Adolph J. Sabath

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Adolph Joachim Sabath (b. April 4, 1866 in Zabori, Czech Republic of Jewish parentage; d. November 6, 1952 in Bethesda, Maryland). He served as a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Chicago, Illinois, from 1907 until his death in 1952. He immigrated to America at age 15, became active in real estate, and received his LL.B. degree in 1891 from Lake Forest University. He served in local offices until election to Congress from the Jewish West Side in 1907. He was active in state and national Democratic party affairs, attending many conventions. He was a leading opponent of prohibition in the 1920s. As a leading Democrat he chaired the powerful Rules Committee after 1937. He was an ineffective chairman, with a small weak staff, who proved unable to lead his committee, was frequently at odds with the House leadership, and was inclined to write the President little letters "informing" on Speaker Bankhead and Sam Rayburn.[Robinson p 81]

Sabath was an avid New Dealer and an interventionist who strongly supported war against Germany.