THE CENSUS: Reshuffle for the House

The U.S. House of Representatives, whose 435 members are apportioned to the states by population, is due for a reshuffle after 1960. By then, predicted the Census Bureau last week, the national nose count will be 180 million, up 29 million from 1950. On this basis, booming California, which gained seven seats after the 1950 census, will probably get another seven, boosting its total to 37. This would put it just behind New York (now 43, but slated to drop to 40), and well ahead of Pennsylvania (30 now, 27 after 1960). Other probable gainers: Florida, with three; Michigan and Texas, two each; Arizona, Indiana, Maryland, Ohio and Oregon, one each. Other losers: Massachusetts and Arkansas (two), Maine, Illinois, Minnesota, Iowa, Kansas, West Virginia, North Carolina, Georgia, Alabama and Mississippi (one apiece). The one representative that Alaska gets with statehood will temporarily swell the House to 436, but the figure will fall back to 435 after the census reapportionment—which will not take effect until the 88th Congress convenes in 1963.