Show t 0 Deaths Elections El Peril Bourbon House Hous Majority Democratic Membership St Stands at Lowest in More Than 10 Years May Not Regain Strength in This Session WASHINGTON W March 2 AP AP Deaths Deaths and special elections may prevent the Democrats from regaining an absolute majority in the house of representatives this session and reduce their membership to the lowest in more than 10 years Thursdays Thursday's division stood at Democrats and Republicans with five Democratic vacancies and one Republican while four scats seats are held by minor party members Not since the congress cong when it stood at has the Democratic Democratic Democratic Dem Dem- representation been so low It started in the present congress at four more than an actual majority of the members when all scats seats are filled Th The Republicans started with the same number they now nowa have a e and four fewer than they expect ex cx- x to have when special eJ elections elec c- c are held to fill current va va- The Democratic strength which dropped to with the death of R Representative e pre s e n tat i ve Leonard W. W of Illinois on February 13 rose to this week with the election of James H. H Torrens to the seat vacated by the resignation tion of Representative Joseph A. A Ga Gavagan Gaag ag n of New York City But the same day it fell to again through the death of Representative Representative Rep Rep- Thomas H. H Cullen of New York death was the among house members of ot J e congress Four u. u have r resigned s Nine of ot the 15 vacancies h have v been filled sev seven n by Republicans and two by Democrats Democrats Demo Demo- with Republicans scoring a anet anet net gain of one seat In the forthcoming six she special elections Representative Charles CharlesA A. A Halleck of ot Indiana chairman of the Republican congressional committee is is' conceding only one seat to the Democrats He said he has no doubt that the seat vacated va va- by the death of Henry B. B of Alabama will ill be filled by a Democrat Halleck also said the Democrats might retain Cullens Cullen's seat but promised a a. hot fight to put it itin itin itin in the Republican column Halleck claimed the four re remaining remaining remaining re- re scats seats at stake in special elections are arc in the bag for our side They are in the Seventh and Nineteenth Illinois districts the First C Colorado lorado district and the Second Oklahoma district All but the Nineteenth Illinois district were held by Democrats ts |