THE NATION: The Size of Victory

From Maine in September to California in November, it was a Democratic year. In this week's elections Democrats edged Republicans in the races for gubernatorial seats, increased their 88th Congress holding in the House from 233 to something in the order of 268-273, jumped the Democratic Senate margin by at least a dozen seats.

Such was the Democratic Senate victory that it will be virtually impossible for Republicans to recapture control of the Senate in 1960; not enough Democrats will be up for re-election in non-Southern states to permit the G.O.P. to make up its 1958 deficit. When the 86th Congress convenes in January, a Republican President will be confronted by the heaviest opposition-party majority in this century.