CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 17607, 9 November 1922, Page 10

CONGRESSIONAL ELECTIONS.

1 BIG DEMOCRATIC GAINS. LIGHT WINES AND BEEB ISSTJB. (By Cable—Press Association — (Australian and N.Z. Cable Association.) (Received November Bth, 9.35 p.m.) NEW YORK, November 8. While a political landslide, such as resulted in the Republican victory in' 1920, cannot be expected, returns from all over the country up to shortly before midnight on election da? showed vast Democratic gains in Congress and the State offices. The Republicans, | who expected to held their strength j in the Senate and possible gain one or two members, now. appear to have lost important States in New Jersey and New York. 1 The Democratic candidate for the Senate, Mr Edwards, standing on a light wines and beer, platform, opposed Mr J. S. Frehnghuysen (Republican) for re-election to the Senate for New Jersey. Mr is a personal friend of President Harding and a strong Administration man. Oopeland (Democrat) opposed Mr W. M. Calder in New York for re-election to the Senate. '*• Mr Copeland appears to have been carried to victory, which signalises the sucoess of the Democrats in New York the Democratic gubernatorial candidate, Mr Smith, winning over the Republican ex-Governor, Mr N. L. Miller by a majority of 600,000 in this State, which has a larger population than any other State of the Union. Mr H. C. Lodge (Republican), the grand old man of the Senate, appears to be doing badly in Massachusetts on the basis of early returns, and is i n danger of being defeated by Mr Gaston , (Democrat. This would be the strangest reversal of the election. Ohio, President Harding's own State, appears to have gone Democratic. Senator A. Pomerene (Democrat) is leading Mr S. Fess for re-election to the Senate. Mr Fess is a close personal friend of President Harding. Ohio," incidentally, appears to liave voted two to one in, favour of -light wines Mid beers. Chicago has also given an overwhelming majority in favour of light wines and beers, though the complete vote in the State of Illinois is doubtful regarding the beverages. West Virginia appears to have elected a Democrat, Mr Neely, over the Republican, Senator H. Sutherland, who ;ran for re-election. Mr Bruce (Democrat) is leading the Republican Senator J. I. France,/for Maryland. Pennyslvania, which is normally Republican, stayed Republican by- the election of two * Senators, one' to take the place of a Senator who died. Connecticut, Illinois and California stayed Republican,. Senator H. *W. Johnson, ' the sorcalled "radical Republican" of the Senate, being 're-elected for the 1 latter State. , Senator G. M. Hitchcock, of Nebraska appears to be the only Democratic Senator running for re-election •to be the successful opponent being Mr y Howell, ,who had the support of the Non-Partisan League. This is a farmers' organisation, having State Socialism for its programme. The best estimates indicate that the Democrats will gain six seats.in the Senate. ' The Democratic victory in the House of; Representatives. is now believed to be so considerable that there is danger that the Republican majority will be reduced to less than thirty. The Democrats appear to have gained at least 'sixty seats. More than five of the fifteen women running for Congress are known to be defeated. It is pointed out that with their reduced majority and the existing dissensions in the Republcans' ranks, the Democrats mw'be able to take the legislative leadership from the Republicans in the House of Representatives. SPECIAL SESSION OF CONGEESS, l ■, (Received November BEh, 9.35 p.m.) NEW YORK, November 8. President Harding announces that a special eession of Congress will be called for Nov4mber 20th to consider the Ship Subsidy Bill and the Anti-Lynching Bill, which the House of Representatives have already passed, and the farmers' long term credits. LATER RETURNS. CAUSES OF REPUBLICAN DEFEAT. (Received November Bth, 11.55 p.m.) NEW, YORK, November 8. Later returns show only the following. changes Senator H. C. Lodge (Republican) was elected for Massachusetts s by a small plurality. Mr Fes# (Republican) is, now leading Mr Pomerene (Democrat) and will probably win the Ohio Senatorship. Otherwise the Democratic gains are increasing. Kansas, which showed a Republican plurality of 179,000 in 1920, now shows a 40,000 Deniocraitio plurality. Senator La Follette, another of the famouis Radical Republican Senators, was re-elected for Wisconsin. Senator J. Reed, who wa& attacked by ex-Presi-dent Wilson, was re-elected for Missouri. The only woman Congressional, representatives were defeated for reelection by Democrats in Oklahoma. The "wets" appear to have won wherever the issue was tested. In Illinois there was an overwhelming majority for light wines and beer. The measure for the enforcement of prohibition was defeated in California and Massachusetts. Representative A. J. Volstead, of Minnesota, the author of tho Volstead Prohibition Law, will probably be defeated for re-election. Representative John P. Hill, the most outspoken leader of the "Wets" in Congress, was re--elected for Maryland, ana Mr Hageman, who was running for Congress in lowa on a wet platform, was elected by a large majority. . The "New York limefl" which i« democratic in matters of national policy, commenting on. the election, says it was not the tariff or the League of Nations-that defeated the Republicans, ' but a mass of various dissatisfactions, «*oss-currenta and diverse local issues.