Ralph Gates

Ralph Fesler Gates (born February 24, 1893 in Columbia City , Whitley County , Indiana , †  July 28, 1978 ibid) was an American politician and between 1945 and 1949 the 37th  governor of the state of Indiana.

Early years and political advancement

After elementary school, Gates attended the University of Michigan until 1917 , where he studied law for the last two years. During the First World War he rose to the rank of lieutenant in the military financial administration ( Pay Corps ). He spent about a year out of the country. Upon his return, he ran a law firm in Columbia City with his father. He also became a senior member of the American Legion Veterans Association . Gates joined the Republican Party and owed his political rise above all to a party career. Between 1941 and 1944 he was President of the Republicans in Indiana. In 1944 he was nominated by his party as a candidate for the upcoming gubernatorial election, which he won with 51 percent of the vote against the Democratic US Senator Samuel D. Jackson .

Indiana Governor

After his election victory, Gates replaced Henry Schricker as governor on January 8, 1945 . At the beginning of his four-year term in office, World War II was not yet over. After the war ended with the Japanese surrender, industrial production in Indiana also had to be converted to civilian needs, and the returning soldiers had to be reintegrated into public life. The injured and disabled people also had to be looked after. Independent of these war-related events, a new pension law for all employees was introduced during Gates' tenure. In addition, new government commissions and ministries emerged, including a commission dealing with flood protection. Another commission was entrusted with the affairs of the war veterans, another with the improvement of traffic safety.

Another résumé

After Gates was not allowed to run again directly due to a constitutional clause in 1948, he had to resign from office in January 1949; his predecessor Henry Schricker also succeeded him as governor. Gates himself became a lawyer again. But he remained politically active for the Republicans. Between 1947 and 1961 he was a member of the Republican National Committee . Ralph Gates died in 1978. He was married to Helene Edwards, with whom he had three children.

Web links

• Gates in the National Governors Association (English)
• Indiana Historical Bureau (English)
• Ralph Gates in the database of Find a Grave (English)