Carl Edward Bailey

Carl Edward Bailey ( born October 8, 1894 in Bernie, Stoddard County, Missouri, † October 23, 1948 in Little Rock, Arkansas ) was an American politician (Democratic Party) and 1937-1941 Governor of the State of Arkansas.

Early years and political rise

Carl Bailey attended the local schools of his home. Then he attended until 1915 the Chilicothe Business College, which he had to stop prematurely for financial reasons. To be able to finance a law degree, Bailey worked in a variety of professions. After he had thus financed his law studies, he was admitted to the bar in 1923. Two years later he opened his own law firm.

Between 1927 and 1931 Bailey was deputy prosecutor in the sixth Judicial District of Arkansas, where he had moved in 1917. From 1931 he was even then a prosecutor. During this time, he resisted a bribe of arrested gangster king Lucky Luciano. In 1935 he became Minister of Justice ( Attorney General ) of Arkansas. On November 3, 1936, he was elected Governor of Arkansas.

Governor of Arkansas

Carl Bailey took office on 12 January 1937. After a re-election in 1938, he could serve until 14 January 1941. Bailey was a supporter of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his New Deal policies, which also benefited Arkansas. In Bailey's tenure gradually the effects of the global economic crisis could be overcome. In addition, free public libraries were introduced in Arkansas. There was an agricultural experiment station and all state bridges in Arkansas could be traveled for free and without tolls. In addition, a new pension system was designed. The expansion of highways was at the governor's program.

Further CV

Bailey had failed even in 1937 with an attempt to win a vacant seat in the U.S. Senate. After he had lost in 1940 within his party against Homer Martin Adkins and was not re-elected, he left in January 1941 from the Office of the Governor. He then worked as a lawyer again, where he represented, among others, a railway union. He also taught at the University of Arkansas law. Carl Bailey died in October 1948 of heart failure.