Evening star., 1933-10-04
How Long2

ton IN Louisiana, involving senator
Overton. the successful candidate, and
his hacker, Senator Huey Long. the
self-styled "Kingfish," has been post
poned until November 13. 1t begins to
look as though it may be necessary for
the Senate to investigate its own COM
mittee to learn why nothing has been
done about the investigation of Mr..
Long. A year has passed since the
election. The late Senator Howell OF
Nebraska, chairman of the investigat-
ing committee. up to the time of his
death last Winter did his full duty in
the matter. He went to Louisiana and
conducted hearings. He was prepared
to go further into the case when he
was stricken. Since his death nothing
has happened The committee has had
an investigator on its pay roll for many
months and has not sent him to Loui
siana to investigate since the death Of
Senator Howell.
The contrast between the manner in
which the inquiry into the Overton-
Long campaign activities has been con-
ducted-or not conducted-and the
manner in which other Senate inquiries
have progressed Is rather remarkable
The investigation of the Pennsylvania
senatorial primary in 1926 and Of the
Illinois primary in the same year, which
resulted in seats being denied William
S. Ware, elected to the Senate from
Pennsylvania, and Frank p Smith,
elected in Illinois, were conducted in
the main by former Senator James A.
Reed of Missouri with remarkable per-
sistence and vigor. When the late
Senator Thomas j. Walsh of Montana
undertook to examine into the Teapot
Dome oil leases he never let up for an
instant until the whole unsavory mess
had been laid bare. 1t is quite true
that many of the Senators have had i'm
portant duties to perform in connection
with legislation during the early months
of this year. But other senatorial in
quiries have been pressed-for example,
the inquiry by the banking committee
into the operations of the New York
Stock Exchange and other financial
institutions, and the inquiry now being
carried forward into ocean mail con-
tracts.
Perhaps the Senate campaign COM
mittee has hoped to "let nature take
its course" so far as Huey Long is con-
cerned. Reports Of revolt against the
leadership of the Kingfish in his own
State have multiplied in recent weeks
Former supporters Of the senior Sena-
tor from Louisiana are lining up against
him. Long has had the kind OF pub
licity in recent months that is calcu-
lated to break his hold politically. His
escapade on Long Island is a striking
incident. But all of this does not ex-
cuse Senate committee from the per-
formance of its duty, however unpleas
ant that duty may be. To let an in
quiry into an election contest grow cold
for upward of year is not the most
efficient way Of bringing out the facts.
Serious charges have been preferred.
The Senate campaign committee was
set up to investigate such charges.
The presence of Long in the Senate
as Democrat may be an advantage
to the Republicans. But 1t does not
seem possible that merely for such
political advantage the minority men,
bers of the Senate will acquiesce in
policy of non n-inquiry into the Louisiana
senatorial campaign. Nor does it ap-
pear within the bounds of probability
that the Democratic members of the
Senate. even though thorough In
vestigation of the Louisiana primary
might reveal corruption in Democratic
State, would agree to gloss the matter
over.