Keen Johnson
Encyclopedia
Keen Johnson was the 45th Governor of Kentucky
, serving from 1939 to 1943. He remains the only journalist to have served in that capacity. After serving in World War I, Johnson purchased and edited the Elizabethtown
Mirror. After reviving the struggling paper, he sold it to a competitor and used the profits to obtain his journalism degree from the University of Kentucky
in 1922. After graduation, he became editor of the Anderson
News, and in 1925, he accepted an offer to co-publish and edit the Richmond
Daily-Register.
In 1935, Johnson was chosen as the Democratic
nominee for lieutenant governor
. He was elected and served under Governor A. B. "Happy" Chandler
from 1935 to 1939. He had already secured the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in 1939 when Chandler resigned and elevated him to governor so that he could appoint Chandler to the Senate
seat vacated by the death of M. M. Logan
. He went on to win a full term in the general election, defeating Republican
King Swope
. Johnson's desire to expand the state's social services was hampered by World War II. Nevertheless, he ran a fiscally conservative administration and took the state from being $7 million in debt to having a surplus of $10 million by the end of his term.
Following his term as governor, Johnson joined Reynolds Metals
as a special assistant to the president. He continued his employment with Reynolds until 1961. He took a year-long leave of absence
in 1946 to accept President
Harry S. Truman
's appointment as the first U.S. Undersecretary of Labor, serving under Lewis B. Schwellenbach
. He unsuccessfully ran for a seat in the U.S. Senate in 1960, losing to Republican John Sherman Cooper. He died February 7, 1970, and was buried in Richmond Cemetery in Richmond, Kentucky.
on January 12, 1896. He was the only son of Reverend Robert and Mattie (Holloway) Johnson. He was named for John S. Keen, a family friend from Adair County
. The Johnsons also had two daughters—Catherine (Keturah) and Christine. Robert Johnson was a Methodist
minister, and the family moved often as a result of his occupation.
After completing his elementary education in the public schools, Johnson attended preparatory school at Vanderbilt Preparatory School for Boys, a Methodist institution in Elkton, Kentucky
. He finished his preparatory coursework in 1914 and matriculated to Central Methodist College in Fayette, Missouri
. He had intended to continue his studies at the University of Missouri
School of Journalism, but his studies were interrupted by World War I.
Johnson enlisted in the Army
and after basic training
, he entered officer training
at Fort Riley
on May 15, 1917. In August 1917, he was appointed a second lieutenant
and assigned to the 354th Infantry, 89th Division of the American Expeditionary Force
at Camp Funston
. He was promoted to first lieutenant
on March 29, 1918 and on June 4, 1918, he was deployed to France, where he studied logistical communications at the Army School of the Line and Staff College. He remained in Europe with the American Expeditionary Force until April 1919, and was honorably discharged from the Army on October 31, 1919.
While still completing his military training, Johnson married Eunice Nichols on June 23, 1917. Their only child, a daughter named Judith, was born May 19, 1927. Upon his return from military service, Johnson purchased the Elizabethtown
Mirror with financial assistance from his father. He built the struggling paper almost from the ground up, and a competitor soon bought him out for a profit. Johnson used the profit from the sale of the Mirror to continue his education at the University of Kentucky
. While a student, he worked as a reporter for the Lexington
Herald. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism in 1922. The university would later award him an honorary
Doctor of Laws in 1940.
After graduation, Johnson purchased half ownership of the Anderson
News and served as the paper's editor and publisher. In 1925, Shelton M. Saufley asked Johnson to partner with him in a joint venture to purchase the Richmond
Daily Register. Lured by the idea of publishing a daily paper, Johnson accepted. As a result of one of his editorials, Johnson was named executive secretary of the State Democratic Central Committee in 1932. He continued to hold this position and publish the Register through 1939.
. In the primary
, he received more votes than his opponents, J. E. Wise and B. F. Wright. However, a newly-enacted election law required a runoff if no candidate received a majority
. On September 7, Johnson defeated Wise in the runoff.
In the gubernatorial primary, A. B. "Happy" Chandler
defeated Tom Rhea, the candidate favored by sitting governor Ruby Laffoon
. Johnson had also favored Rhea, as well as backing Robert T. Crowe over J. C. W. Beckham
, Chandler's choice in the 1927 Democratic primary. Nevertheless, the two put aside their differences and won the general election. Chandler defeated Republican
King Swope
by over 95,000 votes, and Johnson defeated J. J. Kavanaugh by over 100,000 votes.
announced he would challenge Johnson in the primary. This solidified the Chandler faction's support, as Brown was an outspoken critic of the Chandler administration. Brown gained the support of other Chandler critics, notably former governor Ruby Laffoon, Thomas Rhea, Earle C. Clements
, and Alben Barkley. He further garnered the support of the United Mine Workers
and labor boss John L. Lewis
. It was to no avail, however, as Johnson defeated Brown in the primary by over 33,000 votes to secure the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.
The Republicans chose King Swope
, the loser in the 1935 gubernatorial election, to oppose Johnson. In the middle of the campaign, however, Johnson was elevated to governor. United States Senator M. M. Logan
died in October 1939, and Governor Happy Chandler
resigned so that Johnson—thus elevated to governor—could appoint him to the vacant seat. In the general election on November 17, Johnson defeated Swope 460,834 votes to 354,704 for a full term as governor.
In his inaugural address, Johnson promised to be "a saving, thrifty, frugal governor". His policies helped him eliminate the state's debt of $7 million and left the treasury with a surplus of $10 million by the end of his term. It was the first time the state had a surplus since the administration of J. C. W. Beckham
in 1903. Johnson accomplished the surplus without any tax increases.
Not all in Johnson's party were happy with his approach to governing; one critic noted, "Old Keen frugaled here and frugaled there till he damn near frugaled us to death." Louisville Courier-Journal writer Howard Henderson wrote several stories exposing corruption in Johnson's administration, including a significant one dealing with laundry contracts. Hubert Meredith, Johnson's politically ambitious attorney general, freely aired his concerns about the administration, gaining from the publicity generated. Historian James Klotter opined "It is doubtful whether Johnson's administration had any more political scandal than others, but the publicity made it seem that way."
In the 1940 legislative session, he successfully lobbied the General Assembly
to allocate money to a teacher retirement system that had previously been authorized but left unfunded. Despite his fiscally conservative nature, he increased funds to programs to assist the elderly by $1 million per year. Other accomplishments of the session included the provision of pensions for justices on the Kentucky Court of Appeals
, creation of soil conservation districts in the state, and banning the sale of marijuana.
Johnson's primary interest lay in improving the state's mental and penal institutions. These improvements began under Governor Chandler, and while he stated that the mental hospitals and prisons were in their best condition in forty years by the end of his term, he was disappointed that he was not able to do more. In light of the financial obligations brought about by World War II, he had to curb state construction.
In the 1941 legislative session, Johnson vetoed a measure allowing the sale of alcoholic beverages to surrounding states, even those with laws forbidding alcohol sales. The bill was very popular, and was supported by many of the state's powerful special interests. It had passed the Kentucky House of Representatives
by a vote of 84–0 and the Kentucky Senate
by a vote of 31–3. After Johnson's veto, however, the House reversed itself, voting 86–3 to sustain the veto.
In the 1942 legislative session, Johnson stressed the importance of allowing Kentucky cities to purchase and distribute power from the Tennessee Valley Authority
. In an address to the Assembly, Johnson declared, "I have never had a stronger conviction on a question of public policy... The principle involved is as correct as the Ten Commandments
." The Assembly passed the necessary legislation as Johnson requested.
A major accomplishment of the Johnson administration was the passage of a legislative redistricting bill. Despite the fact that the U.S. Constitution
requires redistricting after every decennial census
, Kentucky's legislative districts had remained virtually unchanged between 1893 and 1941. He asked the 1942 legislative session to adjourn early so he could call a special session for the sole purpose of considering a redistricting bill. The legislators obliged, and passed a bill by the end of the special session.
Johnson took an active part in the Democratic gubernatorial primary in 1943. Among the candidates were Ben Kilgore, Rodes K. Myers
, and J. Lyter Donaldson
. Myers was Johnson's lieutenant governor, but he had turned on the administration. Johnson called him a carpetbagger
from North Carolina
, "a political adventurer", and "a phony farmer". He also ridiculed Kilgore, who had strong support from the Louisville Courier-Journal, the Rural Electric Association, and the Farm Bureau, by calling him a "Casanova". Donaldson, Johnson's former campaign manager, secured his support and the Democratic nomination. He was defeated in the general election by Republican Simeon Willis.
) a position he held for eight years. On January 1, 1944, he was named a special assistant to the president of Reynolds Metals
, advising him on postwar unemployment problems. He became vice-president of public relations for the company in 1945.
Because of his rapport with union leaders, President
Harry S. Truman
and Kentucky senator Alben Barkley asked Johnson to accept an appointment to the newly-created post of Undersecretary of Labor
in 1946. In August 1946, Johnson took a leave of absence
from Reynolds and accepted the appointment. He frequently attended President Truman's cabinet meetings due to the illness of Secretary
Lewis B. Schwellenbach
.
In mid-1947, Johnson returned to Reynolds. In 1950, he became a member of the company's board of directors. In this capacity, he organized meetings of sales executives and traveled extensively to promote the company's aluminum products. He retired from Reynolds in January 1961.
In 1960, Johnson sought a seat in the U.S. Senate. He defeated John Y. Brown, Sr. in the Democratic primary, but was unable to unseat Republican incumbent John Sherman Cooper in the general election. In 1961 and 1964, he was appointed to the state board of education. He served as a delegate to an assembly to revise the state constitution
in 1964. In 1965, the University of Kentucky honored him with a Centennial Award and inducted him into its Hall of Distinguished Alumni. He died February 7, 1970 in Richmond, Kentucky, and is buried in Richmond Cemetery.
Governor of Kentucky
The Governor of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is the head of the executive branch of government in the U.S. state of Kentucky. Fifty-six men and one woman have served as Governor of Kentucky. The governor's term is four years in length; since 1992, incumbents have been able to seek re-election once...
, serving from 1939 to 1943. He remains the only journalist to have served in that capacity. After serving in World War I, Johnson purchased and edited the Elizabethtown
Elizabethtown, Kentucky
Elizabethtown is a city in and the county seat of Hardin County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 28,531 at the 2010 census, making it the eleventh-largest city in the state...
Mirror. After reviving the struggling paper, he sold it to a competitor and used the profits to obtain his journalism degree from the University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
in 1922. After graduation, he became editor of the Anderson
Anderson County, Kentucky
Anderson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1827. In 2010 the population was 21,421. Its county seat is Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. The county is named for Richard Clough Anderson, Jr., a Kentucky Legislator, U.S...
News, and in 1925, he accepted an offer to co-publish and edit the Richmond
Richmond, Kentucky
There were 10,795 households out of which 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.2% were married couples living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.6% were non-families. Of all households, 34.7% were made up of individuals and 8.8% had...
Daily-Register.
In 1935, Johnson was chosen as the Democratic
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
nominee for lieutenant governor
Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky
The office of lieutenant governor of Kentucky has existed under the last three of Kentucky's four constitutions, beginning in 1797. The lieutenant governor serves as governor of Kentucky under circumstances similar to the Vice President of the United States assuming the powers of the presidency...
. He was elected and served under Governor A. B. "Happy" Chandler
Happy Chandler
Albert Benjamin "Happy" Chandler, Sr. was a politician from the US state of Kentucky. He represented the state in the U.S. Senate and served as its 44th and 49th governor. Aside from his political positions, he also served as the second Commissioner of Major League Baseball from 1945 to 1951 and...
from 1935 to 1939. He had already secured the Democratic gubernatorial nomination in 1939 when Chandler resigned and elevated him to governor so that he could appoint Chandler to the Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
seat vacated by the death of M. M. Logan
M. M. Logan
Marvel Mills Logan , a Democrat, served as a member of the United States Senate from Kentucky.Mills was born on a farm near Brownsville, Edmonson County, Kentucky. He taught school for two years and also conducted a training school for teachers. He then studied law and was admitted to the bar in...
. He went on to win a full term in the general election, defeating Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
King Swope
King Swope
King Swope was a United States Representative from Kentucky. He was born in Danville, Kentucky. He attended the common schools and was graduated from Centre College, Danville, Kentucky in 1914 and from the law department of the University of Kentucky at Lexington in 1916...
. Johnson's desire to expand the state's social services was hampered by World War II. Nevertheless, he ran a fiscally conservative administration and took the state from being $7 million in debt to having a surplus of $10 million by the end of his term.
Following his term as governor, Johnson joined Reynolds Metals
Reynolds Metals
Reynolds Group Holdings is an American packaging company with its roots in the Reynolds Metals Company, was the second largest aluminum company in the United States, and the third largest in the world...
as a special assistant to the president. He continued his employment with Reynolds until 1961. He took a year-long leave of absence
Leave of absence
Leave of absence is a term used to describe a period of time that one is to be away from his/her primary job, while maintaining the status of employee...
in 1946 to accept President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
's appointment as the first U.S. Undersecretary of Labor, serving under Lewis B. Schwellenbach
Lewis B. Schwellenbach
Lewis Baxter Schwellenbach , was an American lawyer, politician, and judge. He was born in Superior, Wisconsin.-Early life:When Schwellenbach was eight years old, his family moved to Spokane, Washington...
. He unsuccessfully ran for a seat in the U.S. Senate in 1960, losing to Republican John Sherman Cooper. He died February 7, 1970, and was buried in Richmond Cemetery in Richmond, Kentucky.
Early life
Keen Johnson was born in a two-room cabin in Brandon's Chapel in Lyon County, KentuckyLyon County, Kentucky
Lyon County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2000, the population was 8,080. Its county seat is Eddyville. Created from Caldwell County, Kentucky in 1854, the county was named for former Congressman Chittenden Lyon....
on January 12, 1896. He was the only son of Reverend Robert and Mattie (Holloway) Johnson. He was named for John S. Keen, a family friend from Adair County
Adair County, Kentucky
Adair County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. As of 2010, the population is 18,656. Its county seat is Columbia, Kentucky. The county is named for John Adair, then Speaker of the House in Kentucky and later Governor of Kentucky ....
. The Johnsons also had two daughters—Catherine (Keturah) and Christine. Robert Johnson was a Methodist
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
minister, and the family moved often as a result of his occupation.
After completing his elementary education in the public schools, Johnson attended preparatory school at Vanderbilt Preparatory School for Boys, a Methodist institution in Elkton, Kentucky
Elkton, Kentucky
Elkton is a city in and the county seat of Todd County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 1,984 at the 2000 census. The city was founded by Major John Gray...
. He finished his preparatory coursework in 1914 and matriculated to Central Methodist College in Fayette, Missouri
Fayette, Missouri
Fayette is a city in Howard County, Missouri, United States. The population was 2,793 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Howard County. It is in the Columbia, Missouri Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
. He had intended to continue his studies at the University of Missouri
University of Missouri
The University of Missouri System is a state university system providing centralized administration for four universities, a health care system, an extension program, five research and technology parks, and a publishing press. More than 64,000 students are currently enrolled at its four campuses...
School of Journalism, but his studies were interrupted by World War I.
Johnson enlisted in the Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
and after basic training
United States Army Basic Training
United States Army Basic Training is the program of physical and mental training required in order for an individual to become a soldier in the United States Army, United States Army Reserve, or Army National Guard. It is carried out at several different Army posts around the United States...
, he entered officer training
Officer training
Officer training refers to the training that most military officers must complete before acquiring an officer rank. A potential recruit becomes an officer cadet, someone in training. An officer in training can either be trained in a military college like West Point, or taken from the enlisted ranks...
at Fort Riley
Fort Riley
Fort Riley is a United States Army installation located in Northeast Kansas, on the Kansas River, between Junction City and Manhattan. The Fort Riley Military Reservation covers 100,656 acres in Geary and Riley counties and includes two census-designated places: Fort Riley North and Fort...
on May 15, 1917. In August 1917, he was appointed a second lieutenant
Second Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces.- United Kingdom and Commonwealth :The rank second lieutenant was introduced throughout the British Army in 1871 to replace the rank of ensign , although it had long been used in the Royal Artillery, Royal...
and assigned to the 354th Infantry, 89th Division of the American Expeditionary Force
American Expeditionary Force
The American Expeditionary Forces or AEF were the United States Armed Forces sent to Europe in World War I. During the United States campaigns in World War I the AEF fought in France alongside British and French allied forces in the last year of the war, against Imperial German forces...
at Camp Funston
Camp Funston
Camp Funston is located on Fort Riley, and is located southwest of Manhattan, Kansas. The camp was named for Brigadier General Frederick Funston . Camp Funston was one of sixteen Divisional Cantonment Training Camps established at the outbreak of World War I...
. He was promoted to first lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
on March 29, 1918 and on June 4, 1918, he was deployed to France, where he studied logistical communications at the Army School of the Line and Staff College. He remained in Europe with the American Expeditionary Force until April 1919, and was honorably discharged from the Army on October 31, 1919.
While still completing his military training, Johnson married Eunice Nichols on June 23, 1917. Their only child, a daughter named Judith, was born May 19, 1927. Upon his return from military service, Johnson purchased the Elizabethtown
Elizabethtown, Kentucky
Elizabethtown is a city in and the county seat of Hardin County, Kentucky, United States. The population was 28,531 at the 2010 census, making it the eleventh-largest city in the state...
Mirror with financial assistance from his father. He built the struggling paper almost from the ground up, and a competitor soon bought him out for a profit. Johnson used the profit from the sale of the Mirror to continue his education at the University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
. While a student, he worked as a reporter for the Lexington
Lexington, Kentucky
Lexington is the second-largest city in Kentucky and the 63rd largest in the US. Known as the "Thoroughbred City" and the "Horse Capital of the World", it is located in the heart of Kentucky's Bluegrass region...
Herald. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism in 1922. The university would later award him an honorary
Honorary degree
An honorary degree or a degree honoris causa is an academic degree for which a university has waived the usual requirements, such as matriculation, residence, study, and the passing of examinations...
Doctor of Laws in 1940.
After graduation, Johnson purchased half ownership of the Anderson
Anderson County, Kentucky
Anderson County is a county located in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It was formed in 1827. In 2010 the population was 21,421. Its county seat is Lawrenceburg, Kentucky. The county is named for Richard Clough Anderson, Jr., a Kentucky Legislator, U.S...
News and served as the paper's editor and publisher. In 1925, Shelton M. Saufley asked Johnson to partner with him in a joint venture to purchase the Richmond
Richmond, Kentucky
There were 10,795 households out of which 24.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 35.2% were married couples living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 48.6% were non-families. Of all households, 34.7% were made up of individuals and 8.8% had...
Daily Register. Lured by the idea of publishing a daily paper, Johnson accepted. As a result of one of his editorials, Johnson was named executive secretary of the State Democratic Central Committee in 1932. He continued to hold this position and publish the Register through 1939.
Political career
In 1935, Johnson was one of three contenders for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governorLieutenant Governor of Kentucky
The office of lieutenant governor of Kentucky has existed under the last three of Kentucky's four constitutions, beginning in 1797. The lieutenant governor serves as governor of Kentucky under circumstances similar to the Vice President of the United States assuming the powers of the presidency...
. In the primary
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
, he received more votes than his opponents, J. E. Wise and B. F. Wright. However, a newly-enacted election law required a runoff if no candidate received a majority
Majority
A majority is a subset of a group consisting of more than half of its members. This can be compared to a plurality, which is a subset larger than any other subset; i.e. a plurality is not necessarily a majority as the largest subset may consist of less than half the group's population...
. On September 7, Johnson defeated Wise in the runoff.
In the gubernatorial primary, A. B. "Happy" Chandler
Happy Chandler
Albert Benjamin "Happy" Chandler, Sr. was a politician from the US state of Kentucky. He represented the state in the U.S. Senate and served as its 44th and 49th governor. Aside from his political positions, he also served as the second Commissioner of Major League Baseball from 1945 to 1951 and...
defeated Tom Rhea, the candidate favored by sitting governor Ruby Laffoon
Ruby Laffoon
Ruby Laffoon was a politician from the U.S. state of Kentucky. He was the state's 43rd governor, serving from 1931 to 1935. At age 17, Laffoon moved to Washington, D.C. to live with his uncle, U.S. Representative Polk Laffoon...
. Johnson had also favored Rhea, as well as backing Robert T. Crowe over J. C. W. Beckham
J. C. W. Beckham
John Crepps Wickliffe Beckham was the 35th Governor of Kentucky and a United States Senator from Kentucky...
, Chandler's choice in the 1927 Democratic primary. Nevertheless, the two put aside their differences and won the general election. Chandler defeated Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
King Swope
King Swope
King Swope was a United States Representative from Kentucky. He was born in Danville, Kentucky. He attended the common schools and was graduated from Centre College, Danville, Kentucky in 1914 and from the law department of the University of Kentucky at Lexington in 1916...
by over 95,000 votes, and Johnson defeated J. J. Kavanaugh by over 100,000 votes.
Governor of Kentucky
When no strong gubernatorial candidate emerged from the traditional Chandler faction of the Democratic Party in 1939, Chandler threw his support behind Johnson. John Y. Brown, Sr.John Y. Brown, Sr.
John Young Brown, Sr. was a state representative for nearly three decades, serving one term as speaker of the Kentucky House of Representatives and as majority floor leader during the term of Gov. Edward T. Breathitt. A Democrat, he was elected to one term in the U.S...
announced he would challenge Johnson in the primary. This solidified the Chandler faction's support, as Brown was an outspoken critic of the Chandler administration. Brown gained the support of other Chandler critics, notably former governor Ruby Laffoon, Thomas Rhea, Earle C. Clements
Earle C. Clements
Earle Chester Clements was a politician from the US state of Kentucky. He represented the state in both the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate and was its 47th Governor, serving from 1947 to 1950...
, and Alben Barkley. He further garnered the support of the United Mine Workers
United Mine Workers
The United Mine Workers of America is a North American labor union best known for representing coal miners and coal technicians. Today, the Union also represents health care workers, truck drivers, manufacturing workers and public employees in the United States and Canada...
and labor boss John L. Lewis
John L. Lewis
John Llewellyn Lewis was an American leader of organized labor who served as president of the United Mine Workers of America from 1920 to 1960...
. It was to no avail, however, as Johnson defeated Brown in the primary by over 33,000 votes to secure the Democratic gubernatorial nomination.
The Republicans chose King Swope
King Swope
King Swope was a United States Representative from Kentucky. He was born in Danville, Kentucky. He attended the common schools and was graduated from Centre College, Danville, Kentucky in 1914 and from the law department of the University of Kentucky at Lexington in 1916...
, the loser in the 1935 gubernatorial election, to oppose Johnson. In the middle of the campaign, however, Johnson was elevated to governor. United States Senator M. M. Logan
M. M. Logan
Marvel Mills Logan , a Democrat, served as a member of the United States Senate from Kentucky.Mills was born on a farm near Brownsville, Edmonson County, Kentucky. He taught school for two years and also conducted a training school for teachers. He then studied law and was admitted to the bar in...
died in October 1939, and Governor Happy Chandler
Happy Chandler
Albert Benjamin "Happy" Chandler, Sr. was a politician from the US state of Kentucky. He represented the state in the U.S. Senate and served as its 44th and 49th governor. Aside from his political positions, he also served as the second Commissioner of Major League Baseball from 1945 to 1951 and...
resigned so that Johnson—thus elevated to governor—could appoint him to the vacant seat. In the general election on November 17, Johnson defeated Swope 460,834 votes to 354,704 for a full term as governor.
In his inaugural address, Johnson promised to be "a saving, thrifty, frugal governor". His policies helped him eliminate the state's debt of $7 million and left the treasury with a surplus of $10 million by the end of his term. It was the first time the state had a surplus since the administration of J. C. W. Beckham
J. C. W. Beckham
John Crepps Wickliffe Beckham was the 35th Governor of Kentucky and a United States Senator from Kentucky...
in 1903. Johnson accomplished the surplus without any tax increases.
Not all in Johnson's party were happy with his approach to governing; one critic noted, "Old Keen frugaled here and frugaled there till he damn near frugaled us to death." Louisville Courier-Journal writer Howard Henderson wrote several stories exposing corruption in Johnson's administration, including a significant one dealing with laundry contracts. Hubert Meredith, Johnson's politically ambitious attorney general, freely aired his concerns about the administration, gaining from the publicity generated. Historian James Klotter opined "It is doubtful whether Johnson's administration had any more political scandal than others, but the publicity made it seem that way."
In the 1940 legislative session, he successfully lobbied the General Assembly
Kentucky General Assembly
The Kentucky General Assembly, also called the Kentucky Legislature, is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Kentucky.The General Assembly meets annually in the state capitol building in Frankfort, Kentucky, convening on the first Tuesday after the first Monday in January...
to allocate money to a teacher retirement system that had previously been authorized but left unfunded. Despite his fiscally conservative nature, he increased funds to programs to assist the elderly by $1 million per year. Other accomplishments of the session included the provision of pensions for justices on the Kentucky Court of Appeals
Kentucky Court of Appeals
The Kentucky Court of Appeals is the lower of Kentucky's two appellate courts, under the Kentucky Supreme Court. Prior to a 1975 amendment to the Kentucky Constitution the Kentucky Court of Appeals was the only appellate court in Kentucky....
, creation of soil conservation districts in the state, and banning the sale of marijuana.
Johnson's primary interest lay in improving the state's mental and penal institutions. These improvements began under Governor Chandler, and while he stated that the mental hospitals and prisons were in their best condition in forty years by the end of his term, he was disappointed that he was not able to do more. In light of the financial obligations brought about by World War II, he had to curb state construction.
In the 1941 legislative session, Johnson vetoed a measure allowing the sale of alcoholic beverages to surrounding states, even those with laws forbidding alcohol sales. The bill was very popular, and was supported by many of the state's powerful special interests. It had passed the Kentucky House of Representatives
Kentucky House of Representatives
The Kentucky House of Representatives is the lower house of the Kentucky General Assembly. It is composed of 100 Representatives elected from single-member districts throughout the Commonwealth. Not more than two counties can be joined to form a House district, except when necessary to preserve...
by a vote of 84–0 and the Kentucky Senate
Kentucky Senate
The Kentucky Senate is the upper house of the Kentucky General Assembly. The Kentucky Senate is composed of 38 members elected from single-member districts throughout the Commonwealth. There are no term limits for Kentucky Senators...
by a vote of 31–3. After Johnson's veto, however, the House reversed itself, voting 86–3 to sustain the veto.
In the 1942 legislative session, Johnson stressed the importance of allowing Kentucky cities to purchase and distribute power from the Tennessee Valley Authority
Tennessee Valley Authority
The Tennessee Valley Authority is a federally owned corporation in the United States created by congressional charter in May 1933 to provide navigation, flood control, electricity generation, fertilizer manufacturing, and economic development in the Tennessee Valley, a region particularly affected...
. In an address to the Assembly, Johnson declared, "I have never had a stronger conviction on a question of public policy... The principle involved is as correct as the Ten Commandments
Ten Commandments
The Ten Commandments, also known as the Decalogue , are a set of biblical principles relating to ethics and worship, which play a fundamental role in Judaism and most forms of Christianity. They include instructions to worship only God and to keep the Sabbath, and prohibitions against idolatry,...
." The Assembly passed the necessary legislation as Johnson requested.
A major accomplishment of the Johnson administration was the passage of a legislative redistricting bill. Despite the fact that the U.S. Constitution
United States Constitution
The Constitution of the United States is the supreme law of the United States of America. It is the framework for the organization of the United States government and for the relationship of the federal government with the states, citizens, and all people within the United States.The first three...
requires redistricting after every decennial census
United States Census
The United States Census is a decennial census mandated by the United States Constitution. The population is enumerated every 10 years and the results are used to allocate Congressional seats , electoral votes, and government program funding. The United States Census Bureau The United States Census...
, Kentucky's legislative districts had remained virtually unchanged between 1893 and 1941. He asked the 1942 legislative session to adjourn early so he could call a special session for the sole purpose of considering a redistricting bill. The legislators obliged, and passed a bill by the end of the special session.
Johnson took an active part in the Democratic gubernatorial primary in 1943. Among the candidates were Ben Kilgore, Rodes K. Myers
Rodes K. Myers
Rodes Kirby Myers was an active Kentucky Democrat and served as Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky 1939-1943.Myers' hometown was Bowling Green, Kentucky. Myers was a Kentucky delegate to the Democratic National Convention in 1936, 1940, 1944, 1948 and 1956.In 1939 Myers ran for Lieutenant Governor...
, and J. Lyter Donaldson
J. Lyter Donaldson
Joseph Lyter Donaldson was the Democratic nominee for Governor of Kentucky in 1943. Donaldson, of Carrollton, Kentucky served as state highway commissioner. In the 1943 Democratic primary for governor Donaldson defeated Rodes K. Myers, the incumbent Lieutenant Governor of Kentucky, and Ben Kilgore...
. Myers was Johnson's lieutenant governor, but he had turned on the administration. Johnson called him a carpetbagger
Carpetbagger
Carpetbaggers was a pejorative term Southerners gave to Northerners who moved to the South during the Reconstruction era, between 1865 and 1877....
from North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
, "a political adventurer", and "a phony farmer". He also ridiculed Kilgore, who had strong support from the Louisville Courier-Journal, the Rural Electric Association, and the Farm Bureau, by calling him a "Casanova". Donaldson, Johnson's former campaign manager, secured his support and the Democratic nomination. He was defeated in the general election by Republican Simeon Willis.
Later life and death
Beginning in 1940, Johnson was a member of the State Democratic National Committee, serving until 1948. On June 6, 1942, he was named to the board of regents of Eastern State College (now Eastern Kentucky UniversityEastern Kentucky University
Eastern Kentucky University, commonly referred to as Eastern or by the acronym EKU by local residents, is an undergraduate and graduate teaching and research institution located in Richmond, Kentucky, U.S.A.. EKU is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools...
) a position he held for eight years. On January 1, 1944, he was named a special assistant to the president of Reynolds Metals
Reynolds Metals
Reynolds Group Holdings is an American packaging company with its roots in the Reynolds Metals Company, was the second largest aluminum company in the United States, and the third largest in the world...
, advising him on postwar unemployment problems. He became vice-president of public relations for the company in 1945.
Because of his rapport with union leaders, President
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman
Harry S. Truman was the 33rd President of the United States . As President Franklin D. Roosevelt's third vice president and the 34th Vice President of the United States , he succeeded to the presidency on April 12, 1945, when President Roosevelt died less than three months after beginning his...
and Kentucky senator Alben Barkley asked Johnson to accept an appointment to the newly-created post of Undersecretary of Labor
United States Deputy Secretary of Labor
United States Deputy Secretary of Labor is the second-highest-ranking official in the United States Department of Labor. In the United States federal government, the Deputy Secretary oversees the day-to-day operation of the Department of Labor, and may act as Secretary of Labor during the absence...
in 1946. In August 1946, Johnson took a leave of absence
Leave of absence
Leave of absence is a term used to describe a period of time that one is to be away from his/her primary job, while maintaining the status of employee...
from Reynolds and accepted the appointment. He frequently attended President Truman's cabinet meetings due to the illness of Secretary
United States Secretary of Labor
The United States Secretary of Labor is the head of the Department of Labor who exercises control over the department and enforces and suggests laws involving unions, the workplace, and all other issues involving any form of business-person controversies....
Lewis B. Schwellenbach
Lewis B. Schwellenbach
Lewis Baxter Schwellenbach , was an American lawyer, politician, and judge. He was born in Superior, Wisconsin.-Early life:When Schwellenbach was eight years old, his family moved to Spokane, Washington...
.
In mid-1947, Johnson returned to Reynolds. In 1950, he became a member of the company's board of directors. In this capacity, he organized meetings of sales executives and traveled extensively to promote the company's aluminum products. He retired from Reynolds in January 1961.
In 1960, Johnson sought a seat in the U.S. Senate. He defeated John Y. Brown, Sr. in the Democratic primary, but was unable to unseat Republican incumbent John Sherman Cooper in the general election. In 1961 and 1964, he was appointed to the state board of education. He served as a delegate to an assembly to revise the state constitution
Kentucky Constitution
The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Kentucky is the document that governs the Commonwealth of Kentucky. It was first adopted in 1792 and has since been rewritten three times and amended many more...
in 1964. In 1965, the University of Kentucky honored him with a Centennial Award and inducted him into its Hall of Distinguished Alumni. He died February 7, 1970 in Richmond, Kentucky, and is buried in Richmond Cemetery.