Imperial Valley press., 1945-08-07
SENATOR HIRAM JOHNSONS 5
CAREER COMES TO CLOSE

The death Of CALIFORNIA; s senior United
States senator, few weeks short OF his
18th birthday anniversary, removes from
the nations upper house OF Congress and
from the cOuntry's political arena one
Of the most vigorous and cOlOrtul char
acters ever to sit in the halls OF the law
makers Only one SENATOR Mcclellan OF
Tennessee, had served longer The Cali
fornian went to the Senate by appoint
ment in 1916 and was elected IN four
succeeding elections, 1922, 1928, 1894
and 1910. Thus he had served cOntln-
uously for a period Of % years.
Isolationist to the last, Senator John
son cast the single vote in his committee
against the UNCIO peace pact, and was
paired against the treaty on final vote
when he was too i'll to attend the session
that ratified the document
Before entering the Senate, he had
served California as governor for SIX
wears. resigning to become senator.
ALWAYS a liberal in thought and action,
Senator Johnson was one of the out
standing independents, both as governor
and as senator He left the Republican
party to support the Bull Moose ticket
III 1912 and again bolted the party in
1882 when he refused to support Hoover
fol second term He was back in the
party ranks, however, in the 1910 and
1914 presidential elections.
Notable in his Legislative carer was
bis sponsorship Of such measures as
Workmens compensation, woman s suf-
trage regulation Of public utilities, and
the eight-hour day for women,
The United States had few such gifted
orators, and probably no more vigorous
worker. Illness, however, in the last two
years had tanned" the Californian
Without doubt the years Of the Colo
rado River fgiht, Of the seven-state com
pact battles, all Of which eliminated in
the passage of the Boulder Dam leglsla-
ton, mark Johnson's most Virile period
and his accomplishments in this chapter
Of the development Of the western states
stand as his greatest monument as SEN
atOf.
The Boulder Dam bill bore his name
the Swing-JohnsOn bill He fought in
season and out Of season, and Southern
California owes much to him for that
one legislative task alone.
He was a man Of strong convictions
and strongly defended them. He was
WIOllS III HIS Ilil1l i0oldLlollioC otoAANis out
his vote against the pact again told Of
his determination to stand on what he
believed.
master hand in politics, Johnson
overlooked or refused to see the main
chance in 1920 when he declined to be
Harding's running mate. Actually he had
expected to be nominated to head the
ticket in that memorable Republican
convention fight in Chicago. The con-
vention then turned to Coolidge and the
Californian had missed being President,
al opportunity that never again pre-
sented itself.
vigorous, constant and uncompro-
missing member, Johnson had the pro-
found respect Of his colleagues and he
had enemies too He was helpful to new
cOmers to the Senate Few senators over
as long period have more enviable rec
nrds He refused to recognize the ad
vance Of years and had in mind to stand
tOr reelection again next year.
Many there were to disagree with him.
Many there are who still disagree with
some of his decisions, but on the whole
The balance we'll is in his favor as to
errors of judgment.
Thirty-five years is a long time to be
4 public servant Fortunate he who comes
to the end with a record to match that
of Hiram Johnson.