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| Ken Hechler, West Virginia Populist and Coal Miners’ Champion, Dies at 102 | |
| (about 17 hours later) | |
| Ken Hechler, a leading voice for national coal-mining reforms during his nine terms in the House of Representatives and a colorful presence in West Virginia politics for decades, died on Saturday at his home in Romney, W.Va. He was 102 and had been the oldest living former member of Congress. | Ken Hechler, a leading voice for national coal-mining reforms during his nine terms in the House of Representatives and a colorful presence in West Virginia politics for decades, died on Saturday at his home in Romney, W.Va. He was 102 and had been the oldest living former member of Congress. |
| His wife, Carol, said the cause was a stroke. | |
| Before entering politics, Mr. Hechler was a college professor, a best-selling author and a speechwriter for President Harry S. Truman. | Before entering politics, Mr. Hechler was a college professor, a best-selling author and a speechwriter for President Harry S. Truman. |
| A Long Island native, he was elected to Congress as a Democrat in the fall of 1958, only a year after arriving in West Virginia to teach government at Marshall College in Huntington. | A Long Island native, he was elected to Congress as a Democrat in the fall of 1958, only a year after arriving in West Virginia to teach government at Marshall College in Huntington. |
| “I was a carpetbagger in a state where people and their ancestors are very much honored,” he said in an interview for the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum in 1985. “Everybody kept asking me, ‘Who are you kin to? Hechler? I never heard that name around here.’ ” | “I was a carpetbagger in a state where people and their ancestors are very much honored,” he said in an interview for the Harry S. Truman Library and Museum in 1985. “Everybody kept asking me, ‘Who are you kin to? Hechler? I never heard that name around here.’ ” |
| “Organized labor was against me,” he added, “and all of the political organizations were against me.” | “Organized labor was against me,” he added, “and all of the political organizations were against me.” |
| Mr. Hechler was nevertheless elected, narrowly, and went on to serve nine terms in the House, where he fought to improve safety standards in coal mines, provide health benefits for miners with lung disease and curb strip mining as a despoiler of the environment and a threat to water supplies. | Mr. Hechler was nevertheless elected, narrowly, and went on to serve nine terms in the House, where he fought to improve safety standards in coal mines, provide health benefits for miners with lung disease and curb strip mining as a despoiler of the environment and a threat to water supplies. |
| After leaving Congress, he was West Virginia’s secretary of state from 1985 to 2001. Nine years after he left that post, at age 95, he unsuccessfully challenged Gov. Joe Manchin III of West Virginia in the Democratic primary for the Senate, after the death of Robert C. Byrd, to promote his campaign against mountaintop removal by coal companies. | After leaving Congress, he was West Virginia’s secretary of state from 1985 to 2001. Nine years after he left that post, at age 95, he unsuccessfully challenged Gov. Joe Manchin III of West Virginia in the Democratic primary for the Senate, after the death of Robert C. Byrd, to promote his campaign against mountaintop removal by coal companies. |
| An intellectual with a gift for showmanship, Mr. Hechler took his populist message to his constituents by driving hundreds of thousands of miles over the years to towns and hamlets in red Jeeps that had signs reading, “Ken Hechler: Your Servant in Congress.” | An intellectual with a gift for showmanship, Mr. Hechler took his populist message to his constituents by driving hundreds of thousands of miles over the years to towns and hamlets in red Jeeps that had signs reading, “Ken Hechler: Your Servant in Congress.” |
| He had a campaign jingle, too: “There’s a red Jeep in the mountains, and it’s coming ’round the bend./It’s bringing you a message from a West Virginia friend.” | He had a campaign jingle, too: “There’s a red Jeep in the mountains, and it’s coming ’round the bend./It’s bringing you a message from a West Virginia friend.” |
| “I was always contrasting it with the Lincoln Town Cars and limousines that big shots were driving around in,” Mr. Hechler told The Charleston Daily Mail in 2010. | “I was always contrasting it with the Lincoln Town Cars and limousines that big shots were driving around in,” Mr. Hechler told The Charleston Daily Mail in 2010. |
| Mr. Hechler had ridden in jeeps as an Army combat historian visiting the European battlefronts of World War II. He interrogated high-ranking Nazis before the Nuremberg war-crime trials and wrote “The Bridge at Remagen” (1957), a best seller that in 1969 was adapted for a Hollywood movie with George Segal, Robert Vaughn and Ben Gazzara. It told of the Army’s first crossing of the Rhine, in March 1945, when the Germans failed to blow up a railroad bridge near the town of Remagen. | Mr. Hechler had ridden in jeeps as an Army combat historian visiting the European battlefronts of World War II. He interrogated high-ranking Nazis before the Nuremberg war-crime trials and wrote “The Bridge at Remagen” (1957), a best seller that in 1969 was adapted for a Hollywood movie with George Segal, Robert Vaughn and Ben Gazzara. It told of the Army’s first crossing of the Rhine, in March 1945, when the Germans failed to blow up a railroad bridge near the town of Remagen. |
| When he first campaigned for the House, Mr. Hechler passed out copies of his book, appealing to West Virginians’ patriotism and pride in military service. | When he first campaigned for the House, Mr. Hechler passed out copies of his book, appealing to West Virginians’ patriotism and pride in military service. |
| He was a leading proponent in Congress of the Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969, which limited coal dust and enhanced safety standards in the wake of a 1968 explosion at a coalfield in Farmington, W.Va., that killed 78 miners. | He was a leading proponent in Congress of the Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969, which limited coal dust and enhanced safety standards in the wake of a 1968 explosion at a coalfield in Farmington, W.Va., that killed 78 miners. |
| When President Richard M. Nixon wavered over signing the coal safety bill, citing concerns about its cost, Mr. Hechler contacted the widows of seven miners lost in the Farmington disaster and chartered two small planes to bring them to Washington. | When President Richard M. Nixon wavered over signing the coal safety bill, citing concerns about its cost, Mr. Hechler contacted the widows of seven miners lost in the Farmington disaster and chartered two small planes to bring them to Washington. |
| Shortly before the women met with aides to Mr. Nixon, the White House announced that he would sign the measure. | Shortly before the women met with aides to Mr. Nixon, the White House announced that he would sign the measure. |
| In the preceding months, Mr. Hechler had accompanied the reformer Joseph A. Yablonski on visits to minefields when Mr. Yablonski was challenging Tony Boyle for the presidency of the United Mine Workers. | In the preceding months, Mr. Hechler had accompanied the reformer Joseph A. Yablonski on visits to minefields when Mr. Yablonski was challenging Tony Boyle for the presidency of the United Mine Workers. |
| Mr. Yablonski lost a disputed election and was then murdered, together with his wife and daughter, at his Pennsylvania home. Mr. Boyle was convicted of murder for ordering the killings. | Mr. Yablonski lost a disputed election and was then murdered, together with his wife and daughter, at his Pennsylvania home. Mr. Boyle was convicted of murder for ordering the killings. |
| A champion of civil rights, Mr. Hechler was reported to have been the only member of Congress to go to Alabama and join with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1965 voting rights march from Selma to Montgomery, which met with violent resistance. | A champion of civil rights, Mr. Hechler was reported to have been the only member of Congress to go to Alabama and join with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1965 voting rights march from Selma to Montgomery, which met with violent resistance. |
| “He said to me at Selma, ‘You will be a part of history today,’” Mr. Hechler said of King in an interview with the public television station WGTE in Toledo, Ohio, in 2012. “That’s one of the proudest things I’ve done in my checkered life.” | “He said to me at Selma, ‘You will be a part of history today,’” Mr. Hechler said of King in an interview with the public television station WGTE in Toledo, Ohio, in 2012. “That’s one of the proudest things I’ve done in my checkered life.” |
| Kenneth William Hechler was born on Sept. 20, 1914, in Roslyn, N.Y., to Charles Hechler and the former Catherine Hauhart. His father managed the estate of the financier Clarence Mackay, the father-in-law of Irving Berlin, on Long Island’s North Shore. | Kenneth William Hechler was born on Sept. 20, 1914, in Roslyn, N.Y., to Charles Hechler and the former Catherine Hauhart. His father managed the estate of the financier Clarence Mackay, the father-in-law of Irving Berlin, on Long Island’s North Shore. |
| He graduated from Swarthmore College in 1935, received a doctorate in political science from Columbia University in 1940, taught at Columbia College and Barnard and took part in editing President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidential papers before his wartime service as an Army officer. | He graduated from Swarthmore College in 1935, received a doctorate in political science from Columbia University in 1940, taught at Columbia College and Barnard and took part in editing President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s presidential papers before his wartime service as an Army officer. |
| After the war, Mr. Hechler held an administrative post in the Bureau of the Budget and taught politics at Princeton, then worked as a speechwriter and researcher for Truman from 1949 to 1953. | After the war, Mr. Hechler held an administrative post in the Bureau of the Budget and taught politics at Princeton, then worked as a speechwriter and researcher for Truman from 1949 to 1953. |
| He was the head of research for Adlai E. Stevenson in his 1956 Democratic presidential campaign. He was also the associate director of the American Political Science Association when he took the teaching post at Marshall. | He was the head of research for Adlai E. Stevenson in his 1956 Democratic presidential campaign. He was also the associate director of the American Political Science Association when he took the teaching post at Marshall. |
| As his ninth term in the House was concluding, Mr. Hechler ran in the 1976 Democratic primary for governor of West Virginia but was defeated by John D. Rockefeller IV. He returned to teaching at Marshall before being elected to the first of his four terms as West Virginia secretary of state. | As his ninth term in the House was concluding, Mr. Hechler ran in the 1976 Democratic primary for governor of West Virginia but was defeated by John D. Rockefeller IV. He returned to teaching at Marshall before being elected to the first of his four terms as West Virginia secretary of state. |
| In 2009, Mr. Hechler took part in protests at Massey Energy facilities in West Virginia to oppose the company’s strip mining. On one occasion he was arrested on charges of impeding traffic and obstructing a police officer, but the charges were dropped. | In 2009, Mr. Hechler took part in protests at Massey Energy facilities in West Virginia to oppose the company’s strip mining. On one occasion he was arrested on charges of impeding traffic and obstructing a police officer, but the charges were dropped. |
| Then came his final campaign, when he challenged Governor Manchin in the Senate primary. He finished second in a three-way race won by Mr. Manchin. (Sheirl Fletcher, a former state legislator, finished third.) | Then came his final campaign, when he challenged Governor Manchin in the Senate primary. He finished second in a three-way race won by Mr. Manchin. (Sheirl Fletcher, a former state legislator, finished third.) |
| in addition to his wife, whom he married in 2013, Mr. Hechler is survived by a stepson, Josh Kitzmiller. | |
| Mr. Hechler underlined his common-man appeal in 1975 by working as a waiter at the Lock, Stock and Barrel restaurant in Williamson, W.Va., during a congressional recess. | Mr. Hechler underlined his common-man appeal in 1975 by working as a waiter at the Lock, Stock and Barrel restaurant in Williamson, W.Va., during a congressional recess. |
| On his first day on the job, wearing seersucker trousers, a red-and-white checked shirt and tennis shoes, he took orders for his favorite meal: miner’s strawberries (pinto beans), cornbread, buttermilk and rhubarb pie. | On his first day on the job, wearing seersucker trousers, a red-and-white checked shirt and tennis shoes, he took orders for his favorite meal: miner’s strawberries (pinto beans), cornbread, buttermilk and rhubarb pie. |
| “I want to find out what the average person is up against,” he told The New York Times. “I was disgusted with the fact that Congress voted itself a pay raise and then voted for a monthlong recess. I voted against both.” | “I want to find out what the average person is up against,” he told The New York Times. “I was disgusted with the fact that Congress voted itself a pay raise and then voted for a monthlong recess. I voted against both.” |