Truman May Quit To Avoid Stalemate

Northern Advocate, 7 November 1946, Page 5

Truman May Quit To Avoid Stalemate

Republicans Capture Both Houses Of Congress

(Received 12.30 p.m.)

There will be fewer women in the next Congress. Five have been elected and there is a possibility of two others, making seven compared with 11 at present. President Truman ’ refuged to comment today on the result of the elections, but said he would issue a statement in a day or two. • WEAKNESS IN CONSTITUTION Senator Fulbright (Dem.-Arkansas) j said Mr Truman should resign after appointing a Republican Secretary of State who would become President. Senator Fulbright advocated such un- • precedented action to avoid a stalemate. (When, as at prasent there is no ■ Vice-President the Secrtary of State* succeeds to the Presidency in the event of a vacancy). Senator Fulbright said Mr Truman should appoint Senator Vandenberg Secretary of State. He deplored “the very unfortunate defect in the -United States Constitution which makes possible a legislature in the hands of one party and an administration in the hands of another party.” Putting a Republican in the White House would give responsibility to the party that has the power.

WALLACE LOOKS FOR TROUBLE Mr Henry Wallace stated: “Progressives must not be discouraged by the election’s outcome. A Republican Congress will inevitably multiply our economic problems and the American people, who fundamentally always are progressive, will , then turn to liberal leadership for help. “As a result of this election the Democratic Party will either become t more progressive or die,- and I don’t expect it to die.” The Leftist newspaper PM says: ' “It would be wishful and foolish to minimise the extent of the Republican victory. The fact is the crumbling of Democratic strength and purpose since President Roosevelt’s death has given reactionaries their chance for power v. and they have used it to the hilt. “America’s swing to the right will he a disheartening symbol to hundreds of millions throughout the world.”

NATION-WIDE PROTEST

“We want an effective Government. not one that tries to control citizens’ lives’.” LOSSES IN HOME STATE

In President Truman’s home state of Missouri, Albert Reeves (Rep.) decisively defeated Mr Enos Axtell (Dem.), whom Mr Truman had warmly endorsed.

Mr James P. Kemp (Rep.) captured the Missouri Senate seat formerly held by Mr Truman, defeating Mr * Riggs (Dem.) who was appointed to fill the vacancy when Mr Truman became President. (

In Montana tke -Senate seat formerly held by Mr Burton Wheeler (Isolationist Democrat) was won by Mr Zales Boton (Republican), who defeated Mr Leif Erickson (Democrat, endorsed by the Congress of Industrial Organisations).

The New York World Telegram says that at a time of full employment and general prosperity voters repudiated the party in power. Tlfat is unusual in American history.

‘‘Sixteen hectic years have passed since the Democrats captured the House of Representatives, which is a long time, even if the Democrats had made- fewer/ mistakes, but a natural desire, for -a change only partly explains the Republican sweep. “People were tired of being pushed around and told what to do. They had wearied of endless directives, regulating what they would charge for goods sold and pay for goods bought. TIRED OF REGULATIONS “They had lost patience with the arrogance and stupidities of the Washingtori regulators.” The New York Post says: “This should not be a day of morbid or desperate post-mortems. Those who want to provide leadership and support for a Liberal Government have been given a clear mandate to get back on the beam. o

Mr John BrickerJ thrice Governor of Ohio, smashingly defeated the Democratic Senator, Mr James Huffman, and strengthened his bid for Presidential nomination. Dry Oklahoma gave a woman candidate who ran on a repeal platform scarcely more than one vote per precinct. BAN CLOSED SHOP

Constitutional amendments banning the present closed shop under which all workers must be unionists, were carried by substantial majorities in three states—Arizona, South Dakota and Nebraska. Ballot-papers in Nebraska, partly due to this amendment, were 13 feet long and contained 26,000 words.

“We have had neither Liberalism nor honest Conservatism. The men who gave the New Deal its vitality were brushed ,out of Washington and succeeded by members of Cabinet and White House advisers too often possessing little vigour and less vision.

In Massachusetts electors approved an amendment requiring trade unions to publish financial reports. In the District of Columbia, which embraces Washington, electors voted overwhelmingly for home rule and the right to vote in national elections. Voting was unofficial, as a constitutional amendment would be needed to grant residents of the capital the national suffrage, but Congress could grant home rule.

“It is small wonder the voters preferred the Republican flag, flying at the top of the pole, to the New Deal standard at half-mast.” The New York Journal of Cornsays the advent of a Republican Congress presages important economic changes—for example abolition of price control will be expedited, Government emergency agencies, will be liquidated, income tax rates will be reduced, and the attitude towards labour union demands will be stiff-

REACTION ON 'CHANGE The New York stock market, reacting to the Republican victory, moved upward at the opening with trading active. ■ Plus marks showed all over the big board, with many stocks gaining a dollar a share. Later, however, there was a reaction to the Republican landslide. Brokers explained that a Republican victory had been discounted in advance by market advances last week and on Monday.

During the first hour’s trading this morning United States steel rose 150 cents, but in later sales this gain was lost and fell a further quarter point. Other leading stocks behaved similarly. Cotton prices slumped, all futures declining to the full statutory limit of 10 dollars a bale.

NEW YORK, November 6

RETURNS in the Congressional elections still are incomplete, but nevertheless it is clear that Republicans, in a nation-wide sweep, have won control of the next Congress with a large majority in the House of Representatives and a small majority in the Senate.

Thus, for the next two yeai’s a Republican Congress, but with a Democratic President and administration, will shape the nation’s foreign and domestic policies. The state of parties this afternoon was:

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES Republicans . . . . . . . . 245 Democrats .. .. .. .. 185 Labour .. .. .. .. .. 1 Incomplete .. .. .. .. 4 In undecided seats Republicans are leading in 16 constituencies. SENATE Republicans .. .. .. .. 51 Democrats . . . . . . .. 42 Incomplete .. .. .. ~ • 3 Nineteen Republican governors and 10 Democrat governors have been elected. Senate figures include those elected and those serving unexpired terms. Twenty Republican governors and 13 Democrat governors

i The New York Sun in an editorial j says: “The cold wind of commonsense blew across the country yesterday and, in its icy breath, the New Deal withered and died, “Nothing can be'clearer than that yesterday’s political overturn was a nation-wide protest against the domini ant influence in tSe Democratic Party of Left-Wingers. It must speedily turn to the more conservative course, or 1946 will prove a mere brush 1 * up compared with the house-cleaning plainly indicated for 1948.” Mr T. E. Dewey, Republican Presidential nominee in 1948, who retained Governorship ,of New York by a record majority exceeding 800,000, said:

“The people have spoken quietly but firmly. I believe they have said: ‘We want a Government that has both heart and a head, is both progressive and solvent, that can make social advances yet still be responsible.