Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-08-30

Noe. who appears 10 retail some
political strength or nuisance
value in the role of an unrecon-
structed Longster. minated
that he intended 10 run for
BLENDERS seat in the Senate
in 1912.
On May IL the term OF Rene
Niosca. the incumbent federal
-diStrict-attnrae New--0F--
leans. expired and he has not
yet been reappointed or sue
ceeded and is not serving. al
though he has not formally
resigned.
ORDINARILY Th Q retiring
" prosecutor serves until his
successor is selected, but Viosca
has not done so.
As 10 whether Noe could lick
Ellender. even though convicted
of tax fraud, one mans guess Ia
as good as another's. but he
might do il or he might help
some one else lick Eilender. The
politics Of Louisiana is always
a muddy mystery.
Ellender, under the ancient
customs Of the Senate. has the
right 10 recommend the next dis
trict attorney who would be the
man 10 prosecute Noe in the or
binary course of events and
there arises from that fact the
interesting possibility that he
could make a deal with Noe 10
stand aside from the senatorial
contest in return for politically
enlightened treatment from the
new prosecutor, whoever that
might be.
OF course. the Department OF
Justice could take cognizance OF
the rivalry and name A disinter-
ested man AZ special prosecutor.
But. before we believe that the
special prosecutor. if any. would
be honestly dislntereSted, we
have 10 know whether the ma
tional administration and the
Department Of Justice are hon.
estly diSinterested.
Would the administration and
the department ignore. Senator
BLENDERS interests and hew TO
the line?
The memorable dismissal OF a
large batch OF income tax indict-
ments against members OF the
old Long mob during Homer
Cummings 5nCUmbency with the
explanation that there had been
"a change in atmosphere raises
suspicion that honest diSinter-
est might yield 10 political in
terest.
MR. NOE. a regular stand-un
NA go-through member Of the
old Long mob served as gov
ernor from January 10 May.
1895. and split with the main
body in the fight for office,
power and profit thereafter.
Dick Leche. who succeeded
Noe as governor. and Seymour
Weiss. who had been Huey's
political treasurer, took charge,
and went in for thieving on a
stupendous scale, along with
Jim Smith, who was president
OF Huey'S state university.
Noe went his own political
way muttering tn at these
others were defying Providence,
living in gilded mansions in
plain view of the ragged acorn
eaters who had been Huey's
idolators. He became their
enemy
NOE+~as president of the Win
4>or Lose Corporation, and
Seymour Weiss was vice presi-
dent and these two signed the
tax returns on which the pres
ent prosecution Of Noe is based.
II is charged that they kept a
fake set Of books 10 conceal the
profits which allegedly were
loot from the state domain and
faxed payments 10 themselves
of S92 1896 each in salaries and
commissions in order 10 run UP
the business expenses of the
corporation and reduce its
taxes.
Weiss pleaded guilty and got
a sentence which is running
concurrently with his other
sentence for using the mails to
defraud in the sale 10 the state
of property which il had al
ready bought from him and
paid for.
But Noe got his continuance
on his representation that q
witness who is currently en-
gagged in having a baby will
testify that he didn't even read
the tax returns but signed them
hurriedly at the close of a busy
day as governor.