Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1962-11-08

numerical majority Cney naQ IN
the last Congress.
With the election of Dem
ocratic Representative Rivers
of Alaska, the congressional
lineups were:
Senate-68 Democrats and 80
Republicans, as compared with
81 and SO this year.
SHouse-259 Democrats, 176
Republicans. The division in the
current House Congress was
263 Democrats and 174 Re-
publicans.
The 88th Congress converting
next January will have 435
members instead of 437 as In
the 87th Congress. The Demo-
cratic House majority will be
83. This year it was SO.
The Senate lineup conceiv-
ably could change in event OF
arecount. George S. McG Govern
former House Democrat and
Food for Peace director, was
listed as defeating interim
Senator Bottum, a Republican,
by only 271 votes in South
Dakota.
- Fifth Since 1900
The Senate Democratic in
crease was only the fifth of its
kind since 1900 in mid term
elections. In 1902, 1906, 1914
and 1884 the party in possess
sion Of the White House reg
istered gains ranging from two
to nine Senate seats.
Except for returns from
Alabama and Alaska, the Sem
ate results of last Tuesdays
election came in fairly soon.
Senator Hill, Democrat Of
Alabama, emerged the winner
over James B. Martin, Repub-
hean. late yesterday after a
SuSpenseful struggle.
In the early stages of tabu-
lation the veteran Senator Hill,
chairman of the Labor and
Public Welfare Committee,
seemed in real danger of losing.
He pulled through by only
about a 6,000-vote. margin.
Democrats could take conso-
lation for their near-miss in an
effort to break tradition by in
creasing their House majority.
Since 1856 that has been done
only once-in 1934-in the
House by the party holding the
presidency.
In past mid-term elections,
the Democrats lost on an aver
age Of 40 seats in mid-term
elections. Republicans in power
during that period suffered
average losses Of 80 seats In
mid-term elections since 1906
% Major Feat Claimed
Democrats today claimed a
major feat by practically re-
tanning their numerical major
ity in view of the decrease in
the House membership total.
They also cited reapportion-
ment Of many congressional
districts on the basis of 1860
census population changes.
Republi cans nevertheless
found considerable cheer in the
new House situation. They
picked up seats in the now not
so-solid South by scoring upsets
in Florida, North Carolina,
Tennessee, Kentucky and
Texas.
Despite upsets against them
in several other sections of the
country, notably California,
they held their ground in many
important areas and lost COM
paratively few of their veteran
and influential members except
those who retired.
Republican setbacks in Cali
fornia inclu d ed defeat of,
Representatives HieStand and
Rousselot, two announced mem
bsrs of the John Birch Society.
H. L. Richardson, unsuccessful
G. o. P. candidate in another
California district, also is a
member of that organization.
Those defeats, however, were
generally interpreted as having
been caused more by redistrict-
ing than by the Birch issue.
But the involuntary retirement
of Mr.. Hiestand and Mr.. Rous-
selot means the departure of
two of the most conservative
House Republicans.
Mr.. Rousselot served on the
Banking and Currency Com
mittee. Mr.. HieStand was on
the Education and Labor and
the Administration Committees.
8 California Seats
Thanks to @ght new seats
and some effective redistricting,
Democrats in California cap
tured nine additional House
districts. The only Democratic
incumbent to lose was Repre-
sentative Saund. The 63-year-
old native of India, former
State Judge in California, was
elected to Congress in 1856. Ir
recent months he has been
seriously i'll here.
The House delegation Lineup
for California will be Is Demo
Gratis and 10 Republicans. II
was 16 Democrats and IA Re-
publicans. Representative Boz
Wilson, chairman of the House
Republican Congressional Cam.
paign Committee, was re.
elected. But his brother, Dick
Wilson, was the unsuccessful
G. o. P. candidate in an ad-
joining district.
There we're 18 clear upset'
throughout the country ir
House elections. Republicans
won IL seats held by Demo,
Gratis. Democrats wrested sever
from Republicans.
The Democrats took six Sen,
ate seats occupied by Republi'
cans this year, while the Re.
publicanS overturned Democrat!