Leslie C. Arends

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Leslie C. Arends
U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois
In office
January 3, 1935 – December 31, 1974
Preceded byFrank Gillespie
Succeeded byTim Lee Hall
Constituency17th district (1935–1973)
15th district (1973–1974)
Personal details
Born
Leslie Cornelius Arends

(1895-09-27)September 27, 1895
Melvin, Illinois, U.S.
DiedJuly 17, 1985(1985-07-17) (aged 89)
Naples, Florida, U.S.
Political partyRepublican
SpouseBetty Tychon
Children1
ProfessionFarmer
Banker

Leslie Cornelius Arends (September 27, 1895 – July 17, 1985) was a

Republican politician from Illinois who served in the United States House of Representatives
from 1935 until 1974.

A native and lifelong resident of Melvin, Illinois, Arends attended Oberlin College and served in the United States Navy during World War I. He was involved in farming and banking; in addition to renting out several farms he owned, he eventually became president of the local bank his father had started.

Arends was elected to the U.S. House in 1934. He served from 1935 until resigning on December 31, 1974. From 1943 until his retirement, Arends served as the Republican Whip, holding the post during periods of Republican majority (1947-1949, 1953–1955) and minority (1943-1947, 1949–1953, 1955–1974). In addition, Arends rose by seniority to become the ranking minority member of the House Armed Services Committee.

A party loyalist, Arends opposed much government spending, and provided strong support to the party's presidential candidates. He remained loyal to

Richard M. Nixon during the Watergate scandal
, and indicated that he would not vote to impeach Nixon.

After resigning from the House, Arends served on the

Washington, DC, and Naples, Florida
. He died in Naples, and was buried in Melvin.

Early life

Born in Melvin, Illinois, on September 27, 1895,[1] Arends was the youngest of ten children (only seven lived to adulthood) born to George Teis Arends and Talea (née Weiss) Arends.[2] His father was born in Peoria to parents who were both natives of Germany; his mother was born in Hanover, Germany.[3]

Arends attended the local schools and from 1912 to 1913 was a student at Oberlin College in Ohio.[1] He enlisted in the United States Navy during World War I, where he played in the Navy band at numerous war bond rallies.[2] After his discharge he acquired and rented out several farms, and became active in banking.[4] He eventually became president of the Commercial State Bank in Melvin, which had been founded by his father.[1][4] He was a member of the Ford County Farm Bureau,[2] and a member of the board of trustees of Illinois Wesleyan University, which awarded him the honorary degree of LL.D. in 1962.[5][6]

Congressional career

Arends with President Gerald Ford, John Rhodes, and Tip O'Neill at the third annual Congressional golf tournament at the Andrews Air Force Base Golf Course, September 1974

In 1934, Arends was elected to the 74th Congress.

U.S. House of Representatives history.[1] He rose through seniority to become the ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee,[4] where one of his pet projects was preventing the closure of Chanute Air Force Base in Illinois; it remained open until 1993.[4]

Arends represented a heavily Republican, largely rural

Charles Halleck with Gerald Ford.[5] Ford backed Peter Frelinghuysen Jr. for Whip.[5] Arends had usually been reelected Whip without opposition, and despite a strong challenge from Frelinghuysen relied on personal relationships forged over thirty years to provide the votes that enabled him to retain the post.[5]

He supported

Richard M. Nixon, and said he would not vote for impeachment, citing his strong personal friendship with Nixon and belief that Nixon had performed capably as president.[20] Despite the Whip challenge following the 1966 elections, Nixon's successor Gerald Ford and Arends maintained a close personal friendship, ensuring Arends a good relationship with the White House after Nixon's resignation.[21]

Post-Congressional career

After leaving Congress, Arends served on the

Washington, DC.[1]

Legacy

Arends's papers are part of the collections of Illinois Wesleyan University, and the university library's special collections room was named for him.[6]

Death and burial

Arends died in Naples on July 17, 1985,[1] and was buried at Melvin Cemetery in Melvin. He was survived by his wife Betty (Tychon) and daughter Leslie ("Letty").[1]

Notes and References

  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Leslie C. Arends, 89, Dies".
  2. ^ a b c Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society, p. 106.
  3. ^ Alumni Record of the University of Illinois, p. 514.
  4. ^ a b c d e "Leslie Arends, 40-Year House Member, Dies".
  5. ^ a b c d e "Arends: Vote-Finder for Republicans in the House", p. 16.
  6. ^ a b "Founders' Day Sees 2 Renamings", p. 5.
  7. ^ Biographical Directory of the United States Congress, 1774-2005, p. 452.
  8. ^ Historical Dictionary of the U.S. Congress, pp. 19–20.
  9. ^ "Illinois GOP leaders Set to Back Ike", p. 1.
  10. ^ "Nixon to Attend Melvin Celebration", p. 5.
  11. ^ "Arends Lashes Out Against Johnson", p. 2.
  12. ^ "Arends On Committee Informing Nixon On Issues", p. 7.
  13. ^ "G.O.P. Girds for New War on U.S. Spending", p. 61.
  14. ^ "HR 6127. CIVIL RIGHTS ACT OF 1957". GovTrack.us.
  15. ^ "H.R. 7152. PASSAGE".
  16. ^ "TO PASS H.R. 2516, A BILL TO ESTABLISH PENALTIES FOR INTERFERENCE WITH CIVIL RIGHTS. INTERFERENCE WITH A PERSON ENGAGED IN ONE OF THE 8 ACTIVITIES PROTECTED UNDER THIS BILL MUST BE RACIALLY MOTIVATED TO INCUR THE BILL'S PENALTIES".
  17. ^ "TO PASS H.R. 6400, THE 1965 VOTING RIGHTS ACT".
  18. ^ "HR 8601. PASSAGE".
  19. ^ "S.J. RES. 29. CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT TO BAN THE USE OF POLL TAX AS A REQUIREMENT FOR VOTING IN FEDERAL ELECTIONS". GovTrack.us.
  20. ^ "House Whip Arends Won't Support Impeachment Vote", p. 15.
  21. ^ "Remarks at Ceremonies Honoring Representative Leslie C. Arends in Melvin, Illinois".

Sources

Newspapers

Books

Internet

Further reading

  • Lichtenstein, Nelson et al. Political Profiles. Volume 3, "The Kennedy Years". pg 14. New York: Facts On File, Inc, 1976.
  • Schapsmeier, Edward L. and Frederick H. Schapsmeier, "Serving under Seven Presidents: Les Arends and His Forty Years in Congress". Illinois Historical Journal 1992 85(2): 105–118.
    ISSN 0748-8149

External links
U.S. House of Representatives
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois's 17th congressional district
January 3, 1935 – January 3, 1973 		Succeeded by
Preceded by Member of the U.S. House of Representatives
from Illinois's 15th congressional district
January 3, 1973 – December 31, 1974 		Succeeded by
Party political offices
Preceded by
Harry L. Englebright
Republican Whip of the U.S. House of Representatives

May 13, 1943 – December 31, 1974 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
Harry L. Englebright
Minority Whip of the U.S. House of Representatives

May 13, 1943 – January 3, 1947 		Succeeded by
John W. McCormack
Preceded by
Majority Whip of the U.S. House of Representatives

January 3, 1947 – January 3, 1949 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
John W. McCormack
Minority Whip of the U.S. House of Representatives

January 3, 1949 – January 3, 1953 		Succeeded by
John W. McCormack
Preceded by
Majority Whip of the U.S. House of Representatives

January 3, 1953 – January 3, 1955 		Succeeded by
Preceded by
John W. McCormack
Minority Whip of the U.S. House of Representatives

January 3, 1955 – December 31, 1974 		Succeeded by
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