"One Was a Son-of-a-Gun"

Louisiana's new Governor Earl Kemp Long last week began to make sounds reminiscent of his brother, the late great Huey. To make a show of cleaning up the mess left by his predecessor, ill and thinning (260 to 242 Ibs.) Richard Webster Leche, Earl Long ordered certain Louisiana officials to stop selling materials to the State through companies they control; abolished the State Publicity Bureau (most of whose ten employes were contributors to the weekly Louisiana Progress which ex-Governor Leche sold before he resigned); announced that from now on nobody had to subscribe to or advertise in the Progress to keep in good with the Governor.

Earl Long also telegraphed WPAdministrator F. C. ("Pink") Harrington in Washington asking for "data that you have obtained in a private way that would help us throw light on the befuddled condition at L. S. U.; also anything that you have found that has any bearing on irregularities involving any official or employe of the State of Louisiana." Two L. S. U. supervisors and its construction superintendent resigned. The latter, George Caldwell, his assistant, and a WPA foreman were promptly arrested, charged with diverting WPA labor and materials to private uses.

Dedicating a WPA swimming pool in the small French-speaking city of Opelousas, Governor Long announced that he intended to investigate every complaint of wrongdoing on the part of State officials. He hotly denied that as Lieutenant Governor he had been "a mere rubberstamp" for Governor Leche and begged the people not to condemn the entire State Government just because a few irregularities had turned up. Bellowed he: "Jesus Christ had twelve men and one of them turned out to be a son-of-a-gun."

One "sonofagun" among Louisiana jobholders was at that moment being returned from a quick trip he took to Canada after dropping some $500,000 of Louisiana State University's funds in the wheat market. Dr. James Monroe Smith, who resigned as president of the university just before he skipped (TIME, July 10), got out of an airplane at New Orleans and was met by a crowd of reporters. To one who began asking him about the irregularities at the university Dr. Smith snapped: "I'll answer those questions later," then added: "I don't know who you are, but you are very impertinent."

"I thought you'd remember me," the reporter said. "You kicked me out of school four years ago."

Dr. Smith and his faithful wife, Thelma, were bundled into a big black police car for an exciting ride to Baton Rouge. Another car in front and one behind were filled with deputies. Two motorcycle policemen led the way, a squadron of press cars followed. The motorcade raced through traffic at 60 m.p.h. with all sirens wide open.

When the cars got to Baton Rouge, the whole town turned out to do a little good-natured jeering. Dr. Smith and his wife were whisked to jail (she for abetting his flight), fingerprinted. A delegation of L. S. U. professors was on hand with money to bail out Mrs. Smith, but Dr. Smith refused to be sprung. If he got out of jail in Baton Rouge he would be clapped into jail in New Orleans, where he was wanted for forgery, and Baton Rouge offered him several inducements to stay. He was given a cell with a private bathtub and an electric fan, and when he complained that the setting sun got into his eyes he was moved to a cell with a better exposure.

But the main inducement lay in the fact that Baton Rouge, unlike New Orleans, has always resisted the Long machine and its heirs. If Dr. Smith has any idea he may be in line for a scapegoat's role, he knows a scapegoat's safety varies directly with his distance from the abattoir. All Dr. Smith would say in his own defense was that he had been trying to do something for the university.

This week WPA and PWA investigators were swarming all over the State. The Federal attorney for western Louisiana was tracking down complaints of other diversion of WPA materials and labor. Postal inspectors were seeking evidence of mail fraud. Agents of the FBI were looking into various charges of graft and corruption, and the Treasury Department was checking the income tax reports of Dr. Smith and several politicians. There were reports that Governor Long would call a special session of the Legislature to fire a few officials who were reluctant to resign. Earl Long, worrying about getting elected for a full term next year, didn't say he would and didn't say he wouldn't.

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