The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-07-20

FOLKS III LOulSlana were a llLtle critical of Frank Murphy at the time, considered him either woe- fully naive or else a party to the political deal by which the Roose- welt Administration gave the Louisiana state machine @ free rein to continue the dictatorship of Huey Long.
 Today they are not so critical of Frank Murphy; are convinced that perhaps he really is cru- sador and does want to apply the broom to Louisiana. But even so, they have their fingers crossed about the entire Federal Govern ment-and with good reason.
 For today almost every impor- tant federal appointee supposed to be prosecuting the Louisiana scan- dals, or supposed to be adminis- tering WPA, PWA, or other New Deal agencies is a tool of the old Huey Long Machine.
 FEDERAL PROSECUTORS
 Take, for instance Rene Viosca, the district attorney, a machine man who once was promised @ federal judgeship by the Louisiana dictators. And due to the close hook-up between Washington and New Orleans there was every req son to believe that they could de- liver it-though they changed their minds later and promoted Leche for a judgeship. ..
 Assisting Viosca in prosecuting Louisiana grafters are:
 l. Herbert Christenberry, broth- CT of Earl Christenberry, who was Huey's secretary and now holds 8 lush job as publicity agent for Louisiana in Washington. Herbert is heart and soul with the Mae- stri-controlled machine, and is now supposed to investigate forced deductions" from the state pay rolls.
 2. J. Skelly Wright, an assistant district attorney, is the nephew of Joe Skelly, New Orleans Com- missioner of Public Property and an intimate friend of Mayor Mae- stri. Wright, a part of the ma chine, is now Investigating WPA irregularities.
 3. Hilary J. Gaudin, the third assistant district attorney, is re- lated to Dr. Frank Gomila, New Orleans Commissioner of Public Safety and another close friend of Mayor Maestri. Gaudin is sup posed to be running the PWA phase of the investigation.
 These men were not appointed by Frank Murphy, and he is not very happy about them. Yet, al- though he has sent the crack head of his criminal division, John ROgge, to Louisiana, he can't shove these men entirely out of the picture.
 It is significant that the only real prosecuting done in Louisiana to date is by Dewey Sanchez, a bitterly anti-machine attorney. He handled the grand jury in Baton Rouge which last week indicted Dr. J. M. ("Jingle Money") Smith, and other high University officials.
 So you understand why the peo- pie of Louisiana have their fingers crossed regarding the federal gov- ernment.
 CHARITY TO BIG BOYS
 Another factor which makes them keep their fingers crossed is the investigation made by PWA recently of the Charity Hospital in New Orleans. This is @ magnifi- cent looking edifice Uf you don't examine it too closely for cracks) built largely by PWA grant and designed by Leon Weiss, one of the Huey Long gang, now revealed as a packer of J. M. Smith in his stock market gambling.
 The beds for that hospital were sold through Abe Shushan, owner of . big supply company and one of the first packers of Huey Long. Another New Or. leans bed company was fofced 0 step aside In faver ef Mr. Bhushan.
 Also Monte Hart, another pal Of Huey Long's, got the hospitals contract for electrical equipment-- in fact is reported 10 have 70. ceived it one year in advance. Hart