Guy Mark Gillette
Encyclopedia
Guy Mark Gillette was a Democratic
U.S. Representative and Senator from Iowa
. In the U.S. Senate, Gillette was elected, re-elected, defeated, elected again, and defeated again.
, he attended public school and graduated from Drake University Law School
in Des Moines in 1900. He was admitted to the bar in 1900 and commenced practice in Cherokee. During the Spanish-American War
, he served as a sergeant in the Fifty-second Iowa Regiment in the United States Army
, but never saw combat. He volunteered to fight against the British in Africa in the Boer War
, but was turned down.
Returning to Iowa, he engaged in agricultural pursuits and was the city attorney of Cherokee in 1906-1907. He became the prosecuting attorney of Cherokee County
from 1907 to 1909 and a member of the Iowa State Senate from 1912 to 1916.
During the First World War, he served as a captain in the United States Army. He ran unsuccessfully for Iowa State Auditor
in 1918, and returned to Cherokee to farm.
, in heavily-Republican northwest Iowa. He was re-elected in 1934, and served nearly all of that term. He resigned upon his election to the United States Senate on November 3, 1936 to serve out the remainder of the term of Senator Richard Louis Murphy, who had died in an auto accident. Nearly two years remained in Murphy's term, which would end January 3, 1939. Although he generally supported the New Deal
, he opposed the new wage and hours bill, a new farm bill, and aspects of the Social Security
system.
In 1938 the Roosevelt Administration targeted Gillette for replacement because of Gillette's vote against Roosevelt's plan to expand the Supreme Court and other positions. He nevertheless defeated Roosevelt's choice for the Democratic nomination, Otha D. Wearin, and was elected to his first full Senate term. During that term, his conflicts with the Roosevelt Administration expanded, on topics as diverse as the terms of the Neutrality Act,, Roosevelt's pursuit of third and fourth terms, and choices for judgeships.
After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
(where, coincidentally, Gillette's brother Captain Claude Gillette managed the Navy yard), Gillette became "more of an internationalist." Nevertheless, he used his chairmanship on a Senate subcommittee to aggressively challenge the Roosevelt Administration's failure to prepare for the prospect of a Japanese seizure of the source of the nation's rubber imports by developing synthetic farm-based alternatives. Like several others who had opposed Roosevelt's efforts to aid Great Britain
before Pearl Harbor but faced wartime elections, Gillette lost his next race, in 1944, to Iowa Governor and Republican Bourke B. Hickenlooper
.
, prompting the Washington Post and a Life Magazine editorial to quip that the president was confusing the problem of surplus property with the problem of surplus politicians. He took an early dislike to the job, and complained that he was often outvoted by the two other members. After resigning from the Surplus Board in May 1945, he became president of the American League for a Free Palestine, serving until the Committee's work ended with the establishment of the state of Israel
in 1948.
from Iowa's other U.S. Senate seat. In 1951 his Subcommittee on Privileges and Elections conducted an investigation of Wisconsin
Senator Joseph McCarthy's
campaign practices. Gillette served until January 3, 1955, when his own bid for re-election was thwarted when he was defeated by U.S. Representative Thomas E. Martin
of Iowa City. His defeat was considered an upset because it conflicted with earlier polls. For the last time, it left every Iowa seat in Congress in Republican hands.
He retired and resided in Cherokee until his death at age 94 on March 3, 1973, and was interred in Oak Knoll Cemetery.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
U.S. Representative and Senator from Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
. In the U.S. Senate, Gillette was elected, re-elected, defeated, elected again, and defeated again.
Personal background
Born in Cherokee, IowaCherokee, Iowa
Cherokee is a city in Cherokee County, Iowa, United States. The population was 5,932 at the 2010 Census, up from 5,369 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Cherokee County. Cherokee is also the home of the Cherokee Mental Health Institute, under the Iowa Department of Human Services...
, he attended public school and graduated from Drake University Law School
Drake University Law School
Drake University Law School is a fully accredited law school of Drake University, located in Des Moines, Iowa. The school has over 400 full-time students. The school is presently led by Dean Allan Vestal. The most recent edition of US News and World Report's Best Law Schools ranked Drake in the...
in Des Moines in 1900. He was admitted to the bar in 1900 and commenced practice in Cherokee. During the Spanish-American War
Spanish-American War
The Spanish–American War was a conflict in 1898 between Spain and the United States, effectively the result of American intervention in the ongoing Cuban War of Independence...
, he served as a sergeant in the Fifty-second Iowa Regiment in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, but never saw combat. He volunteered to fight against the British in Africa in the Boer War
Boer War
The Boer Wars were two wars fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, the Oranje Vrijstaat and the Republiek van Transvaal ....
, but was turned down.
Returning to Iowa, he engaged in agricultural pursuits and was the city attorney of Cherokee in 1906-1907. He became the prosecuting attorney of Cherokee County
Cherokee County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 12,072 in the county, with a population density of . There were 5,777 housing units, of which 5,207 were occupied.-2000 census:...
from 1907 to 1909 and a member of the Iowa State Senate from 1912 to 1916.
During the First World War, he served as a captain in the United States Army. He ran unsuccessfully for Iowa State Auditor
State auditor
State auditors are executive officers of U.S. states who serve as auditors and comptrollers for state funds....
in 1918, and returned to Cherokee to farm.
Service in the U.S. House, then U.S. Senate (1933–1944)
In 1932, in the Roosevelt landslide, he was elected as a Democrat to represent Iowa's 9th congressional districtIowa's 9th congressional district
Iowa’s 9th congressional district existed from 1873 to 1943. The district was configured four times, first as part of a nine-district plan, then twice in eleven-district plans, then again in a nine-district plan...
, in heavily-Republican northwest Iowa. He was re-elected in 1934, and served nearly all of that term. He resigned upon his election to the United States Senate on November 3, 1936 to serve out the remainder of the term of Senator Richard Louis Murphy, who had died in an auto accident. Nearly two years remained in Murphy's term, which would end January 3, 1939. Although he generally supported the New Deal
New Deal
The New Deal was a series of economic programs implemented in the United States between 1933 and 1936. They were passed by the U.S. Congress during the first term of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The programs were Roosevelt's responses to the Great Depression, and focused on what historians call...
, he opposed the new wage and hours bill, a new farm bill, and aspects of the Social Security
Social Security (United States)
In the United States, Social Security refers to the federal Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program.The original Social Security Act and the current version of the Act, as amended encompass several social welfare and social insurance programs...
system.
In 1938 the Roosevelt Administration targeted Gillette for replacement because of Gillette's vote against Roosevelt's plan to expand the Supreme Court and other positions. He nevertheless defeated Roosevelt's choice for the Democratic nomination, Otha D. Wearin, and was elected to his first full Senate term. During that term, his conflicts with the Roosevelt Administration expanded, on topics as diverse as the terms of the Neutrality Act,, Roosevelt's pursuit of third and fourth terms, and choices for judgeships.
After the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
(where, coincidentally, Gillette's brother Captain Claude Gillette managed the Navy yard), Gillette became "more of an internationalist." Nevertheless, he used his chairmanship on a Senate subcommittee to aggressively challenge the Roosevelt Administration's failure to prepare for the prospect of a Japanese seizure of the source of the nation's rubber imports by developing synthetic farm-based alternatives. Like several others who had opposed Roosevelt's efforts to aid Great Britain
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
before Pearl Harbor but faced wartime elections, Gillette lost his next race, in 1944, to Iowa Governor and Republican Bourke B. Hickenlooper
Bourke B. Hickenlooper
Bourke Blakemore Hickenlooper , was a Republican politician from the US state of Iowa. He was lieutenant governor from 1939 to 1943 and then the 29th Governor of Iowa from 1943 to 1945...
.
Between terms
Within days of Gillette's first defeat, Roosevelt nominated him as the chairman of the three-member Surplus Property BoardSurplus Property Board
The Surplus Property Board was briefly responsible for disposing of $90 billion of surplus war property held by the United States Government in the final year of World War II...
, prompting the Washington Post and a Life Magazine editorial to quip that the president was confusing the problem of surplus property with the problem of surplus politicians. He took an early dislike to the job, and complained that he was often outvoted by the two other members. After resigning from the Surplus Board in May 1945, he became president of the American League for a Free Palestine, serving until the Committee's work ended with the establishment of the state of Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
in 1948.
Return to the Senate (1949–1954)
He made a political comeback in 1948, unseating former governor and U.S. Senator George A. WilsonGeorge A. Wilson
George Allison Wilson was a United States Senator and 28th Governor of Iowa.-Personal background:Born on a farm near Menlo, Iowa, Wilson attended rural schools, and Grinnell College in Grinnell, Iowa. He graduated from the University of Iowa College of Law at Iowa City in 1907, and was admitted to...
from Iowa's other U.S. Senate seat. In 1951 his Subcommittee on Privileges and Elections conducted an investigation of Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
Senator Joseph McCarthy's
Joseph McCarthy
Joseph Raymond "Joe" McCarthy was an American politician who served as a Republican U.S. Senator from the state of Wisconsin from 1947 until his death in 1957...
campaign practices. Gillette served until January 3, 1955, when his own bid for re-election was thwarted when he was defeated by U.S. Representative Thomas E. Martin
Thomas E. Martin
Thomas Ellsworth Martin was a United States Representative and Senator from Iowa. Martin, a Republican, served in Congress for 22 consecutive years, from January 1939 to January 1961....
of Iowa City. His defeat was considered an upset because it conflicted with earlier polls. For the last time, it left every Iowa seat in Congress in Republican hands.
After the Senate
Following his second defeat, Gillette initially remained on Capitol Hill, serving as counsel with the Senate Post Office and Civil Service Committee (from 1955 to 1956) and the Senate Judiciary Committee (from 1956 to 1961).He retired and resided in Cherokee until his death at age 94 on March 3, 1973, and was interred in Oak Knoll Cemetery.