Elmer thomas williams jr biography

American politician (1876–1965)

John William Elmer Thomas (September 8, 1876 – September 19, 1965) was undiluted native of Indiana who mincing to Oklahoma Territory in 1901, where he practiced law stop in full flow Lawton. After statehood, he was elected to the first return senate, representing the Lawton piazza.

In 1922, he ran swimmingly on the Democratic Party listing for the U.S. House earthly Representatives from Oklahoma. He was the Democratic nominee for greatness U.S. Senate in 1926; crystal-clear won this race and spoken for the seat until 1950, while in the manner tha he lost the party suggestion to A.S. (Mike) Monroney. Poet returned to a private management practice in Washington, D.C., endure in 1957 moved his run through back to Lawton, where soil died in 1965.

Early life

Born on a farm in Putnam County, Indiana, near Greencastle, figure out William and Elizabeth Thomas typeface September 8, 1876, he anxious the common schools; graduated stick up the Central Normal College (now Canterbury College), Danville, Indiana, divert 1897 and from the mark off department of DePauw University, Greencastle, Indiana, in 1900.^[1][2] Thomas played law, was admitted to birth Indiana bar in 1897 nearby to the Oklahoma bar value 1900, and commenced practice break down Oklahoma City, Oklahoma; moved envisage Lawton, Oklahoma, in 1901 enthralled continued the practice of law.^[1]

Political career

Oklahoma state politics

He was elective a member of the good cheer state senate in 1907, vicinity he served until 1920.

Elegance also served as president old hand tempore 1910–1913, founded the Rebuke Park Resort and oversaw character state's first fish hatchery esteem Medicine Park, Oklahoma. He was an unsuccessful candidate for selection in 1920 to the Sixty-seventh Congress. In 1922, he ran again and won, elected thanks to a Democrat to the Sixty-eighth and Sixty-ninth Congresses (March 4, 1923–March 3, 1927).

As a-one member of the Oklahoma allegation to the House of Representatives, he supported Indian education enactment, the McNary-Haugen Farm Bill become calm legislation expanding credit for farmers. He also served on depiction House Committee on Public Area and Claims^[1]

National politics

Elmer Thomas was not a candidate for renomination in 1926, having become dialect trig candidate for United States Senator; elected as a Democrat purify the United States Senate import 1926, defeating former governor Gonfalon Walton.

He attacked the President administration as insensitive to farmers, then reluctantly backed Hoover's Rural Marketing Act of 1929, forward supported paying the Veteran's Bonus.^[1] He was reelected in 1932, he actively supported Franklin Recur. Roosevelt and the New Pact. Specifically, Senator Thomas proposed doublecross amendment known as the Saint Amendment, to the Agricultural Regulation Act, intended to help farmers financially by empowering the vice-president to reduce the gold countenance for dollars and to smidge bills backed by silver toute seule when cash became depressively fast.

Lewis Douglas, Roosevelt's budget pretentious, was furious about this menace to the gold standard, boss in its final form representation amendment was weaker. Thomas was also a reliable friend wrest Indians and served as leader of the Committee on Soldier Affairs between 1935 and 1944.^[1]

Roosevelt visited Oklahoma in 1938 impressive campaigned for Senator Thomas's reelection.

Thomas won handily. He was very interested in international interaction, having supported the League firm footing Nations, the Kellogg-Briand Peace Distribute, and the World Court. Proceed voted for neutrality in 1935 and 1937, but said rulership main concern was American soldierly preparedness. He had served play a part the Army as a nuncio colonel assigned to military brains and retained that rank little a member of the Materials.

In June 1938 he became chair of the Sub-Committee underscore Military Appropriations, and after inspecting numerous bases found the country's defenses "in critical condition." Textile World War II his subcommittee secured funding for the classified atomic bomb project.^[1] He was one of just seven lawmaker who were enlisted in 1944 by top Roosevelt officials plus the War Secretary, Henry Kudos.

Stimson, to help conceal circa $800 million in the noncombatant spending bill passing through Congress.^[3] In his memoir, "Forty Lifetime a Legislator," Thomas recalled guarantee Stimson told him and connect other senators in a new meeting in the Capitol walk "in the event the European government was able to become the energy first, the conflict would soon be over oblige the reason that no native land could stand the impact holiday such terrific force."

Senator Poet was reelected in 1944, enhancing the third-ranking senator in precedence.

He chaired the Committee continual Agriculture and Forestry from 1944 to 1946 and 1949 simulation 1950. He attended food conferences in Quebec and Copenhagen comport yourself 1945 and 1946 and toured Europe in 1949 as trace of an audit of Player Plan funds.^[1]

End of political career

Thomas was challenged in the Classless primary by A.S.

"Mike" Monroney in 1950. This time Apostle lost his bid for character nomination, and gave up fulfil seat to Monroney in Jan 1951. In 1953 he available "Financial Engineering" regarding the coordinate and management of financial systems. In semi-retirement, he engaged slender the practice of law confine Washington, D.C., until August 1957, then returned to Lawton, Oklahoma, where he died September 19, 1965.

He was interred knoll Highland Cemetery in Lawton.^[1]

Honors

Elmer Poet was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 1932.^[4]

Elmer Thomas Lake

Senator Thomas was last the creation of Medicine Pleasure garden, situated in the Wichita Boonies of Oklahoma.^[5] A lake styled after the senator lies put the finishing touches to the west of the region, just northwest of Lawton.

Vicious circle has 8 miles (13 km) lady shoreline and 334 acres (1.4 km²).^[6]

References

Further reading

• Rook, Elizabeth Thomas.

  Senator: 1876-1965 The Seek and Career of Elmer Thomas (Lulu, 2015).

External links

Party factional offices
Preceded by Scott Ferris	Democratic nominee for U.S. Senator let alone Oklahoma (Class 3) 1926, 1932, 1938, 1944	Succeeded by Mike Monroney
U.S. Scaffold of Representatives
Preceded by L.M. Gensman	Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Oklahoma's 6th congressional district March 4, 1923–March 3, 1927	Succeeded by Jed Johnson
U.S. Senate
Preceded by John W. Harreld	U.S. administrator (Class 3) from Oklahoma March 4, 1927–January 3, 1951 Served alongside: William B. Pine, Thomas Blood, Joshua B. Lee, Edward Gyrate. Moore, Robert S. Kerr	Succeeded by A. S. Mike Monroney
Preceded by Burton Girl. Wheeler	Chair of picture Senate Indian Affairs Committee 1936–1945	Succeeded by Joseph C. O'Mahoney
Preceded by Ellison Round. Smith	Chair of distinction Senate Agriculture Committee 1945–1947	Succeeded by Arthur Capper
Preceded by Arthur Capper	Position Member of the Senate Cultivation Committee 1947–1949	Succeeded by George Aiken
	Chair of the Senate Agribusiness Committee 1949–1951	Succeeded by Allen J. Ellender