Wayne Morse: A Political Biography by Mason Drukman

Abstract

Mar might also say more about feministtheorists who have analyzed how physical aggression often reinforces male dominance. In the end, Peterson delMar makes a plea for thebig picture: "Larger stories and patterns of dominance and abuse are easily overlooked when violence becomes the solitaryor primary lens through which social problems are assessed" (p. 173).The samemight be said of this interest ingyet partial history. Wayne Morse: A Political Biography ByMason Drukman Oregon Historical Society Press, Portland, 2003. Illustrations, notes, bibliography, index. 557 pages. $18.00 paper. Reviewed byDavid H. Stratton Washington State University,Pullman Publishers are often reluctant to ac ceptmanuscripts of political biographies that exceed fivehundred pages in length.Like wise, some journal editorsbalk at granting eight hundred words forthe reviewof anybook. This biography of Oregon's Wayne Morse breaks both of these common ground rules, raising the question of whether it isworthy of such double-barreled special treatment. The answer is a slightly qualified yes.Regardless of thisparticu lar account's merits, however, Morse himself has notable historical significancefortwo reasons: as a prime example of thedistinctive character of PacificNorthwest politics and forhis influence in national affairs, especially as a U.S. senator from 1945 to 1969. On the firstpoint,Morse ? who grew up in Wisconsin, where hewas thoroughly imbued with Robert M. La Follette's progressive ideals ? was a perfectmatch forOregon, with its Populist-Progressive legacy of independent ac tion and disregard forparty labels. First elected to the Senate as a Republican in 1944,Morse turned his back on the Eisenhower-Nixon ticketof 1952,soon lefttheRepublican party,and emerged officiallyas an Independent. Prior to the election of 1956he became aDemocrat and was reelectedwith that label.No matter what party flag he flew,however, he remained highly principled, frequentlyembroiled in controversy, and always a maverick who battled alike with fellow senators, presidents, and members of his own Oregon Democratic congressional del egation. In particular, he vociferously opposed President Lyndon B. Johnson's conduct of the Vietnam War, gaining distinction as one of only two senatorswho voted against theTonkin Gulf war authorization resolution of 1964.Finally,by 1968,he had stirredup toomany arguments and waged too many battles and was defeated for reelection byRepublican Robert Packwood. Before he entered the Senate, Morse had gained national recognition at theUniversity of Oregon as theyoungest law school dean in the country,as a highly effectivelabormediator, and as thedominantmember of the NationalWar La bor Board during World War II.As a senator,he made major contributions on legislation involv ingeducation, public power, labor relations,and foreignaffairs. He had a scrupulous regardforthe constitutional separation of powers, especially the limitationsplaced on presidential authority. Similar constitutional convictions made him an outspoken opponent ofMcCarthyism and a natural supporterof civil rights measures. Morse also gained renown forfrequentfloor speeches, heated debates, record-setting filibusters, and parliamentarymaneuvers toblock proposals he considered undesirable, such as thenomination ofClare Boothe Luce as ambassador toBrazil. Reviews 637 At thebeginning of thisbook,Mason Druk man states that it is a straightforwardpolitical biography without any attempt to probe such thingsaspsychohistory innuendoes of childhood influences on the man. Then, however, he pro ceeds toprovide abundant, detailed information onMorse's earlyaswell as lateryears that would delight anypsychologist.Accordingly, thisstudy isfar more than a political biography; itiscloser to a full-fledgedaccount of Wayne Morse's life, fromhis hardscrabble ruralboyhood in Wiscon sin tonational prominence. Throughout, Druk man emphasizes Morse's maverick disposition, which was energized by long-held convictions going back to his youth. Contentious qualities are not overlooked. An ambitious, hard-driving workaholic, Morse made fewclose friends,often neglected his family,overworked his staff,and indulged inonly one hobby ? fine horses. His daily life,according to the author, "overflowed" with people who were fairgame forverbal attacks because of his disapproval, suspicion, or con tempt (p. 300). Yet few ever questioned Morse's superior intellector devout liberalism. The earlierqualified yes on the merits of this Morse biography involvesprimarilycertainparts thatcould have been shortened by theauthor or his editorwithout doing appreciable harm to the narrative. In particular, chapter 9, which at sixtypages is twice as long asmost of theother chapters, covers in excessive detail the long, and finally soured, relationship with Senator Richard Neuberger ofOregon. One of the most intriguingaspects of thebook...