William
Langer, the son of a farmer, was born in Cass
County, North Dakota, on 30th September, 1886. He studied at the law
department of the University of North Dakota and Columbia University
in New York City. After graduating he
was admitted to the bar in 1911 and began practice in Mandan.
A member of the Republican
Party, Langer
became attorney general of North Dakota (1916-1920). Langer was elected
as Governor of North Dakota in January 1933. In February 1934, Langer
was accused by Harold
Ickes, the secretary
of the interior, of pressing workers on federal relief to contribute
his newspaper, The Leader. The
following month Harry
Hopkins,
federal relief administrator, relieved Langer of the authority to
administer federal relief.
In July 1934, Langer was
removed by the State supreme court. Langer still remained popular
and despite opposition from Gerald
Nye, the most
important political figure in North Dakota, he was elected again as
governor in November, 1936. Over the next two years he convinced the
legislature to appropriate almost six million dollars for child welfare,
old age pensions, and general relief.
Langer was elected to the
United States Senate in 1940. He was reelected in 1946, 1952, and
again in 1958, and served until his death in Washington
on 8th November, 1959.
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