Evening star., 1944-09-03
Defeat a Severe Blow.

Defeat Severe Blow.
George William Norris suffered
tie hardest blow OF a long and
rptable career when he was defeat
q at the age of 81 by the people
Iloved."
TITS all over now, and I am at
tie end of the road" said the vet
ean independent with tears in his
Fes as the voters of Nebraska re-
tcted his bid for a sixth term in
ne Senate in November, 1912.
Why are the people so mad at
He?" he asked.
To Senator Norris, his defeat was
{ personal thing-a "repudiation of
3 years of service" He said right
BUSINESS had been crucified and the
ieople had condemned the things
le held most sacred. But in defeat
ne Senator expressed the hope that
ils philosophy, founded on liberal
sm and insurgency, would rise again
liter he was forgotten, asserting:
1T Is true-it is eternal. l have
ived according to my philosophy OF
government and now l am passing
.ut OF the political picture with the
lag OF that philosophy trailing in
(efeat."
Mr.. Norris emphasized, however
hat the people had perfect right
70 do what they did, since the
prnerstone of his philosophy was a
democracy where every one had the
privilege to. vote as he saw f1t-te
fward the faithful and punish the
lnfalthful. Sometimes, though, ir
I democracy, he commented, in the
Fcitement and on the spur Of the
homent, that principle was not
always observed.
Stayed Away at Adjournment.
When Congress adjourned on De-
tember is, 1912, Senator Norris was
pot in his seat for the final session
II the Senate.
L didn't want to see it die, peor
lhlng," he explained.
! The national career of the forth
fgnt Nebraskan, started in 100;
fhen he came to the House as 2
republican. For 10 years he dis
fngulshed himself, his OUTSTANDING
accomplishment being the historic
pattle against "Cannonism," which
Eas climaxed in 1910 by the over.
EhroW OF the vast powers welded
Py Speaker Joseph G. Cannon.
That fight led to his elevation ir
l9l2 to the Senate, where the pass.
ing years brought a new measure O,
fame. In 1886 Senator Norris. here.
Eolore listed as a Republican
achieved the formal designation O,
Pm independent as beftted hi.
stature, when Nebraska friend,
hrafted him by petition. He wa,
fhe first member of the Senate r.
be so elected.
In 1880 and 1886 Senator Norri,
Fought to retire but friends impor.
funed him to stay on. Again. ir
ps42. he said he was quitting be.
cause my usefulness has dissp.
peared," but friends swayed him
president Roosevelt saying then. a.
ne had six years before, that Ne.
braska should keep him in the Sen.
hte as long as he lived.
In three-cornered race, Kenneth
S. Wherry, Republican, capturee
the seat.
Although one of the six Senator.
who voted against the United State,
entering the World War, Senate,
Morris was among the most con.
sistent supporters of President
Roosevelt's foreign and war policies
Explained Change in Attitude.
He justified his changed attitude
by declaring that conditions con-
fronting the Nation in this war bore
no resemblance to those of the
World War. The enslavement OF
peoples was not then at stake" he
said simply.
1t was ronical that DESPITE his
reluctance to enter the Campaign
which ended in his defeat, Senator
Norris had come to hope earnestly
for reelection because he believed
that this would give him a hand in
the shaping of peace terms.
In one of his last public utter
ances, early this year. the veteran