Lucas, Scott Wike, 1892-1968

Scott Lucas
The "Paper Majority" Leader

In 1949, Look magazine polled 100 Washington correspondents for their views on the 81st Congress, which had convened earlier that year. The question, "Which senator contributes the most to the country's welfare?," drew a near-unanimous response: Robert A. Taft, the Republican Conference chairman. In contrast, the reporters did not even list the new Democratic majority leader, Scott W. Lucas, among the top 25 most powerful senators. Lucas did rank highly in one respect—he won the category, "best dressed senator." Known for his double-breasted suits and homburg hats, the "farmer's son" from Illinois maintained a dapper, "well groomed" appearance even under the most trying of circumstances.

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