Chafee Glum On G O P Prospects

Gov. John H. Chafee (R.R.I.) last night said that he saw no encouraging prospects for Republican candidates seeking election to Congress in 1966.

The Republican Party's numerical representation in the Senate and the House "is in a worse state than in the depths of the depression." Chafee said to an audience of Young Republicans at the Freshman Union. Nor could Chafee fore see any substantial gains for the GOP in either legislative branch next year.

"The Democratic incumbents are on the whole very young and attractive." Chafee added. "In fact," he continued. "I think well be lucky to pick up much of anything."

Chafee added, that the Republican Party, which lost a substantial number of House and Senate seats on the wake of the 1964 Presidential election, should begin to revamp its image. He said that in addition to choosing "good candidates' the Republican Party must present solutions to pressing problems. It is not enough simply to criticize the policies of the present Administration."

Chafee advised the immediate implementation of Walter W. Heller's plan. Which would allocate a percentage of Federal income tax to each state for its unrestricted use. He felt that a "lack of confidence in the States "on the part of the Federal government had contributed to the insufficient success of the President's War on Poverty, "a mess which is going to get worse."