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In 1924 Martin ran for Congress in the Republican primary against the incumbent. Joe lost. However, before the general election, the Congressman died, and the local G.O.P. organization picked Joe to take his place. Joe was elected, and has been re-elected ever since.
The 14th District, which Joe Martin represents, covers parts of four counties in southeastern Massachusetts. Some of Joe's constituents work in textile, costume-jewelry and shoe-manufacturing plants, while others have dairy, poultry and truck farms. Joe lost interest in the pork barrel years ago, after he succeeded in getting a little river in his district dredged. "I thought it was great," he recalls, "until my opponent at the next election went around telling everyone that Joe Martin is a good Congressman, but he's such an expensive one."
Cheer Withheld. In 1938, when the Republican flock in the House had dwindled to a half-century low of 89, Joe Martin was their campaign chairman. He raised what money he could, spent it where it counted, and bettered his own prediction when 80 new Republicans were elected, almost doubling the flock. The next year he became minority leader.
The day of one of President Roosevelt's State of the Union messages, F.D.R., who had taken a liking to Joe, told him, "I've set a trap for you Republicans in this speech. Make sure you don't cheer in the wrong places." After the speech the President asked: "Well, Joe, did you cheer in the wrong places?" Replied Joe, "No, Mr. President, we didn't cheer at all." Roosevelt threw back his head, roaring with laughter.
In his long career Martin was probably most unhappy in 1940, when he managed the Willkie campaign, for he sensed during most of the campaign that he was fighting a lost cause. From 1940 to 1952, Martin presided over four Republican National Conventions, and at one of them, 1948, was a dark-horse candidate himself. At the 1952 convention, Martin claimed to be for MacArthur, by which he meant he was neutral.
At 50, Full-Grown. Still a bachelor, Joe Martin has never had a home of his own. On his visits to North Attleboro he stays in the eleven-room white frame house that he bought for his mother. Until he was past 50 he shared a room there with his brother Charlie. Finally, one day, he told Charlie they were grown men now and should have separate rooms. Charlie runs the business side of Joe's two newspapers (they bought a small weekly in 1945), while Brother Al edits them. Brother Ed is the New England manager for the Graybar Electric Co. and Brother George runs a filling station, with sidelines in firewood and maple syrup.