LOUISIANA: Earl's Whirl

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"If they ever tell you o' Earl Long is dead," cracked a Louisiana politico, "you just ask them to call a Governors' race. If Earl don't git up an' run, he's dead sure enough."

Louisiana has called a Governors' race and set Dec. 5 as primary day. And sure enough, Louisiana's third-time (1939-40, 1948-52, 1956-60) Governor Earl Long, 63, has put himself squarely in the running—even though, according to law, he appears to be politically paralyzed.

The state constitution bars him from succeeding himself in the big white Governor's mansion built by brother Huey, but last week paunchy Earl sprang plans for a brazen circumvention: he will 1) resign as Governor just before the Sept. 15 qualifying deadline, 2) turn over his office to loyal Lieutenant Governor Lether Frazar, 3) campaign for a new term as Frazar's successor—and thus, as even head-scratching lawyers had to acknowledge, technically avoid the constitutional ban on succeeding himself.

Warming up for the new campaign, Old Earl ordered posters, stamped envelopes and 100,000 pocket combs. In the months ahead, Earl will shun television ("It makes me look like a monkey climbing a string"), happily concentrate on crossroads appearances in Louisiana's 64 parishes, whip up shouts of "Pour it on 'em, Earl."

Out of a field of eleven tentative opponents, Old Earl's chief problem probably will be New Orleans' handsome, hard-working Mayor DeLesseps Morrison (TIME, Jan. 30, 1956), who lost to Long under an avalanche of upcountry votes in 1956. So confident is Earl of winning ("I wanna give that little squirt Della Soups Morrison one more beating") that he is even trying statesmanship. To a crowd gathered for a bridge dedication at Natchitoches he solemnly suggested that the Governor's office be put under civil service. Knowing Earl, remembering Huey, the crowd just laughed.