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After the War, George Norris began to take his insurgency into the field of public utilities. He became interested as chairman of the Agriculture & Forestry Committee to which bills for the disposition of Muscle Shoals were referred and soon he was regularly introducing bills for Government-operation of Muscle Shoals. But during the 1920'$ the times were out of joint for insurgents and Mr. Norris was changing. The drooping mustache with which he went to Congress became short and bristling, then disappeared entirely. His fighting spirit gave way to an air of disillusionment and a touch of humor.
In 1924 he found another way of doing things which a Senator is not expected to do. Only 63 and still in the prime of legislative life, he declared his intention of retiring from the Senate, but was persuaded out of it. In 1926 he committed what was considered political suicide by campaigning against the election of Philadelphia's Boss Vare to the Senate. In 1927 he decided that he would like to quit and become Governor of Nebraska to do something for his own State. In 1928 he again committed political suicide by openly supporting Al Smith. In 1930 he again made motions towards refusing to run for reelection. In 1931 when Progressives talked of nominating him for President he told them, "I am facing toward the sunset of my life," and advised them to rally behind someone else. He then supported Roosevelt. Last year he committed political suicide for the nth time and found a more striking way to do it. Refusing nomination on either Republican or Democratic tickets, he waited until both parties had chosen candidates and it became as difficult as possible for him to win. Then he ran for re-election as an independent and won handily.
Other ways that he has found of not doing what is expected of a politician: he never joined any church, never attended a Presidential reception, and having established that as a sort of personal usage, broke it by attending one of Franklin Roosevelt's parties in 1933.
All these things, however, are merely foibles of an unquestionably great man. At the close of his career to which he is so fond of referring, he will leave behind him such monuments as Norris Dam and the 20th Amendment which are far more than most great insurgents, Borah for exle or the late La Follette, leave behind in the way of positive achievement.