Harbinger?

POLITICAL NOTES Harbinger? New York's Fifth Congressional District, carved out of New York City's Borough of Queens, has long been safe, solid Democratic ground. Its 450,000 residents register two-to-one for Harry Truman's party; they have sent Democrats to Congress nine out of ten times in the last 20 years. Last week, voting to fill its vacant congressional seat, the Fifth turned down a Democrat and elected a Republican to Congress by a vote of 17,300 to 11,442.* It was an unexpected upset for the Democrats. Was it also a harbinger of November? Republicans, naturally, hoped so. During the campaign, G.O.P. Candidate Robert Tripp Ross doggedly assailed the "crime, corruption and Communism" of the Truman Administration. Democrat Hugh Quinn sidestepped the Truman issue, insisted that he was a good city councilman and would make a good Representative. The G.O.P. victory brought a triumphant shout from Republican National Chairman Guy Gabrielson: "It reflects the determination of voters everywhere to replace Trumanism with sound, honest government." Loser Quinn agreed. "Truman licked me," he griped. "I lost out against the scandals in the national Administration. The election should not have been decided on national issues, but the people made [corruption] the issue."

* Thereby cutting the Democratic margin in the House to 28 votes. Current lineup: Democrats 230; Republicans 202; Independents 1; vacancies 2.

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