Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-09-10
PegIer Hits
Ex-Long Aide
AsU. S. Judge
Says Senate Chairman
Knew Character
Bv WEsTBROOK PEGLER

DH CHANCE IL ndpEths ,'o
ID an article by President
Roosevelt in defense OF his
memorable court-packing bill ap.
pears in Golfers when one oil
the young and "forward-looking
Judges selected to reanlmate the
Constitution and improve the
general character of the federal
judiciary is sitting in New YORK
where he may be scrutlnlzed
apart from the political Jungles
of Louisiana. g.,
This federal district judge Is
CASTOR L.Porterie, who was Inc
attorney general during Huey
Longs dictatorship and was
nominated 10 the bench by Sen
ators Allen X. Ellender and John
II. Overton of Louisiana.
Ellender. as few of us VIII
need reminding. was the speaker
of the Louisiana House OF Repre-
sentativeS during the lutheran
travesties which were enacted
during the special session OF the
Legislature wherein the kingfish
contemptuouSly resclnded the
political rights Of the people OF
an American state.
Day after day Ellender sat
there on his puppet throne as
Huev stalked the aisles roaring
orders 10 his legislators OF whom
he had said. and truly. that ne
could buy and sell them Ike
sacks of potatoes.
NOV Ellender is a member OF
~ the United States Sena,f
with the power TO suggest TO the
Judges for THE federal
bench and federal prosecutors.
Senator Overton was elected
10 the Senate by fraud,
damned spot which will not on,
for il is woven into the record
Of the special committee of the
Senate which investigated that
incredibly corrupt and brazen
farce.
Judge CASTOR l. Porterie Of
the United States District Couri
for the western district OF
Louisiana. a. attorney general
simply thWartcd an Injunction
nv district Judge OF the state
courts by which !, was sought 10
Illustrate the operation OF the
notorious dummy candidate
device. the crooked scheme
which the special committee OF
the United States Senate dc
nounced as "a vicious and abhor-
rent political practice.
And. although the special com
mittee admitted that OVerton
opponent might have had the
assistance Of dummies the re-
mort nevertheless held that the
device operated Overwhelmingly
in Overton's favor in New Or
leans.
4 FTER Porterie. as attorney
n general. thwarted the in
junction of the state district
/ nudge. this Judge ordered the
arrest of those who had deied
the court. But Huey Long 6
governor again frustrated tho
law hy issuing pardons 10 the
conSpiratorS by wire.
In another case, Porterie SUI
I perSeded parish. or county.
/ prosecutor who was pushing an
I election fraud case and. after
several other developments Of
| tho same kind. was cited for eN-
/ pulSion by the state bar associ-'
! alton.
Porteric attempted 10 resign
but the bar expelled him never
less and Huey then procured
/ from his Legislature. including
Ellender. a new bar association
which. like Hitler's in Germany,
was an integral parr Of the die
iatorShip. with CASTOR l., Por-
terie as president.
After Hueys death and the
second Louisiana purchase and
after President Rooseve)t's At
tenpt 10 reanimate the ConSti-
tuition and purify the character
/ Of the court. Porterie was nomi-
mated for the Federal Court His
appointment was rushed through
without debate or question and
the judiciary committee of the
Senate held no hearings. on the
fitness Of the man.
INSTEAD the appointment was
l. referred 10 a subcommittee
for consideration and tho chair
man Of that subcommittee was
Tom Connally Of Texas, who had
been chairman Of the investiga-
ton Of the election frauds and
had personally reported 10 the
Senate that vicious and abhor-
rent" fraud had been found
In spite Of his own official
knowledge Of the operations Of
the dictatorship and the fraud.
Connally would not take II on
himself. as chairman Of the sub
committee investigating Por-
terie's fitness. 10 denounce or
even oppose that nomination.
So. within a period OF one
week in 1889 and without de-
bate and without even consid-
Grafton by the Senate judiciary
committee, Porterie's appoint
ment was quietly put over on
the recommendation of sub
committee whose chairman knew
| ali about Dnrt nrin's ctinns ne