Show ECONOMIC v HIGHLIGHTS Happenings that affect the dinner pails dividend checks and tax bills of every cry individual National Na- Na National Na National and international problems problems problems lems inseparable from local welfare I t A major political party can cnn can sur- sur sur sur- survive survive vive lve a long period of oC defeat of its ils Presidential candidates candidates-as candidates as the I Democratic Party which didn't even cen get close to control of the tho White House louse in 1920 1924 and 1928 1923 so vividly demonstrates today But can n a major part party survive c an election in which its officeholders who ers ers who arc the sole source of the patronage that is so vital to any political machine are machine arc reduced to the lowest number in history That question is now being con con- con con- considered considered privately b by Republican Republica n and leaders and publicly b by practical practical- practically I 13 ly all of the country's publicists and political columnists Under the American elective Sj'S tern tem a part party cnn can receive a respect respect- respectable respectable able popular vote and still be out in the cold when the time comes for r ing the roll in Congress State and municipal councils That is what happened to Republicans cans MS in the debacle of 1936 Gov Coy Governor Landon polled around 37 per percent cent of oC the popular yet vote vote yet re- re received re only 1 l per cent of the tho El Electrical College vote Republican candidates throughout the country polled about votes as against about for the yet jet yet there were victor victor- victorious victorious victorious ious in onla only a microscopic tion tion of the contests Best example of this is the House of f Representatives It was universally universally sally conce conceded led before November 3 that the Republicans would make gains ins irrespective of who won the presidency p Democratic spokesmen paid faid hopefully that these gains would not amount to more than 20 or 30 seats while Republicans the they would gain well over scats scata partisan Non-partisan commentators commentators commentators tors placed Republican gains at 40 to 00 seats ats Actual result was startling In- In Intend Instead In Republicans stead tend of gaining seats the R pub pub- lost 15 Instead of losing seats Hats the Democrats gained 13 labor labor Farmer candidates gained 2 In the Senate it was mathematically mathematically cally impossible for the Rt Republicans Republicans cans tans to achieve control but every every- everyone ore one thought they would have a bet bet- better bet better ter r showing next Congress than last Result The GOP lost 6 seats The he Democrats gained 5 The dis- dis discrepancy discrepancy dis discrepancy of one is explained by the reelection of Senator Norris of an Inde Independent ticket Worst of all a number of the remaIning Republican senators be- be be long belong to the Progressive Bloc which is bitterly opposed d to Hoover leaders Landon Hamilton and other lead lead- leaders ers ers ns The next Congress then will answer r the rolls roll as s follows Deco Deco- House f Decof fn in n the House Republican t can 89 Democrats in the Senate Senate- 75 Republicans 17 Also vitally i l ly y important to any party party are Governorships Governorships-a Governorships a great deal aJ pf the the patronage that keeps polItIcal machines well oiled and members m m rs contented flows from statehouses Here again the Republications made the worst showing in their I long history There were 33 duber- duber uber chairs chaira to be filled and filled Democrats won 27 of them This gives the Democratic party 39 state Chief Executives So the part party that received the largest vote ever lver accorded a n losing ticket got almost nowhere in nt- nt at attaining taming representation in high ces Complete figures for county coun county county ty and municipal elections are arc not obtainable but the Democratic sweep was overwhelming Lenders Leaders of the party thus ta say pay with some justice that our elective s system is unfair r to minorities On the other hand Democratic spokesmen say aj the Roosevelt victory is important not only because of the majorities attained but because it extended to eer every section of the country and broke down long established lines of partisan sympathy To get back to the original ques question tion question can tile the I Republicans come comeback back Their party heads say they the will Among partisan non commentators commentators s opinion is that the party las hs a good chance to come but back back I that considerable reorganization roust must take place a anew new and d ag- ag aggressive aggressive ag aggressive program must be adopted and new faces must replace some Bome familial ones in party councils One leading Republican P Representative Fish of New York has already demanded de- de de demanded that present party heads beads resign resign What will iII appen remains to to-be to to be seen The hard fact is that no major ma- ma major ma major jor party ever er was at so Iowa low a state as the toe GOP is at the present present Democrats in the their 1 hungriest days clays always had a large representation in Congress state legislatures leg leg- legislatures leg legislatures municipal councils etc But politics is a surprising gamer gamer- gamo and the unprecedented can always ahva's occur One guess as to what will happen to the two-party two system in inthe Inthe inthe the next four years ears is as good as another Father Coughlin of the Union for Social Justice promised before elec election election election tion that if his candidate William Lemke did not poll votes he would go off the air Father Coughlin is now off the air Mr Lemke having polled l only about votes Never NeVel did minor candidates candidate s- s Com Corn Communist Communist make etc etc make a worse show show- showing showing showing ing In war post-war history only third third- third third-parly party leader to make a strong showing was wag Senator La Folletto Follette who polled more than 0 votes in 1924 |