Hugh A. Butler
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Hugh Alfred Butler (February 28, 1878July 1, 1954) was an American Republican politician from
Nebraska Nebraska ( ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders South Dakota to the north; Iowa to the east and Missouri to the southeast, both across the Missouri River; Ka ...
.


Life and career

Hugh Butler was born on a farm near
Missouri Valley, Iowa Missouri Valley is a city in Harrison County, Iowa, United States. The population was 2,678 at the time of the 2020 census. History Originally, Missouri Valley was known as St. John's (Findley or Old St. Johns), and established in 1856. This ...
on February 28, 1878. He graduated from
Doane College Doane University is a private university in Crete, Nebraska. It has additional campuses in Lincoln and Omaha. Established in 1872, Doane is the oldest private university in the state of Nebraska. History Doane College was founded on July 11, ...
at
Crete, Nebraska Crete is the most populous city of Saline County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 7,099 at the 2020 census. The city is home to Doane University. History The railroad reached Crete in 1870, attracting new settlers. In 1871, two c ...
in 1900, where, in 1897, he founded the Alpha Omega Fraternity. Butler toiled as a
construction engineer Construction engineering, also known as construction operations, is a professional subdiscipline of civil engineering that deals with the designing, planning, construction, and operations management of infrastructure such as roadways, tunnels, bri ...
with the
Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad was a railroad that operated in the Midwest, Midwestern United States. Commonly referred to as the Burlington Route, the Burlington, CB&Q, or as the Q, it operated extensive trackage in the states of ...
from 1900 to 1908. He entered politics as a member of the city board of
Curtis, Nebraska Curtis is a city in Frontier County, Nebraska, United States. The population was 939 at the 2010 census. Description Curtis describes itself as "Nebraska's Easter City", and presents an annual pageant on Palm Sunday. The Nebraska College of ...
from 1908 to 1913 and as a member of the board of education of
Omaha, Nebraska Omaha ( ) is the List of cities in Nebraska, most populous city in the U.S. state of Nebraska. It is located in the Midwestern United States along the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's List of United S ...
. Meanwhile, from 1908 to 1940, Butler worked in flour-milling and in the grain business. Hugh Butler became a member of the
Republican National Committee The Republican National Committee (RNC) is the primary committee of the Republican Party of the United States. Its members are chosen by the state delegations at the national convention every four years. It is responsible for developing and pr ...
in 1936 and served until 1940 when he was elected to the
United States Senate The United States Senate is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and ...
. He was reelected twice, in 1946 and 1952. Butler served as the chairman of the Committee on Public Lands in the
Eightieth United States Congress The 80th United States Congress was a meeting of the legislative branch of the United States federal government, composed of the United States Senate and the United States House of Representatives. It met in Washington, D.C. from January 3, 1947 ...
(1947 to 1949) and as the chairman of the Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs in the Eighty-third United States Congress. A steadfast opponent of statehood for the
Alaska Territory The Territory of Alaska or Alaska Territory was an organized incorporated territory of the United States from August 24, 1912, until Alaska was granted statehood on January 3, 1959. The territory was previously Russian America, 1784–1867; th ...
during most of his career in the Senate, he changed his mind during the last few months of his life. Butler died in office on the night of July 1, 1954, following a stroke that had occurred earlier in the day. Butler and his Nebraska colleague, Senator Kenneth Wherry, are best known for an intense opposition to international activities by the government, including entry into World War II, the Cold War, and the Korea War. He reflected the isolationism of the large
German-American German Americans (, ) are Americans who have full or partial German ancestry. According to the United States Census Bureau's figures from 2022, German Americans make up roughly 41 million people in the US, which is approximately 12% of the pop ...
element in Nebraska. He vigorously opposed any loans or aid to Europe, including the Marshall Plan. He did not believe that the Soviet Union threatened Nebraska's interest, and he strongly opposed the
Truman Doctrine The Truman Doctrine is a Foreign policy of the United States, U.S. foreign policy that pledges American support for democratic nations against Authoritarianism, authoritarian threats. The doctrine originated with the primary goal of countering ...
, and NATO. Whatever the issue, he could be counted on as a strong opponent of the
Presidency of Harry Truman Harry S. Truman's tenure as the List of presidents of the United States, 33rd president of the United States began on April 12, 1945, upon the death of President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and ended on January 20, 1953. He had been Vice President ...
.Bernard Lemelin, "Isolationist Voices in the Truman Era: Nebraska Senators Hugh Butler and Kenneth Wherry." ''Great Plains Quarterly'' 37.2 (2017): 83-109. Robert B. Crosby, governor of Nebraska at the time of Butler's death, appointed Samuel Williams Reynolds to fill his seat.


See also

*
List of United States Congress members who died in office (1950–99) There are several lists of United States Congress members who died in office. These include: *List of United States Congress members who died in office (1790–1899) *List of United States Congress members who died in office (1900–1949) *List ...


References


Sources

# Bernard Lemelin, "Isolationist Voices in the Truman Era: Nebraska Senators Hugh Butler and Kenneth Wherry." ''Great Plains Quarterly'' 37.2 (2017): 83-109. # # *


External links

* at
Nebraska State Historical Society Nebraska State Historical Society, formerly History Nebraska, is a Nebraska state agency, founded in 1878 to "encourage historical research and inquiry, spread historical information ... and to embrace alike aboriginal and modern history." It w ...
{{DEFAULTSORT:Butler, Hugh Alfred 1878 births 1954 deaths People from Harrison County, Iowa Politicians from Omaha, Nebraska Republican Party United States senators from Nebraska Nebraska city council members School board members in Nebraska Nebraska Republicans American civil engineers Doane University alumni 20th-century American engineers 20th-century United States senators