Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1942-01-06

McIAmAR4
hustled off to
that popular year-round resort,
Louisiana Arms, as one of the wings
Of the Atlanta Penitentiary is known
in these parts.
The last to 60 was walking Stick
Dick" Leche, former Governor. who
dabbled in mail frauds as a side line.
His departure gave the whole State
lift and partially made up for the
cancellation of the Mardi Gras.
\
After IL years Of government by
the Longs land strictly for the
Longs the citizens can't get &C
customed to the weird govern
mental practices now being enforced
by Baton Rouge. The State police
is no longer doing Gestapo work,
for example. The cops" are &C
tually going about the business Of
patrolling the highways and gen.
orally enforcing law and order.
The State legislators now are on
only one pay roll. The only double
dipping" that is done these days
is done on cattle.
The 20 per cent racket" which
was brought to full flower by George
Caldwell, superintendent of con-
struction at l.. S. u, is gone. The
"2 per cent racket" was a delightful
enterprise In which Mr.. Caldwell
took 2 per cent of all the money,
State or Federal, spent on construc-
ton at L. s. U. Louisianans took a
certain pride in the gold bathtub
the State Capitol today. 1t is in
his home.
Citizens miss the hot oil scandals.
the wheat speculations by James
Monroe Jingle Money" Smith. dis
tinguished educator and grain oper-
ator. They miss, too, the bush
scandal The bush scandal was
charming, and involved all State
landscaping.
visited the sunken gardens at
the State capitol today. 1t is in
these gardens that Huey Long rests
secure I'VE hope in his copper and
concrete trappings. The gardens. If
not the most beautiful in the world,
come very close to being the most
expensive, having cost the taxpayers
a neat $500, 900.
The citizens admire Gov. Jones,
but find him too calm and collected.
They are conditioned to Governors
who are uncalm and collecting. No
longer can they point with pride to
such State gestures as the building
OF luxurious swimming pool for the
exclusive use of municipal airport
employees. The fact that the SWIM
ming pool was built at the New
Orleans Airport, which is hard by
lake in which thousands of citizens
swim every day, only made its build
ing more magnificent gesture.
\ \
With Gov. Jones at Baton Rouge,
Louisianans can no longer enjoy the
spectacle of big hospital building
being moved few yards and then
being moved right back to its orig
inal site at the small cost Of $500 900
to the taxpayers.
They are at loss, too, to UNDER
stand why only voters vote in cleo
tons these days. There was time
when in many parishes more votes
were cast than there were men.
women and children living in the
parish. They got a chuckle out Of
the fact that in Louisiana even the
inhabitants of the cemeteries found
strength and time to rise up and
cast ballots in important elections.
Only In New Orleans is there
some of the old time glamour left.
Mayor Maestri still seems to be
carrying on. The Times Picayune
recently disclosed the fact that the
Mayor had charged his Christmas
cards to the city. Maestri's charm
is heightened by the fact that he
never was elected, but was "certi-
fled" as Mayor shortly after Huey's
untimely end. Any city can have
an elected Mayor, but certified"
ones are rare.
In time, Louisianans may grow
accustomed to sound honest govern
ment. but right now, thanks to the
many years they didn't have it, they
are inclined to like brilliant crook
better than a plain. honest soul.
Distributed by McNausht Syndicate. Incl