Huey's Cousin

Distant in kin but near in spirit to Louisiana's late Huey Pierce Long is his California cousin, Minor Pierce Long. Round, pink-faced Mr. Long is a Missourian who went west and into the dairy business, picked up extra money lecturing on what he calls "metaphysics." One night in 1933, he now recalls, he woke up with an idea for an economic cureall, forthwith explained it to his wife and two daughters. They did not understand it. Minor Pierce Long nevertheless went ahead with his Ray System Corporation, Inc. As has many another fiscal dreamer, he proposed to issue patented, pink & blue Raychecks in denominations of 50-c- to $10, have merchants redeem them in goods or U. S. currency at face value. Redemption funds would come from consumers, who would have to buy stamps and paste them on their Raychecks each week.

Minor Long's Ray System languished. Meantime Townsendism and Ham & Eggs ($30 Every Thursday) flourished all around him. Because the famed Ham & Eggs plan, like his own, entails circulating warrants, Minor Pierce Long last month went to Federal court in San Francisco, asked Judge Martin I. Welsh to halt preparations for California's Ham & Eggs referendum November 7. Judge Welsh issued a temporary injunction, threw a bad scare into Ham & Eggers. Last week Judge Welsh agreed with Minor Pierce Long that Ham & Eggs and the Ray System resemble each other in some respects. But he found "no identity of language, phraseology or literary style, arrangement or form," dismissed Minor Pierce Long's suit. This decision left California no choice but to vote on giving $30 every Thursday to everybody over 50.

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