Ray John Madden (February 25, 1892 – September 28, 1987) was an American lawyer and

World War I World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

veteran who served 17 terms as a

United States representative The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

from

Indiana Indiana ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the Midwestern United States, Midwestern region of the United States. It borders Lake Michigan to the northwest, Michigan to the north and northeast, Ohio to the east, the Ohio River and Kentucky to the s ...

from 1943 to 1977.

Early life and education

He was born in

Waseca, Minnesota Waseca ( ) is a city in Waseca County, Minnesota, Waseca County, Minnesota, United States. The population was 9,229 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. It is the county seat. Geography According to the United States Census Bureau, t ...

. He attended the public schools and Sacred Heart Academy in his native city. He graduated from the law department of

Creighton University Creighton University () is a private research university in Omaha, Nebraska, United States. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1878, the university is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. In 2015 the university enrolled 8,393 graduate ...

with an LL.B. in 1913 and was admitted to the bar the same year and commenced practice in

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 ...

Political career

Madden was elected as a municipal judge in Omaha in 1916. He resigned during the

First World War World War I or the First World War (28 July 1914 – 11 November 1918), also known as the Great War, was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War I, Allies (or Entente) and the Central Powers. Fighting to ...

to serve in the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

. After the war, he was engaged in the practice of law in

Gary, Indiana Gary ( ) is a city in Lake County, Indiana, United States. The population was 69,093 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, making it Indiana's List of municipalities in Indiana, eleventh-most populous city. The city has been historical ...

. He was the city comptroller of Gary from 1935–1938 and the treasurer of

Lake County, Indiana Lake County is a county (United States), county located in the U.S. state of Indiana. In 2020, its population was 498,700, making it Indiana's List of counties in Indiana, second-most populous county. The county seat is Crown Point, Indiana, C ...

from 1938–1942. He was a delegate to every

Democratic National Convention The Democratic National Convention (DNC) is a series of presidential nominating conventions held every four years since 1832 by the United States Democratic Party. They have been administered by the Democratic National Committee since the 18 ...

from 1940 through 1968.

Congress

He was elected as a

Democrat Democrat, Democrats, or Democratic may refer to: Politics *A proponent of democracy, or democratic government; a form of government involving rule by the people. *A member of a Democratic Party: **Democratic Party (Cyprus) (DCY) **Democratic Part ...

to the Seventy-eighth and to the sixteen succeeding Congresses (January 3, 1943 – January 3, 1977). While in Congress, he served as a co-chairman of the Joint Committee on Organization of Congress (Eighty-ninth and Ninetieth Congresses), and chairman of the Committee on Rules (Ninety-third and Ninety-fourth Congresses). He was an unsuccessful candidate for renomination in 1976 to the Ninety-fifth Congress.

Madden Committee

On September 18, 1951, the

United States House of Representatives The United States House of Representatives is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the lower house, with the U.S. Senate being the upper house. Together, the House and Senate have the authority under Artic ...

established the Select Committee to Conduct an Investigation and Study of the Facts, Evidence, and Circumstances of the

Katyn Forest Massacre The Katyn massacre was a series of mass executions of nearly 22,000 Polish military and police officers, border guards, and intelligentsia prisoners of war carried out by the Soviet Union, specifically the NKVD (the Soviet secret police), at J ...

, known as the Madden Committee after its chairman. The purpose was to determine which nation was responsible for the atrocities and whether any American officials had engaged in covering up the massacre. The committee ruled unanimously that the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

was responsible for the executions, recommending a trial before the International World Court of Justice. The question of an American cover-up was more complicated. On this issue, the committee concluded that American officials failed to properly evaluate and act upon Russian behavior evident as early as 1942. The committee also determined that American policy toward the Soviet Union might have been different if information had not been deliberately withheld from the public.

National Archives and Records Administration The National Archives and Records Administration (NARA) is an independent agency of the United States government within the executive branch, charged with the preservation and documentation of government and historical records. It is also task ...

, documents related to Committee to Investigate and Study the Facts, Evidence, and Circumstances of the Katyn Forest Massacre (1951–52
online
, last accessed on 14 April 2010. Also, Select Committee of the US Congress final report: "The Katyn Forest Massacre", House Report No. 2505, 82nd Congress, 2nd Session (22 December 1952
online pdf

unofficial reproduction of the relevant parts
.

Retirement and death

After leaving Congress, he was a resident of

Washington, D.C. Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly known as Washington or D.C., is the capital city and federal district of the United States. The city is on the Potomac River, across from Virginia, and shares land borders with ...

, until his death there. He was buried in

Arlington National Cemetery Arlington National Cemetery is the largest cemetery in the United States National Cemetery System, one of two maintained by the United States Army. More than 400,000 people are buried in its 639 acres (259 ha) in Arlington County, Virginia. ...

Electoral history

References

Retrieved on 2008-01-15 {{DEFAULTSORT:Madden, Ray J. 1892 births 1987 deaths Creighton University alumni Nebraska state court judges Politicians from Gary, Indiana People from Waseca, Minnesota Politicians from Omaha, Nebraska Politicians from Washington, D.C. Military personnel from Omaha, Nebraska United States Navy personnel of World War I Burials at Arlington National Cemetery Democratic Party members of the United States House of Representatives from Indiana 20th-century American judges 20th-century members of the United States House of Representatives