Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1958-01-19

IN the State Legislature, then
came to Washington. winning
election to five successive terms
In the House.
In 1922. he jumped up the
ladder TO take q seat In the
Senate but was knocked on that
perch in 1928 BY West virginia's
Republican Governor Henry
Hatfield. He came back two
years later TO win two success
sive Senate terms.
Senator Nicely resigned in
194l. two years before the end
Of his latest Senate term, TO
become Governor of his State.
He served four years there. but
meanwhile tried q quick Senate
comeback that failed. In that
1912 campaign he lost to Re-
publican Chapman Revercomb.
Not finished. he then ran for
the House and won a fifth term
there In the 10th Congress.
This was only a stop-gap. how
ever. for he campaigned again
for the Senate In 1913 and that
year avenged mis- earlier defeat
by Senator Revercomb. who
last January returned TO Con.
gresS as junior senator from
West Virginia.
Accepted Unwanted ChOre
Ironically. Senator Nicely die
not want TO head the Districts
crime investigation. He was
too busy But so we're other
committeeman. Reluctantly he
headed the group when no one
else would take it Yet 1t proved
the highlight Of a busy wears
work by the whole committee
One reason was that the
group tackled two subjects that
hardly had been touched by
the House District Committee
in its earlier crime study
organized gambling and the
dope rackets.
Regularly. Senator Nicely
fused and fumed at reporter
over the time he had to devot
TO District affairs.
At times. ne protested bitter
ly he could not do enough wor
on State and national matters
But he really was delighted u
be the mayor ~ Washington
and eustomsrily concluded h
lectures TO District reporters b
saying: You are lust as We
corue as a day in June"
He was not quite that pleas
ant. however. when a mornin
paper reporter got him out
bed at midnight 10 ask If h
was going TO investigate th
overflow of an old Rock Cree
sewer that was pollutlng picnl
areas. The next day he was sti'
protesting Il don't know an
more about fixing that seWc
than you do"
When he took over the reu
Of the District Committee. 2
the, END of August. 1919. Sens
tor Nicely ordered a series 0
citizens forums ito flnd gu
what the people want" He re-
peated them at the BEGINNING
Of the next Congress.
Critics complained he user
these meetings to promote hi
campaign for an elected city
government for Golden
Rule" human rights commits
sion bill. and for some of his
District labor bills. He also al
lowed witnesses TO promote
their causes.
He also established precedent
by opening all such "towr
meetings" with prayer. calling
on clergymen of various creeds
and color. One session was
closed with a colored opera star
singing a Jingle on District
suffrage.
Early in his career as Dis
trict chairman. he became en-
broiled in a contest with his
own committee members over
their failures TO get TO sched-
uled meetings on time. He sum-
marily adjourned meeting after
meeting If a quorum was not
present within four minutes.
Won Punctualily Test
Tempers Of members fiared.
too. particularly those who did
show up After a time, the
word spread that the entire
Republican side was threaten
ing to resign in protest.
That didn't happen and
Chairman Nicely discovered
that by using little patience
ne would get a quorum and be
able to. transact a food of
business In fact. the commit
tee under his regime did an
amazing mount of city
business.
But his impatience to get
things done was constant. eS-
pecially on home rule. After
holding his clinics on this issue.
his dismay over District apathy
boiled over. He likened dis
tranchiSed District residents to
a flock of sheep surrounded
nv q mack of wolves