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128-495: Although it was long rumored that the bridge was constructed due to Governor Huey Long 's political issues with the town of Melville upstream, which was originally on the route for U.S. Highway 71 and Jefferson Highway, plans for this bridge in Krotz Springs (originally as a toll) were announced as early as 1925. This original span opened July 1, 1928, as a free bridge and carried railroad and automobile traffic, similar to

256-585: A fascist demagogue . Long was born in the impoverished north of Louisiana in 1893. After working as a traveling salesman and briefly attending three colleges, he was admitted to the bar in Louisiana. Following a short career as an attorney, in which he frequently represented poor plaintiffs, Long was elected to the Louisiana Public Service Commission . As Commissioner, he prosecuted large corporations such as Standard Oil ,

384-545: A political machine : "a one-man" operation, according to Williams. He placed his brother Earl in charge of allotting patronage appointments to local politicians and signing state contracts with businessmen in exchange for loyalty. Long appointed allies to key government positions, such as giving Robert Maestri the office of Conservation Commissioner and making Oscar K. Allen head of the Louisiana Highway Commission . Maestri would deliberately neglect

512-460: A referendum . If he won, he presumed the public supported his programs over the opposition of the legislature. If he lost, he promised to resign. His opponent was incumbent Joseph E. Ransdell , the Catholic senator whom Long endorsed in 1924. At 72 years old, Ransdell had served in the U.S. Congress since Long was aged six. Aligned with the establishment, Ransdell had the support of all 18 of

640-582: A 1932 " cotton holiday ", which would ban cotton production for the entire year. He further proposed that the holiday be imposed internationally, which some nations, such as Egypt , supported. In 1931, Long convened the New Orleans Cotton Conference, attended by delegates from every major cotton-producing state. The delegates agreed to codify Long's proposal into law on the caveat that it would not come into effect until states producing three-quarters of U.S. cotton passed such laws. As

768-552: A 1940 speech, Roosevelt argued, "Some, indeed, still hold to the now somewhat obvious delusion that we … can safely permit the United States to become a lone island … in a world dominated by the philosophy of force." A Life survey published in July found that in the summer of 1940, 67% of Americans believed that a German-Italian victory would endanger the United States, that if such an event occurred 88% supported "arm[ing] to

896-465: A Texas oil company. Concerned, Long tried to close the session. Pro-Long Speaker John B. Fournet called for a vote to adjourn. Despite most representatives opposing adjournment, the electronic voting board tallied 68 ayes and 13 nays. This sparked confusion; anti-Long representatives began chanting that the voting machine had been rigged. Some ran for the speaker's chair to call for a new vote but met resistance from their pro-Long colleagues, sparking

1024-670: A better outcome and could make things worse, and who believe that the last thing the United States needs to do is to get dragged into yet another nasty sectarian fight in the Arab/Islamic world." In December 2013, the Pew Research Center reported that their newest poll, "American's Place in the World 2013," had revealed that 52 percent of respondents in the national poll said that the United States "should mind its own business internationally and let other countries get along

1152-442: A brawl later known as "Bloody Monday". In the scuffle, legislators threw inkwells , allegedly attacked others with brass knuckles , and Long's brother Earl bit a legislator's neck. Following the fight, the legislature voted to remain in session and proceed with impeachment. Proceedings in the house took place with dozens of witnesses, including a hula dancer who claimed that Long had been "frisky" with her. Impeached on eight of

1280-416: A bridge in Louisiana is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Huey Long Huey Pierce Long Jr. (August 30, 1893 – September 10, 1935), nicknamed " The Kingfish ", was an American politician who served as the 40th governor of Louisiana from 1928 to 1932 and as a United States senator from 1932 until his assassination in 1935. He was a left-wing populist member of

1408-483: A characterization international relations scholar Stephen Walt strongly objected to, calling the description "sloppy journalism." According to Walt, "the overwhelming majority of people who have doubts about the wisdom of deeper involvement in Syria —including yours truly—are not 'isolationist.' They are merely sensible people who recognize that we may not have vital interests there, that deeper involvement may not lead to

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1536-486: A class A accreditation from the Association of American Universities . Long's night schools taught 100,000 adults to read. His provision of free textbooks contributed to a 20-percent increase in school enrollment. He modernized public health facilities and ensured adequate conditions for the mentally ill. He established Louisiana's first rehabilitation program for penitentiary inmates. Through tax reform, Long made

1664-477: A crowded field and conducted a whirlwind, seven-day tour of that state. During the campaign, Long gave 39 speeches, traveled 2,100 miles (3,400 km), and spoke to over 200,000 people. In an upset win, Caraway became the first woman elected to a full term in the Senate. Returning to Washington, Long gave theatrical speeches which drew wide attention. Public viewing areas were crowded with onlookers, among them

1792-440: A full-tuition scholarship to Louisiana State University (LSU). Because the scholarship did not cover textbooks or living expenses, his family could not afford for him to attend. Long was also unable to attend because he did not graduate from high school. Instead, he entered the workforce as a traveling salesman in the rural South . In September 1911, Long started attending seminary classes at Oklahoma Baptist University at

1920-558: A huge mistake to have declared war on Germany in 1917 and it would be wrong for the United States to go to war to maintain the international order created by the Treaty of Versailles. The economic depression that ensued after the Crash of 1929 , also continued to abet non-intervention. The attention of the country focused mostly on addressing the problems of the national economy. The rise of aggressive imperialist policies by Fascist Italy and

2048-410: A lack of interest on the part of Congress in foreign affairs. The State Department was very much an elitist body that recruited mostly from graduates of the select "Ivy League" universities, which reflected the idea that foreign policy was the concern of elites. Likewise, the feeling that the United States was taking in far too many immigrants from eastern and southern Europe-who were widely depicted in

2176-587: A lifelong target of his rhetorical attacks. After Long successfully argued before the U.S. Supreme Court , Chief Justice and former president William Howard Taft praised him as "the most brilliant lawyer who ever practiced before the United States Supreme Court". After a failed 1924 campaign, Long appealed to the sharp economic and class divisions in Louisiana to win the 1928 gubernatorial election . Once in office, he expanded social programs, organized massive public works projects, such as

2304-410: A minor insurrection in 1935. Long was elected to the U.S. Senate in 1930 but did not assume his seat until 1932. He established himself as an isolationist , arguing that Standard Oil and Wall Street orchestrated American foreign policy. He was instrumental in securing Roosevelt's 1932 nomination but split with him in 1933, becoming a prominent critic of his New Deal. As an alternative, he proposed

2432-488: A minority, they were well organized, and had a powerful presence in Congress. Pro-German or anti-British opinion contributed to non-interventionism. Roosevelt's national share of the 1940 presidential vote declined by seven percentage points from 1936. Of the 20 counties in which his share declined by 35 points or more, 19 were largely German-speaking. Of the 35 counties in which his share declined by 25 to 34 points, German

2560-485: A modern highway system and the tallest capitol building in the nation , and proposed a cotton holiday . Through political maneuvering, Long became the political boss of Louisiana. He was impeached in 1929 for abuses of power, but the proceedings collapsed in the State Senate . His opponents argued his policies and methods were unconstitutional and authoritarian. At its climax, Long's political opposition organized

2688-806: A more favorable view of France, the Quai d'Orsay founded in 1935 the Association our la Constitution aux Etats-Unis d'un Office Français de Renseignements based in New York, a cultural propaganda council designed to give Americans a more favorable image of France. Better known as the French Information Center, the group created a French Cinema Center to distribution of French films in the United States and by 1939 had handled out for free about 5, 000 copies of French films to American universities and high schools. The French Information Center provided briefings to American journalists and columnists about

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2816-628: A private practice in Winnfield. He represented poor plaintiffs, usually in workers' compensation cases. Long avoided fighting in World War ;I by obtaining a draft deferment on the grounds that he was married and had a dependent child. He successfully defended from prosecution under the Espionage Act of 1917 the state senator who had loaned him the money to complete his legal studies, and later claimed he did not serve because, "I

2944-564: A protest to the Tsar." Secretary of State William H. Seward declined, "defending 'our policy of non-intervention—straight, absolute, and peculiar as it may seem to other nations,'" and insisted that "[t]he American people must be content to recommend the cause of human progress by the wisdom with which they should exercise the powers of self-government, forbearing at all times, and in every way, from foreign alliances, intervention, and interference." President Ulysses S. Grant attempted to annex

3072-562: A public works program that was unprecedented in the South, constructing roads, bridges, hospitals, schools, and state buildings. During his four years as governor, Long increased paved highways in Louisiana from 331 to 2,301 miles (533 to 3,703 km) and constructed 2,816 miles (4,532 km) of gravel roads. By 1936, the infrastructure program begun by Long had completed some 9,700 miles (15,600 km) of new roads, doubling Louisiana's road system. He built 111 bridges and started construction on

3200-561: A resolute critic of the "lying" press , Long established his own newspaper in March 1930: the Louisiana Progress . The paper was extremely popular, widely distributed by policemen, highway workers, and government truckers. Shortly after the impeachment, Long—now nicknamed "The Kingfish" after an Amos 'n' Andy character—announced his candidacy for the U.S. Senate in the 1930 Democratic primary. He framed his campaign as

3328-483: A return to the non-interventionist policies of Thomas Jefferson and frequently opposed military intervention in countries like Iran and Iraq . After Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine , the Republican Party has been divided on Ukraine's aid, believing that it is not in the interests of the United States to get involved in a " proxy war " against Russia. Former President Donald Trump has called on

3456-681: A salesman. Of the four classes Long took, he received one incomplete and three C's. He later confessed he learned little because there was "too much excitement, all those gambling houses and everything". Long met Rose McConnell at a baking contest he had promoted to sell Cottolene shortening. The two began a two-and-a-half-year courtship and married in April 1913 at the Gayoso Hotel in Memphis, Tennessee . On their wedding day, Long had no cash with him and had to borrow $ 10 from his fiancée to pay

3584-588: A secondary role to his deep interest in domestic affairs. Historian George Fujii, citing the Taft papers, argues: In 1951, in the midst of bitter partisan debate over the Korean War, Taft increasingly spoke out on foreign policy issues. According to his biographer James T. Patterson: Norman A. Graebner argues: Eisenhower won the nomination and secured Taft's support by promising Taft a dominant voice in domestic policies, while Eisenhower's internationalism would set

3712-476: A solution to the depression. Long was unusual among southern populists in that he achieved tangible progress. Williams concluded "the secret of Long's power, in the final analysis, was not in his machine or his political dealings but in his record—he delivered something". Referencing Long's contributions to Louisiana, Robert Penn Warren , a professor at LSU during Long's term as governor, stated: "Dictators, always give something for what they get." Long created

3840-479: A vague offer for a treaty to ban all war. The Kellogg–Briand Pact was more of a sign of good intentions on the part of the US, rather than a legitimate step towards the sustenance of world peace. Another reason for isolationism was the belief that the Treaty of Versailles was too harsh towards Germany and the question of war debts to the United States. American public opinion was especially hostile towards France, which

3968-527: A way discriminatory to African Americans. In 1933, he was a leader of a three-week Senate filibuster against the Glass banking bill, which he later supported as the Glass–Steagall Act after provisions extended government deposit insurance to state banks as well as national banks. United States non-interventionism United States non-interventionism primarily refers to the foreign policy that

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4096-509: A young Lyndon B. Johnson , who later said he was "simply entranced" by Long. Long obstructed bills for weeks, launching hour-long filibusters and having the clerk read superfluous documents. Long's antics, one editorial claimed, had made the Senate "impotent". In May 1932, The Washington Post called for his resignation. Long's behavior and radical rhetoric did little to endear him to his fellow senators. None of his proposed bills, resolutions, or motions were passed during his three years in

4224-510: Is often credited with helping Parker win northern parishes . After Parker was elected, the two became bitter rivals. Their break was largely caused by Long's demand and Parker's refusal to declare the state's oil pipelines public utilities . Long was infuriated when Parker allowed oil companies, led by Standard Oil's legal team, to assist in writing severance tax laws. Long denounced Parker as corporate "chattel". The feud climaxed in 1921, when Parker tried unsuccessfully to have Long ousted from

4352-520: Is only when our rights are invaded, or seriously menaced that we resent injuries, or make preparations for our defense." It was applied to Hawaii in 1842 in support of eventual annexation there, and to support U.S. expansion on the North American continent . After Tsar Alexander II put down the 1863 January Uprising in Poland , French Emperor Napoleon III asked the United States to "join in

4480-564: The Democratic Party and rose to national prominence during the Great Depression for his vocal criticism of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his New Deal , which Long deemed insufficiently radical. As the political leader of Louisiana , he commanded wide networks of supporters and often took forceful action. A controversial figure, Long is celebrated as a populist champion of the poor or, conversely, denounced as

4608-745: The Empire of Japan led to conflicts such as the Italian conquest of Ethiopia and the Japanese invasion of Manchuria . These events led to ineffectual condemnations by the League of Nations. Official American response was muted. America also did not take sides in the brutal Spanish Civil War and withdrew its troops from Haiti with the inauguration of the Good Neighbor Policy in 1934. In an attempt to influence American public opinion into taking

4736-500: The Irreconcilables , led by William Borah and George Norris , had great objections regarding the clauses of the treaty which compelled America to come to the defense of other nations. Senator William Borah , of Idaho, declared that it would "purchase peace at the cost of any part of our [American] independence." Senator Hiram Johnson , of California, denounced the League of Nations as a "gigantic war trust." While some of

4864-517: The Kellogg–Briand Pact , brainchild of American Secretary of State Frank Kellogg and French Foreign Minister Aristide Briand . This pact that was said to have outlawed war and showed the United States commitment to international peace had its semantic flaws. For example, it did not hold the United States to the conditions of any existing treaties, it still allowed European nations the right to self-defense, and it stated that if one nation broke

4992-572: The North Atlantic Treaty Organization . Non-interventionist policies have had continued support from some Americans since World War II, mostly regarding specific armed conflicts in Korea , Vietnam , Syria , and Ukraine . Robert Walpole , Britain's first Whig Prime Minister, proclaimed in 1723: "My politics are to keep free from all engagements as long as we possibly can." He emphasized economic advantage and rejected

5120-477: The Second New Deal , and Louisiana politics would be organized along anti- or pro-Long factions until the 1960s. He left behind a political dynasty that included his wife, Senator Rose McConnell Long ; his son, Senator Russell B. Long ; and his brother, Governor Earl Long , among others. Huey Pierce Long Jr. was born on August 30, 1893, near Winnfield , a small town in north-central Louisiana ,

5248-643: The Share Our Wealth plan in 1934. To stimulate the economy, he advocated massive federal spending, a wealth tax , and wealth redistribution . These proposals drew widespread support, with millions joining local Share Our Wealth clubs. Poised for a 1936 presidential bid , Long was assassinated by Carl Weiss inside the Louisiana State Capitol in 1935. His assassin was immediately shot and killed by Long's bodyguards. Although Long's movement faded, Roosevelt adopted many of his proposals in

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5376-628: The officiant . Shortly after their marriage, Long revealed to his wife his aspirations to run for a statewide office, the governorship, the Senate , and ultimately the presidency. The Longs had a daughter named Rose (1917–2006) and two sons: Russell B. Long (1918–2003), who became a U.S. senator, and Palmer Reid Long (1921–2010), who became an oilman in Shreveport, Louisiana . Long enrolled at Tulane University Law School in New Orleans in

5504-453: The planter class . Consequently, Louisiana was one of the least developed states: It had just 300 miles of paved roads and the lowest literacy rate. Despite an enthusiastic campaign, Long came third in the primary and was eliminated. Although polls projected only a few thousand votes, he attracted almost 72,000, around 31% of the electorate, and carried 28 parishes—more than either opponent. Limited to sectional appeal, he performed best in

5632-681: The 1877 end of Republican -controlled Reconstruction government , they had controlled most of the state through alliances with local officials. With negligible support for Republicans, Louisiana was essentially a one party state under the Democratic Old Regulars. Holding mock elections in which they invoked the Lost Cause of the Confederacy , the Old Regulars presided over a corrupt government that largely benefited

5760-510: The 19 charges, Long was the third Louisiana governor charged in the state's history, following Reconstruction Republicans Henry Clay Warmoth and William Pitt Kellogg . Long was frightened by the prospect of conviction, for it would force him from the governorship and permanently disqualify him from holding public office in Louisiana. He took his case to the people with a mass meeting in Baton Rouge, where he alleged that impeachment

5888-714: The 1980s: conservatism , neoconservatism , and isolationism . These approaches are similar in that they all invoked the mantle of " realism " and pursued foreign policy goals designed to promote national interests. Conservatives were the only group that was "realist" in the academic sense in that they defined the national interest narrowly, strove for balances of power internationally, viewed international relations as amoral, and especially valued sovereignty . By contrast, neoconservatives based their foreign policy on nationalism , and isolationists sought to minimize any involvement in foreign affairs and raise new barriers to immigration . Former Republican Congressman Ron Paul favored

6016-581: The American media as criminals and revolutionaries-led to laws restricting immigration from Europe. In turn, the anti-immigrant mood increased isolationism as the picture of Europe as a place overflowing with dangerous criminals and equally dangerous Communist revolutionaries led to the corresponding conclusion that the United States should have little as possible to do with nations whose peoples were depicted as disagreeable and unpleasant. The same way that Congress had virtually banned all non-white immigration to

6144-551: The Atchafalya River Crossing in Simmesport . This dual crossing was short-lived and construction on a dedicated auto bridge began in 1931. Shortly before the dual crossing ended, the railroad commission charged tolls for automobiles. The original bridge, a truss span costing $ 1 million, was built in 1934 and carried two lanes of US 190 traffic. It was one of many bridges constructed in the early 1930s named

6272-532: The Capitol to block Cyr's "coup d'état" and petitioned the Louisiana Supreme Court. Long successfully argued that Cyr had vacated the office of lieutenant-governor when trying to assume the governorship and had the court eject Cyr. Now governor and senator-elect, Long returned to completing his legislative agenda with renewed strength. He continued his intimidating practice of presiding over

6400-793: The Cold War, asking "Why Not Victory?" During the presidency of Barack Obama , some members of the United States federal government, including President Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry , considered intervening militarily in the Syrian Civil War . A poll from late April 2013 found that 62% of Americans thought that the "United States has no responsibility to do something about the fighting in Syria between government forces and antigovernment groups," with only twenty-five percent disagreeing with that statement. A writer for The New York Times referred to this as "an isolationist streak,"

6528-787: The Dominican Republic in 1870, but failed to get the support of the Radical Republicans in the Senate. The United States' policy of non-intervention was wholly abandoned with the Spanish–American War , followed by the Philippine–American War from 1899 to 1902. President Theodore Roosevelt 's administration is credited with inciting the Panamanian Revolt against Colombia, completed November 1903, in order to secure construction rights for

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6656-687: The French ambassador in Washington reported that image of France was much higher than what it had been in 1932. As Europe moved closer to war in the late 1930s, the United States Congress continued to demand American neutrality. Between 1936 and 1937, much to the dismay of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, Congress passed the Neutrality Acts . For example, in the final Neutrality Act, Americans could not sail on ships flying

6784-412: The French point of view with the emphasis upon France as a democracy that had potential powerful enemies in the form of totalitarian dictatorships such as Germany and Italy. Such propaganda did not seek to challenge American isolationism directly, but the prevailing theme was that France and the United States as democracies had more in common than what divided them. By 1939, René Doynel de Saint-Quentin ,

6912-678: The Governor's Mansion, built in 1887, razed by convicts from the State Penitentiary under his personal supervision. In its place, Long had a much larger Georgian mansion built. It bore a strong resemblance to the White House ; he reportedly wanted to be familiar with the residence when he became president. In 1929, Long called a special legislative session to enact a five-cent per barrel tax on refined oil production to fund his social programs. The state's oil interests opposed

7040-486: The Long-Allen Bridge. In 1973, a parallel span was built to accommodate westbound traffic as traffic counts overwhelmed the original bridge. In 1985, the original span closed and was demolished, temporarily converting the 1973 span to two-lane traffic. The current eastbound span opened in 1988. In September 2015, the bridge was named for Krotz Springs Port officials Frank and Sal Diesi. This article about

7168-572: The Pact, it would be up to the other signatories to enforce it. Briand had sent a message on 6 April 1927 to mark the 10th anniversary of the American declaration of war on Germany in 1917 proposing that France and the United States sign a non-aggression pact. Briand was attempting to create a Franco-American alliance to counter Germany as Briand envisioned turning the negotiations for the non-aggression pact into an some sort of an alliance. Kellogg had no interest in an alliance with France, and countered with

7296-523: The Panama Canal (begun in 1904). President Woodrow Wilson was able to navigate neutrality in World War I for about three years, and to win 1916 reelection with the slogan "He kept us out of war." The neutrality policy was supported by the tradition of shunning foreign entanglements, and by the large population of immigrants from Europe with divided loyalties in the conflict. America did enter

7424-718: The President deems vital to the defense of the United States.'" American public opinion supported Roosevelt's actions. As United States involvement in the Battle of the Atlantic grew with incidents such as the sinking of the USS ; Reuben James  (DD-245) , by late 1941 72% of Americans agreed that "the biggest job facing this country today is to help defeat the Nazi Government", and 70% thought that defeating Germany

7552-589: The Senate, explaining: "Whenever this administration has gone to the left I have voted with it, and whenever it has gone to the right I have voted against it." Long opposed the National Recovery Act , claiming it favored industrialists. In an attempt to prevent its passage, Long held a lone filibuster, speaking for 15 hours and 30 minutes, the second longest filibuster at the time . He also criticized Social Security , calling it inadequate and expressing his concerns that states would administer it in

7680-525: The Senate. During the first 100 days of Roosevelt's presidency in spring 1933, Long's attitude toward Roosevelt and the New Deal was tepid. Aware that Roosevelt had no intention of radically redistributing the country's wealth, Long became one of the few national politicians to oppose Roosevelt's New Deal policies from the left. He considered them inadequate in the face of the escalating economic crisis but still supported some of Roosevelt's programs in

7808-580: The Southern past and address himself to the social and economic problems of the present". The campaign sometimes descended into brutality. When the 60-year-old incumbent governor called Long a liar during a chance encounter in the lobby of the Roosevelt Hotel , Long punched him in the face. In the Democratic primary election, Long polled 126,842 votes: a plurality of 43.9 percent. His margin

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7936-891: The U.S. Supreme Court, which ruled in Long's favor. Irritated by "immoral" gambling dens and brothels in New Orleans, Long sent the National Guard to raid these establishments with orders to "shoot without hesitation". Gambling equipment was burned, prostitutes were arrested, and over $ 25,000 (equivalent to $ 376,793 in 2020) was confiscated for government funds. Local newspapers ran photos of National Guardsmen forcibly searching nude women. City authorities had not requested military force, and martial law had not been declared. The Louisiana attorney general denounced Long's actions as illegal but Long rebuked him, saying: "Nobody asked him for his opinion." Despite wide disapproval, Long had

8064-402: The United States likewise led an indifference about the fate of non-white nations such as China and Ethiopia. The debate about Prohibition in the 1920s also encouraged nativist and isolationist feelings as "drys" often engaged in American exceptionalism by arguing that the United States was a uniquely morally pure nation that had banned alcohol, unlike the rest of the world which remained "wet" and

8192-510: The United States to trade arms with belligerent nations, as long as these nations came to America to retrieve the arms, and pay for them in cash. This policy was quickly dubbed, 'Cash and Carry.' The second phase was the Lend-Lease Act of early 1941. This act allowed the President "to lend, lease, sell, or barter arms, ammunition, food, or any 'defense article' or any 'defense information' to 'the government of any country whose defense

8320-437: The University of Chicago, wrote in a 1940 essay. Isolationists believed that the safety of the nation was more important than any foreign war. As 1940 became 1941, the actions of the Roosevelt administration made it more and more clear that the United States was on a course to war. This policy shift, driven by the President, came in two phases. The first came in 1939 with the passage of the Fourth Neutrality Act, which permitted

8448-508: The best they can on their own." This was the most people to answer that question this way in the history of the question, one which pollsters began asking in 1964. Only about a third of respondents felt this way a decade ago. A July 2014 poll of "battleground voters" across the United States found "77 percent in favor of full withdrawal from Afghanistan by the end of 2016; only 15 percent and 17 percent interested in more involvement in Syria and Ukraine, respectively; and 67 percent agreeing with

8576-606: The bill. Long declared in a radio address that any legislator who refused to support the tax had been "bought" by oil companies. Instead of persuading the legislature, the accusation infuriated many of its members. The "dynamite squad", a caucus of opponents led by freshman lawmakers Cecil Morgan and Ralph Norman Bauer , introduced an impeachment resolution against Long. Nineteen charges were listed, ranging from blasphemy to subornation of murder. Even Long's lieutenant governor, Paul Cyr , supported impeachment; he accused Long of nepotism and alleged he had made corrupt deals with

8704-400: The capitol grounds, evoking Andrew Jackson's 1829 inaugural festivities . His victory was seen as a public backlash against the urban establishment; journalist Hodding Carter described it as a "fantastic vengeance upon the Sodom and Gomorrah that was called New Orleans". While previous elections were normally divided culturally and religiously, Long highlighted the sharp economic divide in

8832-526: The commission. By 1922, Long had become chairman of the commission, now called the "Public Service Commission". That year, Long prosecuted the Cumberland Telephone & Telegraph Company for unfair rate increases; he successfully argued the case on appeal before the United States Supreme Court , which resulted in cash refunds to thousands of overcharged customers. After the decision, Chief Justice and former President William Howard Taft praised Long as "the most brilliant lawyer who ever practiced" before

8960-466: The conflict, labeled the Fourteen Points . That American proclamation was less triumphalist than the stated aims of some other belligerents, and its final point proposed that a "general association of nations must be formed under specific covenants for the purpose of affording mutual guarantees of political independence and territorial integrity to great and small states alike." After the war, Wilson traveled to Europe and remained there for months to labor on

9088-411: The court. On August 30, 1923, Long announced his candidacy for the governorship of Louisiana. Long stumped throughout the state, personally distributing circulars and posters. He denounced Governor Parker as a corporate stooge, vilified Standard Oil, and assailed local political bosses. He campaigned in rural areas disenfranchised by the state's political establishment, the " Old Regulars ". Since

9216-582: The delegate from Winn voted to remain in the Union saying: "Who wants to fight to keep the Negroes for the wealthy planters?" In the 1890s, the parish was a bastion of the Populist Party , and in the 1912 election, Socialist presidential candidate Eugene V. Debs received 35% of the vote. Long embraced these populist sentiments. One of nine children, Long was home-schooled until age eleven. In

9344-480: The delegations of several wavering Southern states in the Roosevelt camp. Due to this, Long expected to be featured prominently in Roosevelt's campaign but was disappointed with a peripheral speaking tour limited to four Midwestern states. Not discouraged after being snubbed, Long found other venues for his populist message. He endorsed Senator Hattie Caraway of Arkansas, a widow and the underdog candidate in

9472-440: The end of his days: he was a young warrior of and for the plain people, battling the evil giants of Wall Street and their corporations; too much of America's wealth was concentrated in too few hands, and this unfairness was perpetuated by an educational system so stacked against the poor that (according to his statistics) only fourteen out of every thousand children obtained a college education. The way to begin rectifying these wrongs

9600-523: The fall of 1914. After a year of study that concentrated on the courses necessary for the bar exam , he successfully petitioned the Louisiana Supreme Court for permission to take the test before its scheduled June 1915 date. He was examined in May, passed, and received his license to practice. According to Long: "I came out of that courtroom running for office." In 1915, Long established

9728-465: The first $ 2,000 in property assessment free, waiving property taxes for half the state's homeowners. Some historians have criticized other policies, like high consumer taxes on gasoline and cigarettes, a reduced mother's pension , and low teacher salaries. When Long arrived in the Senate, America was in the throes of the Great Depression . With this backdrop, Long made characteristically fiery speeches that denounced wealth inequality . He criticized

9856-599: The first bridge over the Mississippi entirely in Louisiana, the Huey P. Long Bridge . These projects provided thousands of jobs during the depression: Louisiana employed more highway workers than any other state. Long built a State Capitol , which at 450 feet (140 m) tall remains the tallest capitol, state or federal, in the United States. Long's infrastructure spending increased the state government's debt from $ 11 million in 1928 to $ 150 million in 1935. Long

9984-550: The flag of a belligerent nation or trade arms with warring nations. Such activities had played a role in American entrance into World War I. On 1 September 1939, Germany invaded Poland , marking the start of World War II, and the United Kingdom and France subsequently declared war on Germany. In an address to the American people two days later, President Roosevelt assured the nation that he would do all he could to keep them out of war. "When peace has been broken anywhere,

10112-527: The foreign-policy agenda. Graebner argues that Eisenhower succeeded in moving the conservative Republicans away from their traditional attacks on foreign aid and reciprocal trade policies, and collective security arrangements, to support for those policies. By 1964 the Republican conservatives rallied behind Barry Goldwater who was an aggressive advocate of an anti-communist internationalist foreign policy. Goldwater wanted to roll back Communism and win

10240-956: The idea of intervening in European affairs to maintain a balance of power . Walpole's position was known to Americans. However, during the American Revolution , the Second Continental Congress debated about forming an alliance with France. It rejected non-interventionism when it was apparent that the American Revolutionary War could be won in no other manner than a military alliance with France , which Benjamin Franklin successfully negotiated in 1778. After Britain and France went to war in 1792, George Washington declared neutrality, with unanimous support of his cabinet, after deciding that

10368-741: The international context and the country's interests. At times, the degree and nature of this policy was better known as isolationism , such as the interwar period , while some consider the term isolationism to be a pejorative used to discredit non-interventionist policy. Due to the start of the Cold War in the aftermath of World War II and the rise of the United States as a global superpower , its traditional foreign policy turned towards American imperialism with diplomatic and military interventionism, engaging or somehow intervening in virtually any overseas armed conflict ever since, and concluding multiple bilateral and regional military alliances, chiefly

10496-514: The intervening four years building his reputation and political organization, particularly in the heavily Catholic urban south. Despite disagreeing with their politics, Long campaigned for Catholic U.S. Senators in 1924 and 1926. Government mismanagement during the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 gained Long the support of Cajuns , whose land had been affected. He formally launched his second campaign for governor in 1927, using

10624-415: The interventionist argument was fear of German invasion. One of the rhetorical criticisms of interventionism was that it was driven by the so-called merchants of death - businesses who had profited from World War I lobbying for involvement in order to profit from another large war. By the summer of 1940, France suffered a stunning defeat by Germans , and Britain was the only democratic enemy of Germany. In

10752-489: The interventionist argument. Writer Archibald MacLeish asked, "How could we sit back as spectators of a war against ourselves?" In an address to the American people on December 29, 1940, President Roosevelt said, "the Axis not merely admits but proclaims that there can be no ultimate peace between their philosophy of government and our philosophy of government." There were still many who held on to non-interventionism. Although

10880-520: The interwar period complained that the German embassy and consulates in the United States waged a slick, well funded propaganda campaign designed to persuade the Americans that the Treaty of Versailles was a monstrous, unjust peace treaty while the French embassy and consulates did nothing equivalent to make the case for France. The effect of German propaganda tended to persuade many Americans it had been

11008-411: The leaders of both parties for failing to address the crisis adequately, notably attacking conservative Senate Democratic Leader Joseph Robinson of Arkansas for his apparent closeness with President Herbert Hoover and big business. In the 1932 presidential election , Long was a vocal supporter of New York Governor Franklin D. Roosevelt . At that year's Democratic National Convention , Long kept

11136-439: The legislature, shouting "Shut up!" or "Sit down!" when legislators voiced their concerns. In a single night, Long passed 44 bills in just two hours: one every three minutes. He later explained his tactics: "The end justifies the means ." Long endorsed pro-Long candidates and wooed others with favors; he often joked his legislature was the "finest collection of lawmakers money can buy". He organized and concentrated his power into

11264-534: The longest pool in the United States. Long founded an LSU Medical School in New Orleans. To raise the stature of the football program , he converted the school's military marching band into the flashy " Show Band of the South " and hired Costa Rican composer Castro Carazo as the band director. As well as nearly doubling the size of the stadium , he arranged for lowered train fares, so students could travel to away games. Long's contributions resulted in LSU gaining

11392-661: The media, but Long used aggressive tactics to ensure passage. He would appear unannounced on the floor of both the House and Senate or in House committees, corralling reluctant representatives and state senators and bullying opponents. When an opposing legislator once suggested Long was unfamiliar with the Louisiana Constitution , he declared, "I'm the Constitution around here now." One program Long approved

11520-621: The motto of the United States. Extending at times into isolationism , both Jefferson and Madison also practiced the boycotting of belligerent nations with the Embargo Act of 1807 . In 1823, President James Monroe articulated what would come to be known as the Monroe Doctrine , which some have interpreted as non-interventionist in intent: "In the wars of the European powers, in matters relating to themselves, we have never taken part, nor does it comport with our policy, so to do. It

11648-477: The north, where voters could not reach the polls over dirt roads that had turned to mud. It was the only election Long ever lost. And it is here, under this oak, where Evangeline waited in vain for her lover, Gabriel, who never came. This oak is an immortal spot, made so by Longfellow's poem , but Evangeline is not the only one who has waited here in disappointment. Where are the schools that you have waited for your children to have, that have never come? Where are

11776-586: The peace of all countries everywhere is in danger," Roosevelt said. Even though he was intent on neutrality as the official policy of the United States, he still echoed the dangers of staying out of this war. He also cautioned the American people to not let their wish to avoid war at all costs supersede the security of the nation. The war in Europe split the American people into two camps: non-interventionists and interventionists. The two sides argued over America's involvement in this World War II. The basic principle of

11904-535: The poor rural north. The Ku Klux Klan 's prominence in Louisiana was the campaign's primary issue. While the two other candidates either strongly opposed or supported the Klan, Long remained neutral, alienating both sides. He also failed to attract Catholic voters, which limited his chances in the south of the state. In majority Catholic New Orleans, he polled just 12,000 votes (17%). Long blamed heavy rain on election day for suppressing voter turnout among his base in

12032-535: The post-war treaty, longer than any previous Presidential sojourn outside the country. In that Treaty of Versailles , Wilson's "general association of nations" was formulated as the League of Nations . In the wake of the First World War, the non-interventionist tendencies gained ascendancy. The Treaty of Versailles , and thus, United States' participation in the League of Nations , even with reservations,

12160-519: The proposer, Louisiana unanimously passed the legislation. When conservative politicians in Texas—the largest cotton producer in the U.S.—rejected the measure, the holiday movement collapsed. Although traditional politicians would have been ruined by such a defeat, Long became a national figure and cemented his image as a champion of the poor. Senator Carter Glass , although a fervid critic of Long, credited him with first suggesting artificial scarcity as

12288-456: The public system, he earned a reputation as an excellent student with a remarkable memory and convinced his teachers to let him skip seventh grade. At Winnfield High School, he and his friends formed a secret society, advertising their exclusivity by wearing a red ribbon. According to Long, his club's mission was "to run things, laying down certain rules the students would have to follow". The faculty learned of Long's antics and warned him to obey

12416-434: The regulation of energy companies in exchange for industry donations to Long's campaign fund, while Allen took direction from Earl on which construction and supply companies to contract for road work. Concerned by these tactics, Long's opponents charged he had become the virtual dictator of the state. To address record low cotton prices amid a Great Depression surplus, Long proposed the major cotton-producing states mandate

12544-477: The returns revealed wide support for Long in rural areas, he performed poorly in urban areas. On the Commission, Long forced utilities to lower rates, ordered railroads to extend service to small towns, and demanded that Standard Oil cease the importation of Mexican crude oil and use more oil from Louisiana wells. In the gubernatorial election of 1920 , Long campaigned heavily for John M. Parker ; today, he

12672-463: The roads and the highways that you sent your money to build, that are no nearer now than ever before? Where are the institutions to care for the sick and disabled? Evangeline wept bitter tears in her disappointment, but it lasted only through one lifetime. Your tears in this country, around this oak, have lasted for generations. Give me the chance to dry the eyes of those who still weep here. — An example of Long's 1928 campaign rhetoric Long spent

12800-469: The round robin signers with positions or other favors. Following the failed impeachment attempt, Long treated his opponents ruthlessly. He fired their relatives from state jobs and supported their challengers in elections. Long concluded that extra-legal means would be needed to accomplish his goals: "I used to try to get things done by saying 'please.' Now... I dynamite 'em out of my path." Receiving death threats, he surrounded himself with bodyguards. Now

12928-479: The school's rules. Long continued to rebel, writing and distributing a flyer that criticized his teachers and the necessity of a recently state-mandated fourth year of secondary education, for which he was expelled in 1910. Although Long successfully petitioned to fire the principal, he never returned to high school. As a student, Long proved a capable debater. At a state debate competition in Baton Rouge , he won

13056-556: The seat of Winn Parish . Although Long often told followers he was born in a log cabin to an impoverished family, they lived in a "comfortable" farmhouse and were well-off compared to others in Winnfield. Winn Parish was impoverished, and its residents, mostly Southern Baptists , were often outsiders in Louisiana's political system. During the Civil War, Winn Parish had been a stronghold of Unionism in an otherwise Confederate state. At Louisiana's 1861 convention on secession ,

13184-493: The seat vacant would not hurt Louisiana: "[W]ith Ransdell as Senator, the seat was vacant anyway." By occupying the governorship until January 25, 1932, Long prevented Lieutenant Governor Cyr, who threatened to undo Long's reforms, from succeeding to the office. In October 1931, Cyr learned Long was in Mississippi and declared himself the state's legitimate governor. In response, Long ordered National Guard troops to surround

13312-607: The sentiment was grounded in adherence to Constitutional principles, most of the sentiment bore a reassertion of nativist and inward-looking policy. American society in the interwar period was characterized by a division in values between urban and rural areas as Americans in urban areas tended to be liberal while those in rural areas tended to be conservative. Adding to the division was that Americans in rural areas tended to be Protestant of British and/or German descent while those in urban areas were often Catholic or Jewish and came from eastern or southern Europe. The rural-urban divide

13440-424: The slogan, "Every man a king, but no one wears a crown", a phrase adopted from Democratic presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan . Long developed novel campaign techniques, including the use of sound trucks and radio commercials. His stance on race was unorthodox. According to T. Harry Williams , Long was "the first Southern mass leader to leave aside race baiting and appeals to the Southern tradition and

13568-522: The state and built a new coalition based on class. Long's strength, said the contemporary novelist Sherwood Anderson , relied on "the terrible South ... the beaten, ignorant, Bible-ridden, white South. Faulkner occasionally really touches it. It has yet to be paid for." Once in office on May 21, 1928, Long moved quickly to consolidate power, firing hundreds of opponents in the state bureaucracy at all ranks from cabinet-level heads of departments to state road workers. Like previous governors, he filled

13696-449: The state's daily newspapers. To combat this, Long purchased two new $ 30,000 sound trucks and distributed over two million circulars. Although promising not to make personal attacks, Long seized on Ransdell's age, calling him "Old Feather Duster". The campaign became increasingly vicious, with The New York Times calling it "as amusing as it was depressing". Long critic Sam Irby, set to testify on Long's corruption to state authorities,

13824-479: The statement that, 'U.S. military actions should be limited to direct threats to our national security.'" Polls indicate growing impatience among Americans with the war in Ukraine, with 2023 polls showing just 17% of Americans think their country is "not doing enough" to support Ukraine. This percentage is the lowest since the war began. Rathbun (2008) compares three separate themes in conservative policies since

13952-415: The teeth at any expense to be prepared for any trouble", and that 71% favored "the immediate adoption of compulsory military training for all young men". The magazine wrote that the survey showed "the emergence of a majority attitude very different from that of six or even three months ago". Ultimately, the ideological rift between the ideals of the United States and the goals of the fascist powers empowered

14080-528: The treaty with France of 1778 did not apply. Washington's Farewell Address of 1796 explicitly announced the policy of American non-interventionism: President Thomas Jefferson extended Washington's ideas about foreign policy in his March 4, 1801 inaugural address . Jefferson said that one of the "essential principles of our government" is that of "peace, commerce, and honest friendship with all nations, entangling alliances with none." He also stated that "Commerce with all nations, alliance with none", should be

14208-586: The urging of his mother, a devout Baptist . Living with his brother George, Long attended for only one semester, rarely appearing at lectures. After deciding he was unsuited to preaching, Long focused on law. Borrowing one hundred dollars from his brother (which he later lost playing roulette in Oklahoma City ), he attended the University of Oklahoma College of Law for a semester in 1912. To earn money while studying law part-time, he continued to work as

14336-574: The vacancies with patronage appointments from his network of political supporters. Every state employee who depended on Long for a job was expected to pay a portion of their salary at election time directly into his campaign fund. Once his control over the state's political apparatus was strengthened, Long pushed several bills through the 1929 session of the Louisiana State Legislature to fulfill campaign promises. His bills met opposition from legislators, wealthy citizens, and

14464-535: The war in April 1917, however. Congress voted to declare war on Germany, 373 to 50 in the House of Representatives and 82 to 6 in the Senate. Technically the US joined the side of the Triple Entente only as an "associated power" fighting the same enemy, not as officially allied with the Entente. A few months after the declaration of war, Wilson gave a speech to Congress outlining his aims for conclusion of

14592-435: Was a free textbook program for schoolchildren. Long's free school books angered Catholics, who usually sent their children to private schools. Long assured them that the books would be granted directly to all children, regardless of whether they attended public school. Yet this assurance was criticized by conservative constitutionalists , who claimed it violated the separation of church and state and sued Long. The case went to

14720-532: Was a ploy by Standard Oil to thwart his programs. The House referred the charges to the Louisiana Senate, in which conviction required a two-thirds majority. Long produced a round robin statement signed by fifteen senators pledging to vote "not guilty" regardless of the evidence. The impeachment process, now futile, was suspended without holding an impeachment trial . It has been alleged that both sides used bribes to buy votes and that Long later rewarded

14848-815: Was abducted by Long's bodyguards shortly before the election. Irby emerged after the election; he had been missing for four days. Surrounded by Long's guards, he gave a radio address in which he "confessed" that he had actually asked Long for protection. The New Orleans mayor labelled it "the most heinous public crime in Louisiana history". Ultimately, on September 9, 1930, Long defeated Ransdell by 149,640 (57.3 percent) to 111,451 (42.7 percent). There were accusations of voter fraud against Long; voting records showed people voting in alphabetical order, among them celebrities like Charlie Chaplin , Jack Dempsey and Babe Ruth . Although his Senate term began on March 4, 1931, Long completed most of his four-year term as governor, which did not end until May 1932. He declared that leaving

14976-400: Was an ardent supporter of the state's flagship public university, Louisiana State University (LSU). Having been unable to attend, Long now regarded it as "his" university. He increased LSU's funding and intervened in the university's affairs, expelling seven students who criticized him in the school newspaper . He constructed new buildings, including a fieldhouse that reportedly contained

15104-505: Was depicted as mired in corruption and decadence. The United States acted independently to become a major player in the 1920s in international negotiations and treaties. The Harding Administration achieved naval disarmament among the major powers through the Washington Naval Conference in 1921–22. The Dawes Plan refinanced war debts and helped restore prosperity to Germany. In August 1928, fifteen nations signed

15232-682: Was depicted in the words of the Republican Senator Reed Smoot who in August 1930 called France a greedy "Shylock" intent upon taking the last "pound of flesh" from Germany via reparations while refusing to pay its war debts to the United States. In the early 1930s, French diplomats at the embassy in Washington stated that the image of France was at an all-time low in the United States with American public opinion being especially incensed by France's decision to default on its war debts on 15 December 1932. French diplomats throughout

15360-502: Was eventually applied by the United States between the late 18th century and the first half of the 20th century whereby it sought to avoid alliances with other nations in order to prevent itself from being drawn into wars that were not related to the direct territorial self-defense of the United States. Neutrality and non-interventionism found support among elite and popular opinion in the United States, which varied depending on

15488-548: Was implicated in the America First Committee franking controversy, whereby isolationist politicians were found to be using their free mailing privileges to aid the German propaganda campaign. William Power Maloney's grand jury investigated Nazi penetration in the United States and secured convictions of Viereck and George Hill, Fish's chief of staff. [1] Ohio Senator Robert A. Taft was a leading opponent of interventionism after 1945, although it always played

15616-655: Was more important than staying out of the war. After the attack on Pearl Harbor caused America to enter the war in December 1941, isolationists such as Charles Lindbergh 's America First Committee and Herbert Hoover announced their support of the war effort. Isolationist families' sons fought in the war as much as others. Propaganda activities conducted by German embassy staff such as George Sylvester Viereck , assisted by isolationist politicians such as Hamilton Fish III , were investigated and dampened by federal prosecutors before and after U.S. joined WWII. In 1941, Fish

15744-518: Was not mad at anybody over there." In 1918, Long invested $ 1,050 (equivalent to $ 18,066 in 2020) in a well that struck oil. The Standard Oil Company refused to accept any of the oil in its pipelines, costing Long his investment. This episode served as the catalyst for Long's lifelong hatred of Standard Oil. That same year, Long entered the race to serve on the three-seat Louisiana Railroad Commission . According to historian William Ivy Hair , Long's political message: ... would be repeated until

15872-495: Was rejected by the Senate in the final months of Wilson's presidency. Republican Senate leader Henry Cabot Lodge supported the Treaty with reservations to be sure Congress had final authority on sending the U.S. into war. Wilson and his Democratic supporters rejected the Lodge Reservations . The strongest opposition to American entry into the League of Nations came from the Senate where a tight-knit faction known as

16000-468: Was seen most dramatically in the intense debate about Prohibition as urban Americans tended to be "wets" while rural Americans tended to be "drys". The way that American society was fractured along an urban-rural divide served to distract public attention from foreign affairs. In the 1920s, the State Department had about 600 employees in total with an annual budget of $ 2 million, which reflected

16128-437: Was the largest in state history, and no opponent chose to face him in a runoff. After earning the Democratic nomination, he easily defeated the Republican nominee in the general election with 96.1 percent of the vote. At age 35, Long was the youngest person ever elected governor of Louisiana. Some fifteen thousand Louisianians traveled to Baton Rouge for Long's inauguration. He set up large tents, free drinks, and jazz bands on

16256-400: Was the largest or second-largest original nationality in 31. Non-interventionists rooted a significant portion of their arguments in historical precedent, citing events such as Washington's farewell address and the failure of World War I. "If we have strong defenses and understand and believe in what we are defending, we need fear nobody in this world," Robert Maynard Hutchins , President of

16384-433: Was to turn out of office the corrupt local flunkies of big business ... and elect instead true men of the people, such as [himself]. In the Democratic primary, Long polled second behind incumbent Burk Bridges. Since no candidate garnered a majority of the votes, a run-off election was held, for which Long campaigned tirelessly across northern Louisiana. The race was close: Long defeated Burk by just 636 votes. Although

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