National Affairs: Philadelphia Surprise

On election night, Philadelphia Democrats were all set for a happy celebration. They had rented a five-room suite in the Bellevue-Stratford Hotel, had set up 200 chairs and a tally board in one big room. At Republican headquarters, across the street from the City Hall, no one had organized a cheering section. The G.O.P. had taken two good lickings in Philadelphia in 1951 and 1952, and was more or less resigned to another.

As the returns on balloting for city offices came in, the astonished leaders of both parties kept rechecking to see if they were getting correct reports. By 11:30, only five glum Democrats were left in the celebration suite. The Republicans won every contest, including 13 judges. Statewide, despite a bitter intraparty quarrel (TIME, Oct. 26), the G.O.P. elected two superior court judges.

Philadelphia's Democratic District Attorney Richardson Dilworth, who had helped lead the city's Democrats to power in 1951, was baffled. Said he: "I just don't understand it." Republican Leader William F. Meade, after recovering from surprise, thought it was easy to understand. Said he: "The Democratic Party lost because of its bad record of performance."