The Morgan City daily review. (Morgan City, La.) 1916-1920, 1917-07-27
MARTIN OF LOUISIANA, IS IHE
CONGRESSIONAL MAN oF
MYSTERY" VI eo
Washington, July 14tf

MYSIEkI. " N
Washington, July 14th
The Representative from tnf
Third District Of Louisiana is known
professionally as Judge Martin, IA
inc been Judge Of the Twentietf
Judicial District Of his State fol
MANY wears, his familiar friends anc
The fa%cetious voter hail him al
Whit Martin; but it remained for his
c~onfreres in Congress to speak o.
him al the "435th member" tine
deciding VOTE" or "the Martin mvs-
terry"
Now. it happens that the Honor
able Whitmell Pugh Martin tor
that is the full and officially authen-
tic name of the man who has had 80
MANY others thrust upon him), Is
one of the mos. inconspicious and
transformations members on the
floor of the House. He will not DC
so wears old until the 18th OF Aug
ust: he is slight and a little below
the average height; he has kindly
blue eyes, and light hair beginning
to get lighter where the gray intru-
des; his voice is low, deliberate, just
eseaping the mellow drawl with
which writer's invariably qualify the
Southern voice; his manner is . o.
unfailing courtesy. One could not
but secretly observe that the person
atty Of the man did not fit into the
picure Of what might be expected in
the qualifications Of some one rank
ing o one Of The Powerful Five in
the House. And what made it more
inconRruous was that other oft
published fact that Mr.. Martin is the
central figure Of The Five.
For when the Powerful Five, upon
which hangs the destiny of mea-
sures and men in the House, are
lined up for action, it is not until
1'the Martin mystery is solved that
either side knows definitely just
how things are going. In other
words, the words Of an admiring
c~onfrere, Martin keeps them guess
ing"
Like Mr.. Schall of Minnesota, Mr..
London of New York and Mr.. Ran
dali Of California is just entering
upon his second term of service;
while Mr.. Fuller of Massachusetts, is
beginning his first term in the Ma
tional Legislature, having been q
member Of the Massachusetts, House
Of Representatives, two years ago.
Mr.. Schall is a Progressive; Mr.
Randall. q Prohibitionist; Mr.. Lon
don is = Socialist; and Mr.. Fuller an
Independent, while Mr.. Martin is =
Progressive Protectionist.
When things are acute in the
House, As for ~irstSnee vheH tie.
Speakership was uncertain, the most
popular men in Congress are the
Big Five. They are. sought out, fol-
lowed about, courted and coddled,
and yet they pursue the noiseless
tenor Of their way, to vote when the
time comes As they may. It has be-
come something Of a tradition, more
or less comfortable, to count Mr..
Sehall and Mr.. Fuller in on the Re-
psblican side, while Mr.. Randall and
Mr.. London lean toward the Demo-
clatic side with their influence. It
i right that Mr.. Martin stands IN the
center Of the group, with the eyes
Of both sides Of the House fixed up-
on him, "the 4S5 member" 1.-The de-
Gliding vote" 'the Martin mysteryw
For a "mystery," he = singulsny|
direct and clear IN his convictions
and methods. Perhaps he qualities Is
: mystery only because he listens
more than he talks. That seems the
obvious reason at any rate, when it
% recalled how concisely and clearly
and beyond any shadow. of doubt he
defined his position when he step
ped out of the Democratic party,
and became . sprogressiveprotection-
list, or as they call him in Louisiana
the ~forerunner Of the Southern pro-
tectioni~.-Lafourche Comet.
Mr.. A. Duchamp, formerly Of st.
Martinville, now IN inspector Of
construction in the service Of the
Fleet Corporation, left
his afternoon after two days in
Morgan City looking FOR I house to
'ecupy for tie term Of the eovern-
nsnt work nov bsine lsaf1is1 On BY
~ Union Bfidos~aAd~c oastruedsad
shipbuilders. Mr.. Du-
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