Daylight Acomin'

It was 5:30 in the morning when the jangling phone awakened a politician in Louisiana. "Hey," said a familiar voice, "time to get up -daylight is acomin'!" "Lordamighty!" cried the politician. "It's Earl Long -returned from the dead!"

It wasn't -but it sounded close enough. The caller was Attorney Gillis Long, 39, who is a cousin-type of Huey and of Huey's brother Earl* and "double-third cousin" of Huey's son, Senator Russell Long. Last week Gillis joined the family's highly successful political firm. He won the Democratic primary nomination in Louisiana's Eighth District, unseating Congressman Harold McSween, while Cousin Russell easily got renominated for a third term in the U.S. Senate.

Until Gillis came through last week, there had been a possibility that Russell might be pressured into giving up his Senator's seat and seniority by running for Governor in 1964 in order to maintain the Long dynasty back home. Russell has been in the Senate for almost 14 years and has established himself as a conscientious liberal (except on the segregation issue). At 43, he is the third-ranking Democrat (after Harry Byrd and Robert Kerr) on the powerful Senate Finance Committee, the sixth-ranking member of the Foreign Relations Committee. With patience Russell is almost certain to become chairman of one or the other group in time. He was thus understandably reluctant to leave the Senate.

With Gillis' victory, the pressure is off Russell. Gillis, who has served in Washington as counsel for Senate and House committees, now has vote-getting ability to show, as well as the flamboyant platform manner that comes naturally to the Longs. An obvious possibility for Governor, he disclaims any intention of running, but admits that he might "be interested in other things somewhere down the road." It's only 5:30 in the morning of a Long political life -but, as Gillis himself might say, daylight is acomin'.

* Gillis' paternal grandfather was a first cousin of Huey's father, and his grandmother was a first cousin of Huey's grandmother.

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