Raymond S. McKeough
Encyclopedia
Raymond Stephen McKeough (April 29, 1888 – December 16, 1979) was a Democratic
politician
who served as a U.S. Representative
from Illinois
from 1935 to 1943.
McKeough was born in Chicago, Illinois. He graduated from the De La Salle Institute
in 1905 and went to work in the Union Stock Yards
. In 1909 he became a railroad clerk. He entered the securities industry in 1925 and was a broker from 1929 to 1934.
In 1934 McKeough won the Democratic nomination for Congressman from Illinois' 2nd District. He gained the support of Patrick Nash
and the Cook County Democratic Organization
, a bulwark of machine politics. McKeough served four two-year terms in this position.
In 1942, with the full backing of the Cook County machine, McKeough, already well-known statewide, decided to run for the United States Senate
. His opponent in the Democratic primary
was Paul Douglas
, an economist
and professor
at the University of Chicago
who had long been associated with "reform" politics. Douglas carried 99 of Illinois' 102 counties, but McKeough's Chicago-area majority was sufficient to overcome this and win the nomination. In November, however, McKeough lost to the incumbent
Republican
senator, Charles W. Brooks
.
Soon after the end of his Congressional service, McKeough went to work for the Office of Price Administration
, a World War II
-era federal agency charged with the enforcement of wartime wage and price controls instituted to prevent inflation
. He worked for this agency until January 1944. In October 1945, he was named to the United States Maritime Commission
, serving on this body until 1950. He then served on the U.S. International Claims Commission from 1951 to 1953. In 1956, he worked briefly with the Great American Oil Company.
On December 3, 1956, McKeough embarked on what became his last stint in public service, as an assistant state's attorney
. He held this position for exactly four years, retiring on December 3, 1960. After this he engaged in the insurance
business prior to his death in Chicago in 1979.
Democratic Party (United States)
The Democratic Party is one of two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Republican Party. The party's socially liberal and progressive platform is largely considered center-left in the U.S. political spectrum. The party has the lengthiest record of continuous...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
who served as a U.S. Representative
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
from 1935 to 1943.
McKeough was born in Chicago, Illinois. He graduated from the De La Salle Institute
De La Salle Institute
De La Salle Institute is a Catholic, Lasallian, secondary school located in the Bronzeville neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago, Illinois. The school is currently housed on two separate campuses. The original school, now called the Institute Campus is for men...
in 1905 and went to work in the Union Stock Yards
Union Stock Yards
The Union Stock Yard & Transit Co., or The Yards, was the meat packing district in Chicago for over a century starting in 1865. The district was operated by a group of railroad companies that acquired swampland, and turned it to a centralized processing area...
. In 1909 he became a railroad clerk. He entered the securities industry in 1925 and was a broker from 1929 to 1934.
In 1934 McKeough won the Democratic nomination for Congressman from Illinois' 2nd District. He gained the support of Patrick Nash
Patrick Nash
Patrick A. Nash was a political boss in the early and mid-twentieth century in Chicago, which is in Cook County, Illinois, United States. He was in large part responsible for consolidating what became the Chicago Democratic political machine, which was regarded as the first political machine in...
and the Cook County Democratic Organization
Cook County Democratic Organization
The Cook County Democratic Organization is one of the most powerful political machines in American history. Historically called the "Chicago Democratic machine", or simply the "Chicago Machine", the organization has dominated Chicago politics since the 1930s...
, a bulwark of machine politics. McKeough served four two-year terms in this position.
In 1942, with the full backing of the Cook County machine, McKeough, already well-known statewide, decided to run for the United States Senate
United States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
. His opponent in the Democratic primary
Primary election
A primary election is an election in which party members or voters select candidates for a subsequent election. Primary elections are one means by which a political party nominates candidates for the next general election....
was Paul Douglas
Paul Douglas
Paul Howard Douglas was an liberal American politician and University of Chicago economist. A war hero, he was elected as a Democratic U.S. Senator from Illinois from in the 1948 landslide, serving until his defeat in 1966...
, an economist
Economics
Economics is the social science that analyzes the production, distribution, and consumption of goods and services. The term economics comes from the Ancient Greek from + , hence "rules of the house"...
and professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
at the University of Chicago
University of Chicago
The University of Chicago is a private research university in Chicago, Illinois, USA. It was founded by the American Baptist Education Society with a donation from oil magnate and philanthropist John D. Rockefeller and incorporated in 1890...
who had long been associated with "reform" politics. Douglas carried 99 of Illinois' 102 counties, but McKeough's Chicago-area majority was sufficient to overcome this and win the nomination. In November, however, McKeough lost to the incumbent
Incumbent
The incumbent, in politics, is the existing holder of a political office. This term is usually used in reference to elections, in which races can often be defined as being between an incumbent and non-incumbent. For example, in the 2004 United States presidential election, George W...
Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
senator, Charles W. Brooks
Charles W. Brooks
Charles Wayland Brooks was a Republican U.S. Senator from Illinois from 1940 to 1949.He was born in West Bureau, Illinois and during World War I Brooks served as a first lieutenant in the United States Marines from 1917 to 1919; while in combat he was wounded several times.Wayland Brooks ran for...
.
Soon after the end of his Congressional service, McKeough went to work for the Office of Price Administration
Office of Price Administration
The Office of Price Administration was established within the Office for Emergency Management of the United States government by Executive Order 8875 on August 28, 1941. The functions of the OPA was originally to control money and rents after the outbreak of World War II.President Franklin D...
, a World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
-era federal agency charged with the enforcement of wartime wage and price controls instituted to prevent inflation
Inflation
In economics, inflation is a rise in the general level of prices of goods and services in an economy over a period of time.When the general price level rises, each unit of currency buys fewer goods and services. Consequently, inflation also reflects an erosion in the purchasing power of money – a...
. He worked for this agency until January 1944. In October 1945, he was named to the United States Maritime Commission
United States Maritime Commission
The United States Maritime Commission was an independent executive agency of the U.S. federal government that was created by the Merchant Marine Act of 1936, passed by Congress on June 29, 1936, and replaced the U.S. Shipping Board which had existed since World War I...
, serving on this body until 1950. He then served on the U.S. International Claims Commission from 1951 to 1953. In 1956, he worked briefly with the Great American Oil Company.
On December 3, 1956, McKeough embarked on what became his last stint in public service, as an assistant state's attorney
State's Attorney
In the United States, the State's Attorney is, most commonly, an elected official who represents the State in criminal prosecutions and is often the chief law enforcement officer of their respective county, circuit...
. He held this position for exactly four years, retiring on December 3, 1960. After this he engaged in the insurance
Insurance
In law and economics, insurance is a form of risk management primarily used to hedge against the risk of a contingent, uncertain loss. Insurance is defined as the equitable transfer of the risk of a loss, from one entity to another, in exchange for payment. An insurer is a company selling the...
business prior to his death in Chicago in 1979.