With a quizzical quirk of his wide mouth, Mike Monroney told Oklahoma voters, "If I haven't done anything else, I'm getting Elmer Thomas acquainted with his own state."
As they all knew, querulous old (73) Elmer Thomas had been living in Washington for 24 years as Senator from Oklahoma; only two of his colleagues had been in the U.S. Senate longer. He stayed there by stoutly supporting ever-higher support for farmers, stoutly opposing public power, and voting labor's way often enough to get labor's support. His wife increased the family income by trading in the cotton market, a field in...