In the coming sessions of the Seventy-third Con
gress. there are three committees of the House
which will have their work cut out for them. These
are the Committees on Elections. Awaiting them
are 11 contests over seats, nine filed by Democrats
and two by Republicans. In practically every in
stance fraud is alleged by the contestants, and the
investigations to determine the validity of the
charges will necessarily consume much time.
One of the most peculiar ever to be heard by
the House is that filed by Loyal G. Reese, a Mis
sissippi Republican, against Representative Russell
Ellzey. The latter polled 25,725 votes while Reese
got but 386. As a basis for his contest he charged
his name was omitted from the official ballot while
that of another “alleged” Republican was put
on it.
The House faces another problem in the election
of Henry Ellebogen, Democrat, who defeated Harry
S. Esteep, Republican, in the Thirty-third Penn
sylvania district. The Constitution provides that a
Representative must have been a citizen seven years
and Ellebogen will not have been that until next
summer. Esteep, however, has not yet filed any
notice of contest.
Among the most prominent involved, is Repre
sentative Fiorello H. LaGuardia, Republican, New
York. The record ijhows he was defeated by 1,220
votes by J. J. Lanzetta, Democrat. LaGuardia, leader
of many a revolt against his own party leadership,
is contesting.
From Connecticut, Martin Gormley, Democrat,
is contesting the election of Representative - Edward
Goss, Republican, whom, the returns show, was
elected by 78 votes.
One woman, Anne E. Felix, figures in a contest
from Pennsylvania, in which she is challenging the
right of Michael J. Muldowney, Republican, to the
seat. The returns gave Muldowney almost 6,000
majority.
