POLITICAL NOTES: Family Quarrel

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For 20 years, Louisianans have had their own two-party system—a man is either Long or anti-Long. Last week a new twist was added—a Long pitched his tent in the camp of the anti-Longs.

From Washington, Louisiana's boyish-looking Russell Long, son of the late Huey, nephew of Governor Earl and the youngest member (32) of the U.S. Senate, sent word to the homefolks: he would support Congressman Hale Boggs in the 1952 race for governor. Boggs, who is young himself (37), won his Congress seat in 1946 on an anti-Long reform ticket. It was one more sign that Russell Long was determined not to be a chip off the old block. Senators familiar with Huey's demagogic ways are impressed by Russell's dogged and unflamboyant performance as a Senator and his hankering for respectability. Russell, though he still reveres the memory of his father, has not even been speaking to Uncle Earl of late.

For the moment, Uncle Earl chose not to respond to Nephew Russell's heresy. But, barred by law from succeeding himself as governor, he was toying with the idea of running for lieutenant governor and towing a governor of his own choice on his coattails. Besides, he said, being lieutenant governor is "the best job in the state. He can go hunting or fishing any time he wants to. He gets $7,500 a year, a house to live in, an expense account equal to the governor's—and groceries."

Nephew Russell's heresy was not left unreprimanded, however. From Uncle George Long, elder brother of Earl and Huey, came the rumble of family anger. "It is a peculiar thing and an astonishing thing," he cried, "to see the son of Huey Long politically in bed with such people—people who plotted day after day to get his father out of office . . . Huey Long's boy . . . has blundered into this monstrous error, this hideous mistake, but please don't hate this boy, you good old Long people of Louisiana ... He is young."