New Houses

Most that the Republicans could have done for themselves and the U. S. in this week's Congressional elections was 1) overturn the Democratic majority (261 to 174) in the House, get set to stymie re-elected Franklin Roosevelt when & if they saw fit; 2) up their sickly bloc of 24 Senate seats into a healthy minority.

They did neither. The closest race in many a year put a few, healthy new faces (mostly Republican) in the Senate. But at mid-count, the most hopeful G. 0. P. prophets knew that, even if they won half the still doubtful contests, the party balance would be about what it had been since 1936. House result: the Democrats had increased their already commanding majority, had lost none of their party captains. But they had also kept a big bloc of conservatives who on occasion could & would join Republicans against the President.

A half-hearted supporter of the President, disliked by New Dealers, Connecticut's Senator Francis T. Maloney nevertheless coattailed in past a smart Republican adman and schoolmaster, 43-year-old Paul Lincoln Cornell. Delaware elected (6-5) an even more conservative Democrat: James Miller Tunnell Sr.

Nebraska's able, pay-as-you-go Governor Robert LeRoy Cochran delighted Administration Democrats by beating anti-Roosevelt, anti-Labor Senator Edward R. Burke in the primaries last April. But snow-haired, colorless Hugh A. Butler, former G. O. P. National Committeeman, who was expected to lose the election, turned up with enough votes to beat Governor Cochran.

Democratic Cleveland's Republican Mayor Harold Hitz Burton had won 17 consecutive elections when he defied Ohio Boss Ed Schorr last spring and got the Republican nomination for Senator. This week dark, grey-eyed Hal Burton came through once more, handily defeated onetime (1937-39) Democratic Congressman John McSweeney.

Also shaken in his "safe" seat was the Democrats' Senate whip, Sherman ("Shay") Minton of Indiana. Atop the seesaw at mid-count was jelly-chinned, 65-year-old Editor Raymond Eugene Willis, a safe-&-solid Republican.

A balding, 45-year-old Detroit lawyer named John Francis James FitzGerald shocked himself, Michigan and Republican Senator Arthur Vandenberg by creeping up on that supposedly impregnable incumbent in late returns.

Only Congressman to rise from the House to the Senate was Washington's Democratic, pro-New Deal Mon C. Wallgren, 49. His strong Scandinavian following voted down vigorous, 46-year-old Stephen Fowler Chadwick.

Cook County (Chicago) gave the Kelly-Nash machine's Democratic Senatorial nominee, Lawyer James M. Slattery, a lead over Republican Charles Wayland ("Curly") Brooks. But late counts from down State Republican Illinois gave Curly Brooks a chance to win.

A fantastic mixup between Progressives and Democrats, piled up on Wisconsin's Senator Robert Marion La Follette Jr. Not until the last precincts had reported could he be sure of beating sober, conservative Republican Frederick H. Clausen.

Loyal, mediocre Democratic Senator James Michael Mead had a plurality nearly double Franklin Roosevelt's in New York. He also had a winning lead (7-6) over Republican Bruce Barton. Barton's former seat in the House was won by Republican Kenneth Simpson.

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