Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-06-21
Longs Future Political Role
Still Big Louisiono Question
BY KEN DAVIS
Associated Press Writer

AssoctAtcu Fteos Writer
NEW ORLEANS. June 20.
In q quiet hospital room
across Lake Pontchartrain from
New Orleans. a political bomb
with a short fuse frets under
treatment for decisions Of per-
secution.
He is a rumpled bear OF a
man named Earl Kemp Long.
He is Governor Of Louisiana
still. even though he is an un-
willing patient Of Southeast
Louisiana (MentaD Hospital at
Vaudeville.
His ashen face. his slow and
uncertain gait reflect the health
collapse that brought him sue
cessively to a Texas psychiatric
clinic, to famed Ochsner Foun-
dalton Hospital in New Orleans
and, now. to Vaudeville. where
attendants watch him around
the clock.
With all this, the big Ques-
ton in Louisiana still remains:
Have these explosive and weird
events -deactivated the explo-
sive power Of Gov. Long in
politics? ,
Few, II Any, Parallels
The path Gov. Long followed
to arrive at this odd point in
his career has few-if any
parallels. 1t began weeks ago.
probably about the time he de-
cided to seek a fourth term as
Governor.
He announced he would
skirt the Louisiana constitu-
ton. which prohibits a Gov
ernor from succeeding himself
by resigning and running again.
With that announcement,
Gov. Long drove himself night
and day. He took up chain
cigarette smoking after a three
year layoff. He began to drink
heavily.
About this time, Gov. Long
startled Just about everyone,
even Louisiana citizens accus-
toned to his vagaries. He dis
closed voluntarily that agents 4
Of the Internal Revenue Serv-
Ice were investigating his in
come. A day or so later. he dis
closed he had asked the agents
to lay of until after election.
A bit later. he used a Ma
tional Guard plane to fly to
Atlanta. Ga, to pick up some
entertainers for a party he
gave for legislators. The Air /
Force was asked for an inves-
tigation to find out by what
authority Gov. Long used an
Air Force plane for this errand. L
Gov. Long grunted and said: /
"Why, I'm the authoriZer Of
the authoriZerS."
Tired and SO, Gov. Long out
did himself during the biennial
fiscal session of the Legislature
even for a life filled with po-
litical and personal strife. The
bomb blew when the Legisla-
ture rebuffed Gov. Longs bill
to block a voter purge by seq
regation leaders. Earl Long
doesn't take kindly to rebuffs. |
neveS has.
So. on Monday. May Is. he
called a midnight news con-
ference. Among other things |
during a three-hour session. !
the Governor flayed his enc
mics hide and hoof in the free
wheeling profanity Louisiana |
had come to expect from "Ole
Earl" He also called a servant |
from the mansion to shine a |
reporters shoes.
Heckled Witnesses
He freely predicted his re-
election in the first Democratic |
primary. Gov. Long said: III
win in a breeze"
The next day, Tuesday, May
20, Gov. Long showed up in a
packed committee room hear
ing voter registration bills. He
heckled witnesses numerically !
and profanely. !
Finally, at the urging of
aides, he stepped up to apollo
gize to school children at the |
hearing.
IT sent for my Bible" he
said, land I'm going to swear
off cussing. Let's you and / and
the good nuns keep from cuSS- /
ing as long as possible"
The next day. Gov. Long told
legislative leaders he wanted to
apologize publicly. The apology
turned into a TRADE. leaving
two legislators in tears.
He called a parish official
"a Dillinger in disguise" He
accused another legislator II
being "in league with the wine
heads"
The speech lasted an hour
and a half. punctuated FREE
quently by sips Of grape juice
and something stronger.
Long supporters were sick at