The "Plot Speech"
of
Senator Huey Long
"The Plan of Robbery, Murder, Blackmail, or Theft"

Much has been made of the speech Huey Long gave on August 9, 1935. You'll might find articles about how Huey stood up and revealed a plot to murder him that was hatched in the DeSoto Hotel. But rarely do any of the historians tells what Huey's speech actually said.

Admittedly with so many largely forgotten names being bandied about, the speech is difficult to follow. Also Huey is quite selective in quoting the (alleged) transcript. And so - even though electronic versions of the Congressional Record are available - reading the speech isn't that easy.

So as a CooperToons Public and Educational Service the speech is given here. And you will find - as the participants later stated - that there was not any explicit conspiracy hatched against Huey's life.

On the other hand, the gentlemen gathered at the hotel certainly made remarks that today would be most ill-advised and would likely prompt - if not a full investigation then at least a polite visit of inquiry from the FBI and Secret Service. But the reader will see that the discussions were really on how to defeat Huey politically and - as Huey said - using rather underhanded tactics to do so.

It would be nice if we had the full transcript of the meeting. Huey said he turned his notes over to the Senate secretary. But if the transcript survives it's probably buried deep in the recesses of some government basement. As far as the legality of Huey's actions, we must defer that to those versed in early 20th century privacy laws regarding monitoring conversations. Certainly Huey's fellow Senators didn't seem to see anything amiss.

Huey claimed the proceeding were recorded on a Dictaphone, also called a Dictograph - an early office dictating machine. However, he was reading from a transcript and toward the end he mentions that the words were "taken" down. Given the cumbersome nature of recording devices at the time - particularly when used for surreptitious surveillance - it seems more reasonable that the transcript mostly came from an eavesdropping stenographer.

------------------------

[Senator LONG speaks:]

The Plan of Robbery, Murder, Blackmail, or Theft

I have a record of an anti-Long conference held by the anti-Long Representatives from Louisiana in Congress. Someone at some time slipped a dictaphone into the room. The representatives of the President of the United States have just been to New Orleans to hold a conference. The boys did not have enough money to buy more than one dictograph so we were able to get a record of what occurred only in one room. If we had had a lot more money we could have gotten it all. It is an expensive proposition to buy these dictographs. The Federal Government keeps one hanging around us wherever we go. Mr. Roosevelt has money enough to buy all the dictographs he needs. The one we had was a little old "dootinkered" outfit but it was pretty good even at that.

Mr. President, you have read in the public press that the faithful Roosevelt Congressmen had gone to Louisiana to put the Long crowd out; that they had gone down there to give battle. They rented a room down there and one of our friends put a dictograph in it. I did not have anything to do with putting the dictograph there, any more than I had anything to do with the dictograph they had been putting around my rooms.

Here is what happened among the Congressmen representing Roosevelt "the Little" himself, representing Franklin Delano Roosevelt the first, the last, and the littlest:

Conference. Sunday, July 21. 1986. about 10 a. m., Room 506, De Soto Hotel

The personnel of the conference changed from time to time, but the following persons are known to have been present at various times:

Moreland Meadows; T. Semmes Walmsley. Numa Montet; John Sandlin; M. H. Sandlin; Oscar Whilden-

He is the head of the Square Deal League with which they are affiliated.

Warren Jefferson -

He was the man who distributes the Government funds and is now on the Government payroll.

Rufus Fontenot -

He is the collector of internal revenue who tells how he will blackmail them with the income tax. It is all here, just how the blackmail is going to be carried on. This is a very important government document I am satisfied the President will soon send another message asking that this be printed as a public document so it can be sent out without the payment of postage.

He is the State manager of the P. E. R. A., the man who had to resign as president pro tempore of the senate in order to avoid being thrown out under charges.

Then is given the name " Judge Sanchcz." There are so many men by that name that I do not know who this particular one is.

Then there is the name "Blanc." That is a common name in our State. It may be Le Blanc and Blanc-somebody, but I do not know just who is this.

Judge Stephens Thomas Major somebody. This is all the gentlemen could take down over the dictograph.

Shortly after 10 o'clock discussion got underway.

Here is Oscar Whilden. who is the head of the Square Deal League, who is apparently presiding:

Whilden: I am out to murder, kill, bulldoze, steal or anything else to win this election

I wonder if the Presidents representatives dissented to this? ln a few minutes we will find out Here it is - the gentleman who is heading the President's conference down there. Here is what the gentleman said who is heading that conference:

I am out to murder, kill, bulldoze, steal or anything else to win this election

He will have a chance to do some of that maybe. I hope not. The people of Louisiana have never been afraid of anything Mr, Roosevelt sends down there, nor anything else that may be sent down there. These Government employees undertook to keep the school children from collecting money with which to ran the schools, but we managed to get by them one time, and I imagine we will get by the balance of these fellows.

I will read along further:

I am out to murder, kill, bulldoze, steal or anything else to win this election We. had a wonderful meeting in Gretna the other night. Lots of workingmen there.

Yes, they had about 30, and we sent 20 of them over there.

A funny thing happened

I skip a little and read:

We had at least 2,000. We had a little trouble getting the right kind at speakers; and who do you think we had? Walmsley Francis Williams (laughter)-

The notes which I am reading show " laughter." Walmsley and Williams are two Roosevelt leaders down there; Williams, who got beaten twice in the same year in the election. He was beaten for mayor and then for public service commissioner, and is now on the pay roll of the Federal Government down there dispensing Federal money.

There was some talk about the meeting, and shortly afterward Walmsley came into the room. Seven congratulated him on his fight. Walmsley says: "I have to go in the other room (apparently John Sandlin's bedroom -

John Sandlin is a congressional leader down there who is in charge of things until next election, after which he will be among the missing up this way, unless he be given a government job in the meantime.

which was on other side, adjoining the parlor in which the conference was being held.) I will have to go in Sandlin's room and get my coat.

A Voice. "Why, Semmes."

That refers to Walmsley

"I thought Huey Long had gotten your coat and pants, both."

(This remark caused a great deal of laughter.)

Walmsley left soon after that.

A Voice

- They cannot identify the man -

"Gentlemen, the time was never more opportune to rid the State of Long than it is right now. The entire resources of the United States are at our disposal." Is not that a nice thing? Here they are, with their conference, with the Government's agents sitting in and the Congressmen from Washington sitting in.

The entire resources of the United States are at our disposal.

And they are. If they will send them there, nobody need worry about the rest of the United States. They can spend their whole $5,000,000,000 down there and they will still need some more. They have not even got them up a ticket yet and God pity It when they do get it up.

All we have to do is to put the right we men in the jobs and then must be careful to account for every penny Government money. If they are not right, don't hire them; and if they don't stay rignt, fire them.

This is in line with President Roosevelt's declaration that there must be no politics in the spending of the relief money - what is said by these Congressmen down there -

This win put them in better standing with Mr. Roosevelt.

Then they say:

Then we have the income-tax indictments.

This is good stuff. Then we have the income-tax indictments and there will be some more convictions. They tell me O. K. Allen will be the next to be indicted.

That is the Governor of Louisiana. Send them down there culprits and thieves and thugs who openly advocate murdering people, and who have been participants in the murder of people and in the undertaking to murder others. Send them down these thugs and thieves and culprits and rascals who have been placed upon Government pay rolls drawing from five to six thousand dollars a year, to carry on and wage war in the name of the sacred flag, the Stars and Stripes. That is the kind of government to which this administration has attached itself in the State of Louisiana.

Go down a little further. They go on talking about how they are going to use the income tax blackmail people in the State:

A Voice. The first thing we must do is pick a candidate for governor. We need a spokesman, and someone everybody can rally around he to be generalissimo of everything in the state.

A Voice. Stanley must be on the ticket.

That is the man who recently resigned as district attorney.

Another Voice. Some of the boys from the third district, over in Montent's room, were for Stanley for governor.

Peterman speaks up, the administrator of the fund:

That would be a serious mistake. Stanley would be better somewhere else on the ticket -

Sandlin -

Here comes the Representative, the first time we have heard of him. I cannot quote his words. but I can quote the effect of the. Here comes the maw who recognized as a dispenser of the patronage:

Give the b----- hell.

I guess he is referring to me -

I have a copy at the Program

That is a paper that our friends put, the American programs. but I have had time to read it.

This is Representative Sandlin talking -

You know, the people don't read newspapers, but they'll read every pamphlet Long puts out and they'll read the damn Progress. Hodges would make a strong candidate.

That is from Mr. Sandlin. "The people do not read the newspapers, but they will read anything Long puts out and they will read the Progress." They do not need to read any more. They will take care of his case this fall.

Mr. Peterman says: Come in. gentlemen. Meet Mr. Warren Jefferson. Mr. Jefferson is connected with our New Iberia office.

Mr. Jefferson is running the thing over there; these particulars will show just how -

Sometime ago we went over to the Lafayette office. One relief worker afterward told me -

This is Peterman talking:

"That fellow (meaning Jefferson) can get anybody fired. He came on our office and talked to the boss, and I saw him count off four of his fingers. and in about 15 minutes four of us got fired." [General laughter.]

Several expressed approval by saying. "That's the way to do it, etc.

Another Voice. We must tell the workers, when they get their checks. That these are Roosevelt checks, and that it is Roosevelt money, and that they have to be Roosevelt men. They have to talk Roosevelt and cuss Long.

Well, we have them doing that now. About 85 percent of those on their pay roll are Long men right now. We have them "cussing" Long and talking Roosevelt, but you wait until you count the votes.

A Voice. Now. on this question of commissioners, how are we going to get our votes counted? As I understand it, the commissioners can seal up the boxes and take them to Baton Rouge without even counting the votes, and then count them in Baton Rouge.

There never was any such law as that.

Some of you gentlemen who are lawyers know more about than I do. Can you enlighten me?

Goff. Well, now, I'll you: I made a study of that 1aw. I took all of the old acts and laid them side by side on my table. I compared them with the latest law. and noted all them changes. There is nothing In the law that would give them that right.

Sandlin. Well, Montet -

That is another Representative

- and some of the others have a plan, but it is so confidential that I don't think it would be well to discuss it now.

Another Voice. Well, that's all right. I just wanted to know it is being given some thought.

Peterman. I do not think we can get an even break with commissioners.

Someone asked how far the President could be expected to go.

... One party gave it as his opinion that the only time the President can call out troops -

They are going to call out the United States Army to steal the Louisiana election, according to this conversation - the only time the President can call out troops by Executive order is to suppress insurrection.

I skip.

Another Voice. Gentlemen, the time was never more opportune. Long has annihilated the old regulars for us and removed a stone from our necks. Stanley is honest and honorable, but he has no more right to be governor than one of us has.

Another voice says:

Williams. Walmsley. Sullivan. and Rightor are only waiting orders. And by God, we'll give them orders, and they'll carry them out. I'm damn sick and tired of coming down here and asking what's Walmsley going to do, what's Sullivan going to do. Rightor is for anybody. All he wants is a candidate.

A Voice. Stanley against Proterie would be under no handicap in north Louisiana.

Another Voice. No; and If we ran him for Governor, Long wold claim Stanley was so rotten he had to put him out of office. He'd make capital of it.

As to this particular Stanley, who was in the conference, it was shown by written confessions in the file of the district attorney's office that the brother-in-law of his first assistant had robbed the Maison Blanche dry goods store, and had signed a confession as to the articles which he had stolen and that this man had prevented the case ever going before the grand Jury or the guilty person from being indicted until prescription had run; and he was made to resign the office when the time came that we passed laws making the assistants accountable to the attorney general of the state. He is about the best man they have in the gang at that. He is better than most of them.

Goff says: "Have Dean " -

This is another representative

Have Dean to make a trip around the State to see his friends and then announce that the people want him to run for Governor and no one will know about this arrangement here, and make the campaign solely on returning the government to self-government, and. as you all know, we must all keep all of this a secret and not even tell our own families of what is being done here."

Another Voice. You know, it is going to take money to win this election. Someone asked if $25,000 would do it. We can't expect the President to do everything. He wants us to do what we can and then he will help. That's why I think we should run Cleveland Dear. If we put up one of their kind, then it will be up to them to raise some money. It will put them on the spot.

Peterman. What about Dear's labor record?

Sandlin. It Is O. K.

Another Voice. We should make fellows like Farley and Roosevelt and the suffering corporations like Standard Oil Co.. Louisiana Refining Co.. and the big lumber men cought up enough to get rid of that fellow.

Yes: we should make the Standard Oil Co. and the "suffering corporations" cough up enough. They are paying several million dollars more a year to educate and take care of the people of Louisiana; and they are "suffering corporations" says Mr. Sandlin and this other voice that is talking there.

Then Chasez spoke, another one of the high men working there in the relief headquarters. Chasez said:

Whenever anybody comes to me and asks for a job or anything, I'll tell them to see the campaign manager for Cleveland Dear and find out if they can get it.

In other words. Mr. Cleveland Dear they will run for Governor; and Mr. Chasez. who is the assistant of Mr. Peterman, says:

When they come to me for a ob. I will say to them: "Get your O. K. from campaign headquarters of the anti-Long campaign for Governor before you get anything here."

A Voice. Have the Congressmen to see President Roosevelt and have the President to advise everyone in authority to give out no jobs except in this way.

Peterman. I was up in Alexandria and there is a very unsatisfactory situation up there.

He could have gone anywhere else and found that very unsatisfactory situation to them, I might add.

I had a conference with Dr. McDonald, and I was not satisfied. You know in that movement the Government just puts up the money. There are no Federal tick-eradication laws, and any prosecutions would have to be under the State statutes.

They cannot prosecute the farmers out there under the Federal laws, and he says it is a very unsatisfactory condition,

"We have not the right to prosecute the farmers out there. Prosecutions have to be under State law" and there have been no prosecutions under State laws." That would be dangerous", says Mr. Peterman.

A Voice. You know it is peculiar the way some of our own friends feel about that. I had a good friend of ours, a man 100 percent anti-Long, come to me and ask what was going to be done about eradication, and in the course of our conversation he said. " You know it is more important to get rid of the ticks than it is to get rid of Long."

[Laughter.]

He said, "You know it is funny how our friends feel. Actually those damn fools up there, instead of having them all hung or put in a penitentiary, thought it was better to let Huey Long eradicate the ticks than not to do it and get votes. Isn't that funny?"

No doubt they will direct another letter to the President and ask that that situation be corrected, as this record indicates.

He said, "Can you conceive of anybody feeling that way?" It is better to get rid of the cattle ticks than it is to get rid of us.

Peterman. Dr. Hilderith's -

This is Peterman, the State administrator, talking:

Dr. Hilderith's plan was to advise the appointment in his department one-fourth Long men and three-fourths anti-Long men - could be arranged to give the anti-Long man 30 days' work and the Long man no work at all.

Mr. President, I am going to teach my friends in the Senate how to lick this kind of corruption. I am going to show them how to lick it to a shirt-tail finish, how to run it high and dry. I am going to try to give a lesson in this country, where they say they are coming down to murder, beg, steal, and do everything else. I am going to give you a lesson in January, if you will watch me and my friends long enough, to show you that the crookedness and rottenness and corruption of this Government, however ably financed and however many big corporations join in it, will not get to first base.

Chasez said:

Stanley told me a week or so ago, when I met him at lunch one day, that he would Just as soon run against the "guy" himself

I guess that means me

Voice. We want to save Montet to beat Wade Martin.

Montent, the Congressman, to beat Wade Martin, who is the public service commissioner on the Long ticket, who licked their man the last time to a shirt-tail finish.

Voice. Will the President endorse our candidate?

Sandlin speaks up, right out of the White House, right off the griddle:

He told me he would send a Cabinet officer any time to help campaign. You know Wallace hesitated to come down here. He was afraid he would have a hostile audience. He called up the President and asked him if he would come and the President told him "If Sandlin wants you to go ahead and go, that is if you want to", and Wallace was agreeably surprised at his reception.

Voice. Dear's candidacy will give the people assurance of Washington's connection with the ticket, but If Sandlin holds back on the Senate It will create doubt of such connection.

Sandlin is the man they talk about to run against me. He has not yet gotten up the nerve to get his feet quite out in the water. This may help him.

If Sandlin lacks courage to run against Long, there is something rotten in Denmark. It is just a question of yes or no.

It takes more than courage, Mr. President. He withdraw from the race down there 2 or 3 years ago until I got down there and put him back in the race.

Voice. Well, he could refuse to run by Issuing the proper statement.

Voice. The trouble with Sandlin is he doesn't like to decide and he will not announce for an office until he is convinced that he can win.

(Sandlin had apparently left the meeting before the above exchange took place. But It Is not known at what part at the proceedings he left.)

Everybody left about 1 : 15 p. m.

Sunday afternoon. July 31. 1935, from about 2:30 p. m.

At this conference among those known to be present were: Paul Chasez, John Fred Odom, T. O. Harris, Billikin Howell, O'Rourke Frank Petermann -

Practically all of them Government employees and Government agents.

A man named Martin, Harry Gamble. Sr., Numa Montet. one Hatcher or Thatcher -

I identify that man as being Hatcher, whom they pat down there to run the school department in the State, a department of education inside of the State -

Jordan, Red River, Baton Rouge teacher, who formerly taught at Junction City

They could not tell who he was. I have not looked him up, because he is not important.

Montet said:

We may want to issue a statement tomorrow. You know he has drawn us into this with what he said about us. The best answer to what he said would be to announce our candidate.

Voice. I think it would be a good idea to tell every E. R. A. worker making over $75 per month that he has to buy a shotgun and then hold regular target practice. Montet, what would be the psychological effect of, say, a hundred men lined up with guns practicing shooting?

(If Montet answered, it was lost in the noise.)

Chasez. I never saw a politician all day. [Laughter]

Soil erosion was discussed. Someone mentioned the fact that there were some good technical jobs in the department and stated some of them paid as much as $300 per year.

The discussion got around to candidates and the campaign again. There was a short discussion of a candidate for superintendent of education. The names of Mrs. MerrIman, Walter Burke. Fisher, at Arcadia, and Houston, secretary of Teachers' Association of Baton Rouge, a Long hater, were mentioned.

Voice. I talked 3 hours with Stanley yesterday, and I told him to make his campaign to go around with the candidate for Governor, and use just "good old horse language", and I also talked with Ned Rightor, and Ned Rightor is for someone from the country

Voice. Long doesn't have any good speaker and we ought to get good speakers, such as Val Irion, George Hardy, Varies, and Porteous.

Voice (Thatcher?)

I know it is Hatcher from what is said.

You know I am working on an educational program involving about $1,500,000. If the projects cannot be improved by the P. W. A. Is it possible to have this done to Washington?

All educational money must be spent for politics down there.

Voice. This is the man they are planning to run for superintendent. I hope they run him; that is. I hope they put his name on the ballot. That will be the last of his case！

Voice. You gentlemen miss the psychological effect of this thing. We should have the candidate blame Long for the lack of jobs and have some good speakers on the radio like J. Y., Jr. -

That is J. Y. Sanders, Jr., who is a Representative, whom my father was the author of the Watson-Williams toll bridge, where it cost $8.40 to come in and out of the city and I put a free bridge beside it -

and others explain to these fellows who are out of work that Huey Long stopped all federal funds from coming into Louisiana and that is why there wives and children are hungry. and hold back and let them sweat. That will hurt Huey. Then you can try to get the projects transferred.

In other words, this was apparently accepted, as the letter from the sewerage and water board indicates, to hold back all things in Louisiana and blame Huey Long for it. This is the high council here, with the mayor of New Orleans, and the Congressman, and the man in charge of the P. W. A. and others, in a holy meeting.

O'Rourke -

O'Rourke was the man who refused to testify on the ground that he would incriminate himself, when a man appeared and swore that he had been held by O'Rourke to commit murder in Baton Rouge. I was the man he was to kill, so there was not much said about it, except that he refused to testify on the ground that he would incriminate himself whereupon Roosevelt employed him. He was qualified and he was appointed.

O'Rourke. Put on a crusade and arouse the people.

Harry Gamble. I was up in Shreveport not long ago and saw -

He refers to a man whose name I will not recall who happens to be a relative of mine -

You know he and I used to be closely associated.

I will not read the Senate four lines about members of my family of whom he speaks. If any Senator wishes to read them. I will be glad to give him the page to show that I have nothing to conceal.

I read further:

Conference. July 22, 1935. Room 506. DeSoto Hotel, beginning at 10:10 a. m.

Anong those known to be present at various times were the following : Jack Williamson -

He is a State representative, then on the pay roll -

Goff, John Sandlin. Judge Stephens, Judge Calvin Schwing, Oscar Whilden -

He is the "square deal" head

Vance Plauche, Renegar or Rendegar

That name must be Vandegar, a man in Sabine parish who used to be clerk of the court-

Dear, George Hardy -

Former mayor of Shreveport. who was beaten -

Lee -

Former candidate for judge, whom we beat.

Voice. Who Is In town from the eighth district

Voice. Well. I know McInstosh and Vandergoff (?) are here.

That proves that was the name they had. I want Senators to get this. All of them are present whose names, I have read. I have got two very fine citizens of Louisiana whose words will be accepted by 999 men out of a thousand, and I think a thousand out a thousand who were present and listened to this dictograph.

Voice. I would draw in a lottery to go out and kill Long. It would only take 1 man. 1 gun. and 1 bullet.

Voice. Single handed?

Voice. Yes; that's the only way to do it. I once told his brother-in-law I would do it if he interfered with my law practice -

They never were able to identify who this was -

Voice. Dear is satisfactory to the third district.

Voice. Roosevelt wants Dear to run I guess they mean Judge Sandlin there, when they put down " Judge " -

Voice. How do you know Roosevelt wants Dear? Is there anything definite?

Judge. No.

Voice. Then how do you arrive at your assumption?

Judge -

I guess that is Judge Sandlin they are talking about.

Judge. Well, the four other Congressmen are for him, and they reflect Roosevelt wishes. The President is much interested in this election as we are and he wants us to ask him for his support and we have his assurance it will be forthcoming

Voice. Long is potentially beaten right now has never been able to beat Dear. J. Y., Jr., is trying his his best right now to get Dear to run.

J. Y., Jr., is a Congressman. So Is Dear -

Voice. Long is potentially beaten right now. Sixty percent of the people want him in the Gulf of Mexico weighted with chains. The trouble is getting the various elements together. Many meetings have been held in Alexandria, but no results because each district has its own candidate. We must present a united front. Will all rally around Dear?

Voice. I think J. Y.. Jr.. is the best material for a candidate that we have. That's why I asked If Dear is the only man satisfactory to Roosevelt or that Roosevelt will support. If there is another man who will make a better candidate than Dear I think it is a mistake to settle on Dear now.

Voice. People object to having offices handed down, and J. Y. Jr. would have to overcome this. Gentlemen, we must win )over some of Long's following or we can't get 50 percent of the vote. Stanley will fit in better elsewhere on the ticket. Dear's fight has not been as bitter as Stanley's and J. Y., Jr.'s. We must center on the candidate. Don't let the public know we picked him, but let him go around the State and then announce.

Voice. All I am interested in is beating Long. It's touch and go with me as between J. Y., Jr.. and Dear. I'd be more enthusiastic though for Sanders.

Voice. What's wrong with old J. Y.? Nothing. Some of friend's have taken up Long's cry and if we let it influence our decision we are a bunch of G-- damn fools.

Voice. I have the greatest affection for Sanders. but I tell you uou'll find opposition all over the State against J. Y.. Jr.. because of his father. Dear does not have this handicap. We need crusader to go out and meet them on their own basis.

Another Voice. The main objective is to put Long out of business. I have been for Sanders In the past but Dear is the timber. I recognize the feeling against the name Sanders and Long will make capital of it.

(All parties agreed to Dear and it was moved that a committee be appointed to go and get Dear.)

George Hardy, Lee, and Judge Stephens were appointed.

Judge Calvin Schwing arrived during absence of committee.

Voice. People vote against, not for.

I guess that was Schwlng who was talking

Jones. Ten percent to fifteen percent want to vote for a winner. (Stanley was discussed and there was general praise of him.)

Voice. I haven't the slightest doubt but that Roosevelt will pardon anyone who killed Long.

[Laughter.]

And this gets even funnier.

I want Senators to hear the succeeding line. This gets even funnier. I read the language after midnight when I was alone in my room, when I got a little bit more shaky, but it is funny in daylight I will read that line again:

Voice. I haven't the slightest doubt but that Roosevelt will pardon anyone who killed Long.

Voice. But how eould it be done?

Voice. The best way would be to just hang around Washington and kill him right in the Senate.

[Laughter.]

This is a great meeting of the higher element that is sent from Washington, D. C, with assurance that they had the right to indict anybody they wanted to, to hire anybody they wanted to, to fire anybody they want to, with all the money they needed. It is a great meeting they held for the President of the United States down in New Orleans.

I will read that last line:

Voice. The best way would be to just hang around Washington and kill him right in the Senate.

Now here is where I get a lease on life. Here is something to show Senators where something comes in and gives me a break:

Voice. I once thought that was necessary but I don't think so now.

So it seems like temporarily I got a respite on this matter.

Voice. Many will vote for the first time because of the free poll taxes and we have to figure on them.

That is a new law which we passed down there which doubles our voting strength.

Caddo will be 90 percent against any Long candidate, but we must get our vote counted, and I cannot guarantee that. ...

Oh. we will get ours counted.

Dear enters

The Congressman comes back after the committee had been sent to escort him in

Dear enters. Hello, Governor (greeted thus by several of those present).

Voice. Governor , we have voted unanimously to support your candidacy.

Dear. Thank you. gentlemen. (There was little enthusiasm and all left shortly after.)

Afternoon.

Voice. How do you do, Mr. Renegar.

That is Vandegar from Sabine Parish.

Voice. I want you all to get first hand on this resettlement business and what it can do.

Resettlement. I understand that must mean moving persons from one place to another. I later investigated and found out that the Government was sending to Louisiana offering to move as many Long farmers as could be found, to Alaska or other places, and had assured them that if they could move out 15,000 farmers and their wives that they would take 25,000 Long votes out of the State who would materially help the ticket. Well, I want to say that 25,000 of them will not hurt us. We will give them that many more if it will help them. Just let the Long men stay there. Do not take them away to foreign lands, but give them the money and we will give them 25,000 votes to spare. We will spare them that much. If we cannot lick them more than 25,000 votes we do not want them. I

Voice. I want to see that red-headed fellow from the eighth district.

Voice. Hello. Clarence. I was not able to identify who that Clarence was.

Vance Plauche arrived. Oscar Whilden present. Jack Williamson also present.

Voice. We have no bureau of publicity

This is Monday afternoon, and I am about to conclude it

Voice. We have no bureau of publicity or means of disseminating information. They have.

I do not know what it is.

Why, people in my parish believe long tried to pass an old age pension at the last session of the legislature. (This party mentioned St. Lantry and Evangeline.)

Voice. Hello. Everett.

Voice. I came down with Philo Coco.

Voice. So long, Mr. Will, good luck to you.

Voice. Mighty glad you've got a man in your parish that can and will help whip Long.

Voice. Good-bye, Joe. Good luck.

So, Mr. President, I have given the benefit of this conference to the United States Senate, and, I hope, to the country. I hand these pages from which I read to the official reporter. I will give the names of the witnesses who sat in the room while these things were being taken down, nine gentleman whom I first will mention is Mr. Herbert W. Christenberry, who is a brother of the secretary whom I have in my office, and the other one is a gentleman by the name of Cason. who is the secretary of the State senate: and regardless of their identification, I will venture the word of myself and everyone I know, that there is not a man in Louisiana who will in confidence tell you but what anything that either Christenberry or Cason will tell you they heard is genuine and true. Mr. Christenberry is himself a stenographer, and took these remarks down, as much as he could get them, over the dictograph in company with the others.

Furthermore, I have delayed handing these sheets in because I wanted sufficient verification to give out to the public in order that the truthfulness of them might be well ascertained. Since that time. Senators, I wish to say that they have announced having had their conference; I wish to say that they have taken their action against the sewerage and water board; I wish to say that Mr. Ickes has made his announcement in concert with their announcement and the things they have predicted, and I wish to announce further they have sent additional inspectors and various other bureaucrats down in the State and have begun their resettlement to move certain people outside of the State of Louisiana.

There has been such verification of practically everything given, and the Congressmen who went there having now returned and taken their seats, we await their announcing this unexpected candidacy of the man who is to take the trip around the State and find out that the people want him as the candidate for Governor.

Meantime all this activity, all these various and sundry things, are occasioned by an administration. I might say. Which could well have avoided it if it would keep its pledges and its promise, it would not be worried about anyone of my standing, nor would it need to be worried that I should have a standing today, had it not violated every promise upon which it rode into office. Had it kept the word given to the people, its cohorts would not need to discuss either the personnel or the political murder or suicide of anyone connected with an opposition. It is today using these tactics, blind-siding the true vote of the Congress on the Frazier-Lemke character of legislation which it kept from coming up in the other legislative body. That bill cannot be heard, it says. It undertook to tell the people, ''We are going to deliver, we are going to employ, we are going to say " - whereas the thing goes the other way - and the expedients adopted by these men. I might say, in moments when they are not exactly sound, at least, in some of their urgings, are adopted in this atmosphere of desperation. The State of Louisiana has no fear whatever of any kind of tactics thus agreed upon and thus imposed. The State of Louisiana will remain a State. When you hear from the election returns in the coming January, whether or not Rhode Island was sincere in its repudiation of this blackmail. nonetheless, on due notice and after due thought of the standards of democracy, Louisiana will not have a government imposed upon it that represents murder, blackmail, oppression, or destitution.

References

"The Plan of Robbery, Murder, Blackmail, or Theft ", Senator Huey P. Long, Congressional Record, August 9, 1935, pp 12786-12791.