Evening star., 1940-03-03
Huey Long Dynasty Collapses
Under Press and Jury Pressure
Newly Elected Governor, Sam H. JONES' Declares
We Are Democracy Again. Typifying
Reform Sentiment in Louisiana
By Charles Nnner,
Associated Press stat1 Writer.

and its morning associate, the New Or
leans Times-Picayune. began a daily
%arrage of pertinent questions" directed
at Leche and Smith, asking them to ex-
plain lse of State property In a private
project.
The forthcoming explanations were
weak. The newspapers continued ham,
mering. Suddenly, DR.. Smith disap-
peared for several days. 1t subsequently
was learned that be was desperately
trying through admitted forgery and
embezzlement to raise margin on his
wheat holdings He failed and was
closed out.
On June Is he handed his resignation
to Leche and vanished in earnest. The
following day Leche resigned and Earl
Long became Governor, promising to
"do right" Smith was caught in Canada
and returned to face more than 40
Federal and State indictments. He is
serving an to "a year term now ip
State prison, with 30-month Feder
prison sentence yet to be begun. i
The kaleidoscope. chain of eve..ts
started the States and Times-Picayune
off on one Of the most vigorous editorial
crusades ever seen. The story has never
been of the first page in the nine inter-
vsning months.
The expose that followed brought
scores of Federal investigators into
Louisiana. Assistant Attorney General
o. John Rogge was sent down by Mr..
Murphy to head the investigation. Mr..
Rogge, admittedly appalled, by what he
found, led three Federal grand juries
into the probe that now has resulted in
several hundred indictments.
Jones Enters Picture.
Sam H. Jones, 42-year-old Lake
Charles attorney, unknown to politics,
was Immediately hailed by a powerful
combination of newspapers and citizens
groups as the reform candidate" when
he announced for the governorship last
September. Three other reform" can
didates were in the field, the chief of
these being State Senator Noe.
The first primary, January 16, left
Mr.. Jones runner-up, with the right to
enter a second primary against MIR.
Long, and showed gaping weaknesse. in
the machine. Mr.. Noe promptly joined
with MIR. Jones, taking the stump in his
behalf. Mr.. Long demanded Mr.. Jones
quit the race as "the beaten candidate"
in order to save the expense of a runoff
Suddenly Mr.. Long called the Legis-
lature and stormed through its cham
bers in the weI-remembered manner of
his brother Huey. Obediently as they
had built It up, the lawmakers tore down
some of the legal fabric Of the Dictator
ship, abohshing one or two laws which
had proved most unpopular with local
officials And they made huge appropri-
ations for social services"
Mr.. Jones, a clean-cut, youthful World
War veteran, entered the campaign with
promise not to call names, but tenn
pers became frayed He ended by call
ing Mr.. Long yellow Stacker" tool
OF the most vicious machine in America"
and worse. Mr.. Long called him high
hat, sweet-smeliing corporation lawyer"
and lot of other things.
AS the final primary approached. the
reform forces doubted if they had the
strength to overcome the lead Mr.. Long
had piled over Mr. Jones in the first
primary-some 10000 votes.
Victory Margin Close.
The electorate February 20 gave Mr..
Jones about 10000 majority over Mr..
Long-a perilously close vote with total
of $4,000 votes cast, but sufficient.
Now reform forces are at work organ
izing to oust the States entire delegation
in Congress, including Senators Ellender
and Overton; Mayor Maestri and all
those who gave service to the Long ma
chine
A colossal job of rehabilitation lies
ahead for Mr.. Jones when he takes over
May IA.
We must restore constitutional, demo-
cratic, decent government here" he said
just after election. I'VE must put LOU
isiana on sound financial basis And
we must never let this thing happen
again In Louisiana. = Dictatorial laws
must be abolished, courts placed above
reproach, schools revitalized.
I'VE are democracy again."