| Show Long Goes Goe From Victory In Seriate to Home H me r. r Death Editors Editor's Note Note Nate Following lr II the last Jast of a strict series on Huey Long By H. H O. O THOMPSON Copyright 1935 by y United Pre Press talking Longs tongs Frequently during luring the past session of congress that word spread to government and Washington townsfolk Ea Each h time timeA they responded by crowding the senate galleries A and ad standing in inline inline line for a chance to hear the tousled haired tousled senator from Louisiana as as' h hand he e roared denunciations of the New Deal President P Roosevelt and almost anything that came into his mind Repeatedly L tong Long ng would look Jook up toils audience in the galleries and I appeal to them instead of to his colleagues J His IJ windmill gestures were effective with the spectators spectator and his Jokes alwa always went over The presiding officer would rap Inv in vain v for order Only the threat that the galleries would would-be would be cleared would keep them quiet Although still in Louisiana on on the opening day of the session which just quit Long astonished his colleagues colleagues colleagues col col- col- col leagues by sending them a telegram that would he-would address them the thc following following fol toJ- fol- fol lowing Jawing Monday Senator Burton K Wheeler introduced the telegram to him which read Please announce or have announced announced an an- for me me- mein in the senate that on Monday or on the first day tb that t the senate is in session next week as ns soon loon as ashcan a I the flo floor r rI I I shall ahall speak on the the propositions heretofore mentioned in the public press with which I am identified When he walked into Int chamber that Monday the galleries were were crowded d' d ana men eh en and end women v men were Jostling each other for better positions They were not disappointed disappointed pointed Long attacked ed President Roosevelt's policies and charged that he had not kept all hl his his' campaign campaign campaign cam cam- pledges to tax the rich Tich and help the thc poor In February a m mysterious package was Vas received at Longs Long's office in the days day's batch of thousands of letters letters' Associates As opened it and found a a crude bomb It did not explode but the senator made a speech about bout how his enemies were trying ito get him Even Ev n Postmaster General James A. A Farley who was then en having a bitter battle with Long offered the senator the aid ld of his postal inspectors As M he hc rode the crest of ot the wave wa Longs Long's mail grew to such proportions proportions proportions that he clamored for additional additional additional addi addi- clerks and office space He threatened to put his clerks in the corridors of the senate office o build build- ing He e was given more room G General Hugh Johnson former N R A chieftain with an army vocabulary vocabulary vocabulary vo vo- vo- vo made a blistering attack on Long In a radio broadcast in New York City He characterized Long and Father Cha lesE Co Coughlin Coughlin Cough Cough- ghlin gh- gh lin Detroit radio priest as false leaders and opp opportunists Long demanded and obtained radio radio radio ra ra- ra- ra dio time to answer Johnson He Hc devoted devo of ed most of it to explaining his u the share wealth the har wealth the wealth plan although he matched the the f former general Jeneral in names name calling Early In June after the supreme supreme court had kill killed d the ilie NR in the decision the senate was trying to pass legislation to s set t up upa a a. skeleton N R Long was oppose op- op pose posed In the afternoon of June 12 he took toole the floor r and t talked on on and on Some of his associates tried to ar 1 ge a recess but majority leaders lead lead- ers were stubborn Long could talk all Il night If if he wanted to the senate would remain in session I The senator from Louisiana sip alp sipping ping milk at al' his desk and munching bits of toast kept talking He He told Jokes gave he-gave he gave his favorite recipes for tor- pot likker- likker and nd salad dressing and occasionally he talked about the theN N RA At Atten ten minutes minutes' to 4 in the morning morning morning morn morn- ing aft after r talking for tor more than IB 16 hours Long sur surrendered the floor to blind Senator Thomas Schall of Minnesota an ally lly In the battle on the proposed legislation The Lou Lou- I had beaten all all' previous records records rec-I rec rec rec- for filibustering save one Schall lost Jost the floor ion a L parliamentary parliamentary parliamentary parlia parlia- move Soon Soo the legislation legislation legisla legisla- tion was passed Longs Long's filibuster had been in vain b but t again he got goton goton goton on the front pages As AI the summer wore on Longs Long's attacks on President Roosevelt and the new deal b became more violent At first t his Republican colleagues In the senate had given him what aid they could As the remarks became became became be be- came more more bitter they gradually drew away from any ny contact that might suggest ari an an alliance O On July 8 during a r radio dlo speech at New Orleans he called the president a aliar liar Har and faker taker While dancing at the exclusive Shoreham ml hotel one night Long crashed with the son son of ot Brigadier General S Samuel muel T. T Ansell bitter antagonist who was suing the senator senator sena sena- tor for on libel charges Both were dancing on the terrace Reportedly young Ansell swung at Long Witnesses said the senator did not attempt t to hit back bick but his bodyguards young mans man's table During the final days of the session session ses ses- ses sion Long tried to unite senators from the wheat states and those from the cotton states states to obtain a government guarantee of cent 12 cotton and cent 90 wheat loan Joan Largely through gh Longs Long's efforts a resolution which would have forced congress to adjourn sine sineS die Saturday Saturday Satur Satur- day night was waa reconsidered Both houses met Monday Long veteran of or one filibuster took the floor again He refused pleas that his action would prevent appropriation of ot mone moneys s for tor old age pensions health aid to children children children chil chil- dren and railroad mens men's retirement He Hc talked jokingly at times bitterly bitter bitter- ly Jy at others t The clock ticked toward midnight A A. senator interrupted Long The vice president as asked ed Does the senator from Louisiana L yield 1 I do not yield Long shouted The vice president The senator from Louisiana de declines to yield Long That is what we c are proud of Those were his hils last words In the senate The gavel of the vice president pounded the session seton to a close Long went Vent out of the chamber jubilantly to Louisiana and his and his death The End |
