Evening star., 1934-05-02
ANSELL PRESENTS
LONG CUSTER PLEA
BEFORE COMMITTEE

LONG CUSTER PLEA
BEFORE COMMITTEE
CONTINUED From First Page)
pied the entire time 'at the hearing
today. Sitting close to him were Mrs.
Hammond, who las persistently clung
TO the demand that Long and Overton
be ousted, and John Holland, an in
vestigator for the Campaign Commit
tee. Holland broke with the commit
tee also on the ground that 1t was
not going ahead with its investigation
in determined manner.
The hearing got under way quietly
enough. with only Senator George.
chairman, and Senator Austin Of
Vermont present Other Senators
came in later. including King Of Utah.
Bachman of Tennessee, Brown Of New
Hampshire. Dickinson of Iowa, Duffy
of Wisconsin and Hebert of Rhode
Island. The hugh caucus room of
the Senate Office Building was only
partly filled with witnesses and spec
tators, most of them women.
Early in the proceedings Senator
Overton Of Louisiana came into the
hearing and followed the testimony
carefully Senator George. chairman
of the committee. made an opening
statement before the hearing began.
saying that it was the purpose OF
committee to inquire into only those
charges which were not investigated
by the Senate Committee on Cam
paign Expenditures in 1882. He said
the committee would place in its rec
ord all the pertinent testimony taken
before the special Committee on Ex-
penditures.
Questions Reserved.
Senator George said when the Long
and Overton cases were referred TO
the Privileges Committee some ques-
tions were reserved to the Senate Ju-
dietary Committee AS the petitions
then stood. no questions were involved
which demanded action by the Prtvi-
leees and Elections Committee. The
Judiciary Committee last March sub
mitted a report on some OF the ques-
tions. This report was placed IN the
record by Senator George. He said
the petitions for the ousting of Long
and Overton had been amended by
Mrs. Hammond and the organization.
Gen. Samuel T. Ansell was recognized
as counsel for the women's Commit
tee Of Louisiana, which Is headed by
Mrs. Hammond.
Gen. AnseIl said it was the purpose
of the protestants to keep to new
evidence. He desired. he said, to
point out that the special committee
had not investigated charges against
Senator Long, but against Senator
Overton, whose election had taken
place in 1892. He said that no con-
test had been filed by Senator Over
toms opponent with the Senate.
Sees Report Limited.
He described the report of the spe-
cial committee of the Senate as a
strong document as far as 1t goes"
The report said the special commit
tee held the conduct of primary elec-
tions was q matter of the State
courts. All the charges Of fraud had
to do with the primary. In Louisiana
1t is clearly understood the Demo-
cratic primary nomination is tanta-
mount to an election. The charges
had nothing to do with the general
election in November, 1882.
The report of the special commit
tee was dissected and interpreted at
length by Gov. Ansell In an effort to
prove to the Privileges and Elections
Committee that it was its duty to go
fully into the charges that Senator
Long and Senator Overton are not
fit to hold seats in the Senate. He
brought up the subject Of dummy
candidates" used in primary elec-
tions, which was harshly scored by
the special committee in its report.
Senator Bachman asked If dummy
candidates" had not been recognized
by the courts of Louisiana as legal.
Denies Court Approval.
Gen. Ansell replied that the courts
had denounced dummy candidates as
an outrageous practice and had not
recognized the practice as legal. The
court said. however, that it had no
Jurisdiction because the question was
purely political. Gen. Ansell denied
that the court had sanctioned" the
practice of dummy candidates" The
practice, he said, led to all kinds of
fraud.
Senator Duffy suggested that If the
matter was purely political there it
was the duty Of the voters Of Louisi-
ana IN deal with II
That is correct" replied Gen.
Ansell, "but that does not release the
Senate also from performing its own
duty In this connection"
Senator George said that the Sen
ate had not in the past undertaken
to attack election practices in the
States, but merely the question Of
fraud intent acts on the part Of the
candidates themselves.
Gen. Ansell said that the report
made by the Special Committee had
"excoriated" the dummy candidate
practice and declared that it should
be wiped out. Its fraud upon the
people of the State of louisiana" SEN
ator Connally said in that report,
but added that the Senate had no
Jurisdiction over the matter.
with the last statement, we will
not agree" said Gen. Ansell.
Gen. Ansell discussed the question
Of assessments" levied against Gov
ernment employees In Louisiana to
carry on elections, saying that they