrats
had much aid from the labor
unions. In part. too, it was due
to new population. And it was
also due in part to the failure of
Republican organization. and
fractional troubles.
!, The Republicans in Maine
still far outnumber the Demo-
Gratis. They have registered
253, 500 voters to 104 900 for the
Democrats. This represents a
drop of 5000 for the Republic
cans in the last two years, and
a gain of 1900 for the Demo-
Gratis. There are, however, an
estimated 100000 independents.
Spanked by Governor
The Democrats, working wholly
together. and back of a popular
Governor, Edmund Muskie, their
5 first Governor in a generation,
5 picked good candidates for Office
: and made their appeal on State
] issues. Not only did they re-
} elect Gov. Muskie-who is G
: middle f-the-roader and per-
t sonally liked by many Republic
: cans-but they won the I'd
! congressional district from the
: Republicans by substantial
' margin, and ran neck and neck
S in the 1st district, where Rep
resentative Hale, Republican, on
unofficial returns, is only 2s
Votes ahead of his Democratic
Opponent. former Representative
Oliver, one-time Republican. In
e addition, the Democrats. picked
4 up many seats in the State Leg
: islature which they never before
{ held.
J. The Democrats hold that
: Maine was a clear-cut test Of
: President Eisenhower's popular
n ity though he was not on the
ticket, and certainly indicated
that the President could MOI
shed his popularity to Republic
can candidates. either for Gov.
ernor or Congressman. No Demo.
c crat has been elected Governor
since 1884, and no Democrat ha:
been elected to Congress since
e that year-except Gov. Muskit
S in 1854. and Mr.. Coffin in 1856
In Washington, Senator Mag.
nuson. running for denomination
u in the primary last Tuesday, re.
S ceived 10000 more votes thar
c did Gov. Arthur Langlie, run
3 ming for the Republican sena.
: torial nomination. The Demo.
s Gratis are figuring that Senator
e Magnuson will win reelection
: beyond doubt. And they arr
e hopeful that the big vote hi
q received indicates a Democratic
e trend on the Pacific Coast thai
: will win for them in Oregon anc
a California. However, Senator
e Magnuson has been widely popu.
n lar in his State. and much worH
e was done to get out a big vote
6 foT him