Lucas graduated from Wesleyan with a law degree in 1914 and was admitted to the bar the following year.[1] He served as a schoolteacher before entering private practice in Havana.[3] During World War I, he served in the US Army and rose to become a lieutenant.[1]
In 1938, after William Dieterich declined to run for re-election, Lucas was elected to the U.S. Senate over Republican Richard J. Lyons, with a 51%–48% victory. He was re-elected in 1944.[citation needed] Lucas was a favorite son candidate and among twelve nominated at the 1944 Democratic National Convention to serve as Franklin D. Roosevelt'srunning mate in the presidential election that year.[7] With support from Harry S. Truman, he was elected party whip in 1946. Lucas, a moderate, drew support from both conservative and liberal wings of the party. He took over the Midwest campaign for Truman and was credited with assisting Truman's 1948 re-election and bringing nine Democrats into the Senate. When Alben Barkley became vice-president and resigned his seat, Lucas became majority leader. However, he was unable to build a consensus as Senate Majority Leader with the onset of the anticommunist era, and lost in 1950, to Republican Everett Dirksen. Lucas had become a target of Republican wrath with loss of political power in the Senate and the White House. His 1950 reelection campaign featured the active intervention into Illinois politics of Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy, who traveled the state with Dirksen saying that Senator Lucas was "soft on communism." Dirksen would go on to decisively defeat Lucas with a 54% to 46% victory. Privately, in later years, Dirksen attributed his victory to Lucas's responsibilities as Senate Majority Leader, at the apparent expense of his state; Dirksen was free to campaign locally, often debating Lucas's Illinois Democratic Party proxies and calling attention to Lucas's prolonged absence from the state.
Policy positionsedit
Overall, as Congressman and Senator Lucas focused on civil rights, labor unions, foreign policy, and agriculture. He supported anti-lynching legislation, opposed the poll tax, and was a vocal advocate for desegregation. Lucas played a major role in the passage of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. It established a federal minimum wage and maximum hours, and required overtime pay under specified conditions. He supported Franklin Roosevelt's main foreign policy initiatives, including Lend-Lease in 1941 for military aid to the Allies, and the creation of the United Nations. Lucas supported the New Deal farm programs, which were popular in rural Illinois, especially the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938. As Majority Leader of the Senate in 1949-1950 he supported Harry Truman's domestic and foreign agenda.[8]
Deason, Brian. "Scott Lucas, Everett Dirksen, and the 1950 Senate Election in Illinois." Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society 95.1 (2002): 33–51. online
Deason, Brian Scot. "Eye of the storm: A political biography of United States Senator Scott W. Lucas of Illinois" (PhD dissertation, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale; ProQuest Dissertations Publishing, 2001. 3021509).
Schapsmeier, Edward L., and Frederick H. Schapsmeier. "Scott W. Lucas of Havana: His Rise and Fall as Majority Leader in the United States Senate." Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society 70.4 (1977): 302–320. online
scott, lucas, senator, lucas, redirects, here, other, uses, senator, lucas, disambiguation, scott, wike, lucas, february, 1892, february, 1968, american, attorney, politician, member, democratic, party, represented, illinois, house, representatives, 1935, 1939. Senator Lucas redirects here For other uses see Senator Lucas disambiguation Scott Wike Lucas February 19 1892 February 22 1968 was an American attorney and politician A member of the Democratic Party he represented Illinois in the U S House of Representatives 1935 1939 and the U S Senate 1939 1951 He was the Senate Majority Leader from 1949 to 1951 Scott LucasLucas c 1940sSenate Majority LeaderIn office January 3 1949 January 3 1951DeputyFrancis J MyersPreceded byWallace H WhiteSucceeded byErnest McFarlandChairman of the Senate Democratic CaucusIn office January 3 1949 January 3 1951Preceded byAlben W BarkleySucceeded byErnest McFarlandSenate Minority WhipIn office January 3 1947 January 3 1949LeaderAlben W BarkleyPreceded byKenneth S WherrySucceeded byLeverett SaltonstallUnited States Senatorfrom IllinoisIn office January 3 1939 January 3 1951Preceded byWilliam H DieterichSucceeded byEverett DirksenMember of the U S House of Representatives from Illinois s 20th districtIn office January 3 1935 January 3 1939Preceded byHenry Thomas RaineySucceeded byJames M BarnesPersonal detailsBornScott Wike Lucas 1892 02 19 February 19 1892Chandlerville Illinois U S DiedFebruary 22 1968 1968 02 22 aged 76 Rocky Mount North Carolina U S Political partyDemocraticSpouseEdith Biggs m 1923 died 1967 wbr RelativesAllen T Lucas nephew EducationIllinois Wesleyan University LLB Military serviceAllegiance United StatesBranch service United States ArmyBattles warsWorld War I Contents 1 Early life 2 House 3 Senate 4 Policy positions 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksEarly life editLucas was born on a tenant farm near Chandlerville in Cass County Illinois 1 He was the youngest of six children of William Douglas and Sarah Catherine nee Underbrink Lucas 2 His parents named him after Scott Wike a Democrat who served as a representative from Illinois 1875 1877 1889 1893 3 His nephew was Allen T Lucas who practiced law with Lucas and who served in the Illinois General Assembly 4 After attending public schools he began his studies at Illinois Wesleyan University 1 During college he was active in athletics He lettered in football basketball and baseball and played semiprofessional baseball in the Three I League during his summer breaks 3 Lucas graduated from Wesleyan with a law degree in 1914 and was admitted to the bar the following year 1 He served as a schoolteacher before entering private practice in Havana 3 During World War I he served in the US Army and rose to become a lieutenant 1 Lucas returned to his law practice following his military service and served as a state s attorney for Mason County from 1920 to 1925 5 He also worked as a commander of the Illinois Department of the American Legion 6 In 1932 he was defeated by William H Dieterich for the Democratic nomination to challenge Republican incumbent Otis F Glenn for a United States Senate seat from Illinois Lucas was later appointed chairman of State Tax Commission by Governor Henry Horner serving from 1933 to 1935 1 House editIn 1934 following the death of Speaker of the House Henry Thomas Rainey Lucas was elected to the House of Representatives from Illinois s 20th congressional district 1 He established himself as a strong supporter of Franklin D Roosevelt s New Deal working to pass the Soil Conservation and Domestic Allotment Act of 1936 and the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 5 However Lucas disagreed with Roosevelt over the president s court packing plan which Lucas denounced as useless selfish and futile 3 Senate editIn 1938 after William Dieterich declined to run for re election Lucas was elected to the U S Senate over Republican Richard J Lyons with a 51 48 victory He was re elected in 1944 citation needed Lucas was a favorite son candidate and among twelve nominated at the 1944 Democratic National Convention to serve as Franklin D Roosevelt s running mate in the presidential election that year 7 With support from Harry S Truman he was elected party whip in 1946 Lucas a moderate drew support from both conservative and liberal wings of the party He took over the Midwest campaign for Truman and was credited with assisting Truman s 1948 re election and bringing nine Democrats into the Senate When Alben Barkley became vice president and resigned his seat Lucas became majority leader However he was unable to build a consensus as Senate Majority Leader with the onset of the anticommunist era and lost in 1950 to Republican Everett Dirksen Lucas had become a target of Republican wrath with loss of political power in the Senate and the White House His 1950 reelection campaign featured the active intervention into Illinois politics of Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy who traveled the state with Dirksen saying that Senator Lucas was soft on communism Dirksen would go on to decisively defeat Lucas with a 54 to 46 victory Privately in later years Dirksen attributed his victory to Lucas s responsibilities as Senate Majority Leader at the apparent expense of his state Dirksen was free to campaign locally often debating Lucas s Illinois Democratic Party proxies and calling attention to Lucas s prolonged absence from the state Policy positions editOverall as Congressman and Senator Lucas focused on civil rights labor unions foreign policy and agriculture He supported anti lynching legislation opposed the poll tax and was a vocal advocate for desegregation Lucas played a major role in the passage of the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 It established a federal minimum wage and maximum hours and required overtime pay under specified conditions He supported Franklin Roosevelt s main foreign policy initiatives including Lend Lease in 1941 for military aid to the Allies and the creation of the United Nations Lucas supported the New Deal farm programs which were popular in rural Illinois especially the Agricultural Adjustment Act of 1938 As Majority Leader of the Senate in 1949 1950 he supported Harry Truman s domestic and foreign agenda 8 References edit a b c d e f LUCAS Scott Wike 1892 1968 Biographical Directory of the United States Congress Current Biography Yearbook New York H W Wilson Company 1948 a b c d Senate Leaders Scott Lucas The Paper Majority Leader United States Senate Illinois Blue Book 1967 1968 Biographical Sketch of Allen T Lucas pg 292 293 a b Ryan James G Leonard Schlup 2006 Historical Dictionary of the 1940s Armonk NY M E Sharpe Inc Deason Brian Scott Wike Lucas Everett Dirksen and the 1950 Senate Election in Illinois PDF Catledge Turner 1944 07 22 Truman Nominated for Vice Presidency The New York Times Retrieved 2017 10 25 Deason 2001 pp 281 290 Further reading editDeason Brian Scott Lucas Everett Dirksen and the 1950 Senate Election in Illinois Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society 95 1 2002 33 51 online Deason Brian Scot Eye of the storm A political biography of United States Senator Scott W Lucas of Illinois PhD dissertation Southern Illinois University at Carbondale ProQuest Dissertations Publishing 2001 3021509 Schapsmeier Edward L and Frederick H Schapsmeier Scott W Lucas of Havana His Rise and Fall as Majority Leader in the United States Senate Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society 70 4 1977 302 320 onlineExternal links editUnited States Congress Scott W Lucas id L000493 Biographical Directory of the United States Congress Scott W Lucas at Find a Grave A film clip Longines Chronoscope with Scott Lucas September 19 1952 is available for viewing at the Internet ArchiveU S House of RepresentativesPreceded byHenry T Rainey Member of the U S House of Representativesfrom Illinois s 20th congressional district1935 1939 Succeeded byJames BarnesParty political officesPreceded byWilliam H Dieterich Democratic nominee for U S Senator from Illinois Class 3 1938 1944 1950 Succeeded byRichard StengelPreceded byJ Lister Hill Alabama Senate Democratic Whip1947 1949 Succeeded byFrancis J Myers PennsylvaniaPreceded byAlben W Barkley Kentucky Senate Democratic Leader1949 1951 Succeeded byErnest McFarland ArizonaU S SenatePreceded byWilliam H Dieterich United States Senator from Illinois Class 3 1939 1951 Served alongside J Hamilton Lewis James M Slattery Charles W Brooks Paul Douglas Succeeded byEverett DirksenPreceded byJames F Byrnes South Carolina Chair of the Senate Contingent Expenses Committee1941 1947 Position abolishedPreceded byKenneth S Wherry Nebraska Senate Minority Whip1947 1949 Succeeded byLeverett Saltonstall MassachusettsPreceded byWallace H White Maine Senate Majority Leader1949 1951 Succeeded byErnest McFarland Arizona Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Scott W Lucas amp oldid 1196064275, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
