Warren Magnuson facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Warren Magnuson
Magnuson in 1943
President pro tempore of the United States Senate
In office December 6, 1980 – January 3, 1981
Preceded by	Milton Young
Succeeded by	Strom Thurmond
In office January 3, 1979 – December 5, 1980
Preceded by	James Eastland
Succeeded by	Milton Young
Chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee
In office January 3, 1977 – January 3, 1981
Preceded by	John Little McClellan
Succeeded by	Mark Hatfield
Chair of the Senate Commerce Committee
In office January 3, 1955 – January 3, 1977
Preceded by	John W. Bricker
Succeeded by	Howard Cannon
United States Senator from Washington
In office December 14, 1944 – January 3, 1981
Appointed by	Arthur B. Langlie
Preceded by	Homer Bone
Succeeded by	Slade Gorton
Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Washington's 1st district
In office January 3, 1937 – December 13, 1944
Preceded by	Marion Zioncheck
Succeeded by	Emerson DeLacy
Member of the Washington House of Representatives from the 37th district
In office January 9, 1933 – January 14, 1935
Preceded by	George F. Murray
Succeeded by	A. Lou Cohen
King County Prosecuting Attorney
In office January 1, 1935 – January 3, 1937
Personal details
Born	Warren Grant Magnuson (1905-04-12)April 12, 1905 Moorhead, Minnesota, U.S.
Died	May 20, 1989(1989-05-20) (aged 84) Seattle, Washington, U.S.
Resting place	Acacia Memorial Park 47°44′21″N 122°17′34″W / 47.73920°N 122.29280°W / 47.73920; -122.29280 (Acacia Memorial Park)
Political party	Democratic
Spouses	Eleanor Peggy "Peggins" Maddieux ​ ​ (m. 1928; div. 1935)​ Jermaine (Elliott) Peralta ​ (m. 1964)​
Education	University of North Dakota North Dakota Agricultural College University of Washington (BA, LLB)
Profession	Attorney
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Navy
Battles/wars	World War II Pacific War

Warren Grant "Maggie" Magnuson (April 12, 1905 – May 20, 1989) was an American lawyer and politician. He represented the state of Washington in the U.S. Congress for 44 years. He was a Representative from 1937 to 1944. Then he became a Senator from 1944 to 1981. Magnuson was a member of the Democratic Party. He was Washington state's longest-serving senator. He served over 36 years in the Senate. During his last two years in office, he was the most senior senator and president pro tempore. This means he was a high-ranking official in the Senate.

Early Life and Education

Warren Magnuson was born in Moorhead, Minnesota. His birthdate is believed to be April 12, 1905. Records of his birth are not public. He never knew his birth parents. They may have died soon after he was born. Or his mother may have given him up for adoption. William Grant and Emma (née Anderson) Magnuson adopted Warren. They gave him their last name. The Magnusons were from Scandinavia. They owned a bar in Moorhead. They adopted a daughter, Clara, a year after Warren. His adoptive father left the family in 1921.

Magnuson went to Moorhead High School. He played quarterback on the football team. He was also captain of the baseball team. In high school, he worked at a YMCA camp. He also worked on wheat farms. He delivered newspapers and telegrams in Moorhead and nearby Fargo, North Dakota. He finished high school in 1923. Then he went to the University of North Dakota in Grand Forks. In 1924, he moved to the North Dakota Agricultural College in Fargo. He studied there for one year. After that, he traveled through Canada. He rode freight trains and worked with farm crews.

Magnuson moved to Seattle, Washington, in 1925. He followed a high school girlfriend there. He started attending the University of Washington. He was part of the Theta Chi fraternity. He worked delivering ice as a Teamsters member. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1926. He then got a Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of Washington School of Law in 1929. He became active in politics in 1928. He volunteered for A. Scott Bullitt for governor. He also helped Al Smith who was running for president.

Starting His Career in Law and Politics

In 1929, Magnuson became a lawyer. He joined the law office of Judge Samuel Stern in Seattle. He worked as secretary of the Seattle Municipal League from 1930 to 1931. In 1932, he was a special prosecutor for King County. He investigated official misconduct. He also started the state chapter of the Young Democrats of America that same year. He strongly supported ending Prohibition laws in the state. He also helped create the state Liquor Control Board.

From 1933 to 1935, Magnuson was a member of the Washington House of Representatives. He represented the 37th Legislative District in Seattle. As a state lawmaker, he helped create the first unemployment compensation bill in the nation. This bill helped people who lost their jobs. Magnuson was also a delegate to the state constitutional convention in 1933. He briefly worked as an Assistant United States District Attorney. Then he was elected prosecuting attorney for King County. He served in this role from 1934 to 1936.

Serving in Congress

In the House of Representatives

In 1936, Magnuson decided to run for Congress. The current Congressman, Marion Zioncheck, was having mental health issues. He was unsure about running again. Magnuson won the Democratic primary easily. He also won the general election. He had support from a group called the Washington Commonwealth Federation. He also had support from the Seattle business community.

In 1937, Magnuson and two Senators, Homer Bone and Matthew Neely, introduced a bill. This bill became the National Cancer Institute Act. President Roosevelt signed it into law on August 5, 1937. Magnuson was reelected in 1938, 1940, and 1942. After the Attack on Pearl Harbor, Magnuson strongly supported the U.S. war effort.

Magnuson served in the United States Navy during World War II. He was on the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise for several months. He saw a lot of fighting in the Pacific Theatre. In 1942, President Roosevelt ordered all congressmen on active duty to return home.

Becoming a Senator

Magnuson, c. 1950s

In 1944, Magnuson ran for the U.S. Senate and won. On December 14, 1944, Governor Arthur B. Langlie appointed Magnuson to fill a Senate vacancy. This happened because Homer Bone was appointed to a court. Magnuson resigned from the House. He started his Senate term a month early. This gave him more seniority.

Magnuson was reelected in 1950, 1956, 1962, 1968, and 1974. He served on the Senate Commerce Committee for his entire time in the Senate. During his last term, he also served on the Senate Appropriations Committee. Magnuson worked alongside his friend, Henry M. "Scoop" Jackson. Jackson was also a Democratic Senator from Washington state. In the 1980 election, Republican State Attorney General Slade Gorton defeated Magnuson.

In 1949, Magnuson helped a Chinese sailor named Poon Lim. Poon Lim survived 133 days alone at sea in 1942. Magnuson helped pass a special law. This law allowed Poon Lim to move to the U.S. and become a citizen.

In August 1950, Magnuson suggested that Japanese people could volunteer to join the American armed forces. He sent a request to General Douglas MacArthur to see if this was practical.

In November 1961, President John F. Kennedy visited Seattle. He was a special guest at a celebration for Magnuson. The event honored Magnuson's first 25 years in Congress. Nearly 3,000 people attended the dinner.

Magnuson played a key role in passing the Civil Rights Act of 1964. This important bill aimed to end discrimination. He helped get it approved despite strong opposition from some Senators.

On November 7, 1967, President Johnson signed the Public Broadcasting Act of 1967. This act created public television and radio. Johnson thanked Magnuson for his help in making it law.

On May 5, 1978, Magnuson attended a dedication ceremony. It was for Riverfront Park in Spokane. Soon after, President Jimmy Carter spoke at a town hall meeting. He praised Magnuson, saying he was respected and dedicated to serving his people. Carter also said Magnuson had national and international leadership.

His Lasting Impact

At least three important laws are named after Warren Magnuson:

• The Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. This law helps manage fishing in U.S. waters.
• The Chinese Exclusion Repeal Act of 1943. This act ended a law that had prevented Chinese immigrants from entering the U.S.
• The Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. This law protects consumers when they buy products with warranties.

He also helped keep large oil tankers out of Puget Sound. He added an amendment to a bill. This amendment helped protect the environment of Puget Sound.

Personal Life

In 1928, Magnuson married Eleanor Peggy "Peggins" Maddieux. She had been crowned Miss Seattle the year before. They divorced in 1935. In 1964, he married Jermaine Elliott Peralta (1923–2011). She was a widow. The ceremony was held at the Omni Shoreham Hotel. They stayed married until his death. He helped raise Jermaine's daughter, Juanita, from her previous marriage. Magnuson and his wife are buried in Acacia Memorial Park. This park is in Lake Forest Park, north of Seattle.

Places Named After Him

Many places and awards are named in honor of Warren Magnuson:

• The Warren G. Magnuson Health Sciences Building at the University of Washington. This building was named after him in 1970.
• Warren Magnuson's Senate desk is in the Suzzallo Library at the University of Washington.
• The Warren G. Magnuson Clinical Center at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.
• Warren G. Magnuson Park in northeast Seattle. It was named in his honor in 1977.
• The Warren G. Magnuson Puget Sound Legacy Award. This award was created by People For Puget Sound.
• The Washington State Democratic Party holds an annual Magnuson awards dinner. It is sometimes called the "Maggies."
• The Intercollegiate College of Nursing building in Spokane. It is on Fort George Wright Drive.

Further Reading

• Scates, Shelby Warren G. Magnuson and the Shaping of Twentieth-Century America (Seattle: University of Washington Press, 1997)