Evening star., 1934-08-18
LONG WINS POWER
OF DICTATORSHIP
SIuggings, Fist Fights and
Arrests Mark Close of
Legislature.
Continued From First Page.)

administration floor leaders, arose
and shouted:
This is childish. will not be
party to this. I am going to leave
this House and I won't come back
until the rule has been amended to
permit the press to remain"
Both Senator Long and Gov. o. K.
Allen intercepted Provost at the door,
entreating him to return. Provost
refused, saying in a loud voice:
This is the most asinine thing !
ever heard Of"
It was while Senator Long was de-
manding Provosts return to the
House that Trice attempted to snap
the picture of the two and was
slugged from behind.
Fist Fight on Floor.
News men were able to follow pro-
ceedings roughly from gallery.
A fist fight ensued on the House
floor when dispute arose over the
action of Representative Rupert Pey-
ton Of Caddo, a newspaper man by
profession, in walking down to the
press table and announcing he would
take down the proceedings "and pro-
tect all the reporters on the outside"
Several administrationists objected
violently and crowd formed about
Peyton. As the crowd milled about
in the center aisle, Representative
Joe Hamiter of Caddo, anti-adminis-
tration leader, and Representative
George w. Lee, administration fol-
lower, came out of the melee swing
ing. Sergeants at arms and fellow
members finally broke up the set-to.
Equipped with the broad powers
conferred on him by the Legislature,
Senator Long today prepared to
launch at once a new offensive
against his arch foes Of the New
Orleans City government - with
whom he is already at armed war
by invoking the legislative investiga-
ton which the Assembly voted for
him.
Aimed at the regime of Mayor T.
Semmes Walmsley who defeated the
Long picked candidates in last Janu-
ary's municipal election, and at the
New Orleans civil courts from which
have recently emanated series OF
decisions against the Long faction,
the inquiry will be conducted by a
committee of four State Senators
and five Representatives, granted the
powers of a court and unlimited as
10 scope or expense.
The committee is to report back
to the Legislature by February l,
1886, but it was indicated they would
lose no time in getting their inquiry
started.
Vice and Corruption Cited.
Senator Long described the investi-
CATION as necessary because of ram
pant vice and corruption in the city"
His spokesmen on the floor of the
Assembly repeatedly referred to it as
similar in every way to the Seabury
investigation, which took Mayor
Walker of New York out Of Office"
The House approved the inquiry, 81
to 80. and the Senate; e23 to IL.
With even greater speed than had
marked their passage in the House,
where Long. commanded so votes in
the 100-member chamber, the bills
which Long proposed went through
the Senate early today by equally
clear naajofities. The walmsley old
regular faction members from New
Orleans, Joined by few others from
out in the State, were overridden in
every instance.
Senator Long was barred from the
floor of the House by the anti-lobby-
ing rule, but in the Senate he played
the Kingflsh role unrestricted, strid-
ing about the aisles, laughing and
talking with his supporters, scofing
at his opponents. prompting the floor
leaders on motions and parliamentary
moves and otherwise keeping the
legislative mill turning methodically
through the small hours.
Gov. Allen stood by smiling happily.