Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-06-19

He is a member of the Senate
Armed Services and Commerce
Committees and of the Special
Senate Small Business Commit
tee.
In announcing his retirement.
Senator Hunt said he had no
plans other than to return to
his home at Lander, We.
Senator Hunt is one OF the
more popular legislators on Cap
itol Hill. He retained his gentle
speech and quiet humor even
during the most hectic hearings
of the Senate Crime Investigate
ing Committee, on which he
served.
Good Friend of District.
He has been a good friend of
the District. AS chairman Of
the fiscal subcommittee of the
Senate District Committee, he
sought to curb the serious prob
lem of real estate tax exemption
here and opposed House moves
to cut the Federal payment to
the. city.
In 1852, when he was an ex-
officio member of the Senate
Appropriations subcommittee on
the District, he Indignantly
aroused the attention of Appro-
priations Committee members Of
both houses of Congress to de-
plorable conditions in the Dis
trict's child institutions.
He was well Schooled in his
subject, having been for IA years
a member of the Wyoming board
in charge of all State institu-
tons and for six years its chair
man.
In Politics Since 1892.
The former practicing dentist
entered politics in 1882, serving
in the wyoming State House Of
Representatives. He was Wyo-
ming secretary Of State from
1884 to 1912. when he was elect
ed Governor. Reelected Gov
ernor in 1916, he served as chair
man Of the 1948 Governors Con-
ference.
It was that year that he cap
tured the Senate seat Of Edward
v. Robertson, Republican.
When he was reelected in
1916, Republicans had won every
State Office except his. His term
had two years to run when he
was nominated for the Senate.
Despite his popularity some
Democrats of his State did not
want him elected to the Senate
because it would mean turning
the governorship over to the Pc
publican Secretary of State.
On the other hand, some Re-
publicans indicated they would
rather see Senator Robertson
defeated than lose the chance
to have a Republican take charge
of the State government.
He opened his election cam
paign for the Senate with an
attack on the "do-nothing" Re-
publican Congress. He called
Senator Robertson reaction
ary."
Backed Mining Interests.
He also took a stand that
Congress had failed to provide
for the mining interests of the
West the protection and assist
ance granted other lines of in
dustry. He advocated a bal
anced Federal budget and re-
duction of national debt.
| He maintained that States
should assume a greater portion
Of the Nations financial reSpon-
sibilities and thereby retrieve
some surrendered States rights. .
| A native of Isabel. Ill. Sena-
tor Hunt was the son of a Penn
Sylvania Railroad official. He
attended Wesleyan University
Bloomington, H., from 1912 tC
1918, and was graduated in 1917
from st. Louis University Col
lege of Dentistry in 1917.
Served as Army Officer.
He began practicing dentistry
| at Lander. Wyo., but only few
| months later Joined the Army
serving as a first lieutenant un-
til his discharge in 1919. After
postgraduate study at North.
western University in 1920, hi
resumed his practice at Lander
Senator Hunt originated the
| famed Bucking Horse insignia
and displayed it for the first time
on the 1896 motor vehicle license
plates.
He was president of the Wyo-
ming State Board of Dental Ex-
aminers from 1924 to 1928, pres
ident Of the Wyoming State
Dental Society in 1926, chairman
of the Procurement Service fol
Wyoming dentists during thu
war years, and at various times
served as president of the Ere.
mont County Medical and Den.
tai Society. the Lander Chamber
of Commerce and the Lander
School Board.
He was married in Douglas
Ariz., on February 3. 1918, to the
former Emily Nathelle Highly. HI
has a son, Lester C. Hunt, jr., at.
tending school in Chicago. anc
a daughter, Mrs. Russell c
| Chadwick Of Spokane, Wash.