Robert S. Hale | |||
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Former U.S. Representative from Maine's 1st Congressional District From: January 3, 1943 – January 3, 1959 | |||
Predecessor | James C. Oliver | ||
Successor | James C. Oliver | ||
Former Speaker of the Maine House of Representatives From: 1929–1930 | |||
Predecessor | Burleigh Martin | ||
Successor | E. D. Merrill | ||
Former State Representative from Maine From: 1926–1930 | |||
Predecessor | ??? | ||
Successor | ??? | ||
Information | |||
Party | Republican | ||
Spouse(s) | Agnes B. Burke | ||
Religion | Congregationalist[1] | ||
Military Service | |||
Allegiance | United States | ||
Service/branch | United States Army | ||
Service Years | 1917–1919 | ||
Rank | Second Lieutenant | ||
Battles/wars | World War I |
Robert S.[1] Hale (November 29, 1889 – November 30, 1976) was a conservative Republican from Maine who served as a state representative and U.S. representative from the 1920s to the 1950s. A self-described reactionary and advocate of civil rights,[2] Hale was particularly known in the 1920s for his opposition to the state Ku Klux Klan.
He was the first cousin of Maine U.S. senator Frederick Hale, who shared many political viewpoints.
Hale was born in Portland, Maine to Clarence Hale and the former Margaret Jordan Rollins. After graduating from Portland High School in 1906, he attended several universities, including Harvard Law School. Hale was admitted to the state bar in 1917.
During World War I, Hale participated in the United States Army and achieved the rank of Second Lieutenant. Stationed overseas, he served from 1917 to 1919.
After a failed bid for the House in the 1940 GOP primaries against James C. Oliver,[3] Hale was successful the second time around in the following election cycle, ousting Oliver by a landslide for the party nomination.[4] Hale then won the general election against Democrat Louis J. Brann[5] and proceeded to be re-elected seven times.[6]
Throughout his tenure, Hale was a sharp critic of Democrat presidential administrations.[7] He opposed the foreign policy of Harry S. Truman regarding Asia and even advocated for Truman's impeachment in 1952. Hale also criticized Wendell Willkie in 1943 for:[8]
“ | ...shooting off his face about India. | ” |
Along with the rest of the Maine congressional delegation, Hale voted for the House passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1957.[9]
In the 1956 elections, Hale only won re-election by a margin of only twenty-nine votes against Republican-turned-Democrat former intraparty rival Oliver.[10] He was ultimately defeated by Oliver in the 1958 midterms.[7][11]
Categories: [Maine] [Republicans] [Former United States Representatives] [Conservatives] [Civil Rights] [Patriots] [Congregationalists] [United States Army] [World War I]