History, Wonder Tales, Fairy Tales, Myths and Legends The Flemish | Page 240

A grandson of immigrants from West Flanders, Louis C. Rabaut was born in Detroit,
Michigan on December 5, 1886. His parents operated a wholesale toy and fireworks
store. Louis studied law at the University of Detroit, obtained his degree of Master of
Arts in 1912, and was admitted to the bar the same year. He married Stella M. Petz of
Detroit.
They had nine children, on of the three sons became a Jesuit, three daughters joined
the I.H.M. Sisters. After working for Seymour Troster's Real Estate Co. for a couple of
years, Louis in partnership with James J. Brady established the Standard Home
Investment Corporation, and was engaged in developing East side subdivisions as
well as in insurance.
On November 6, 1934 Louis C. Rabaut was elected to the U.S. Congress as
Representative of Detroit's East side (Michigan 14th District), with the support of the
Flemish American community. Addressing the House of Representatives in 1936 to
recall the heroic life of Father Damien, whose remains were then being transported to
Belgium, he introduced himself "as one with Belgian blood flowing in my veins, being, I
believe, the first of such lineage ever to enter the American Congress".
Rabaut's record in Congress for more than 25 years, - he lost only one election (1946)
is impressive. On many occasions he championed the cause of economic justice for
workers, social security legislation, unemployment benefits, fair employment practices,
guaranteed bank deposits, small business, lower interest rates, etc.
In the field of international relations he chaired several congressional committees,
represented the U.S. in the Philippines (1935), at Oslo, Norway (1939), in South and
Central America (1941), and in Europe (1945), and promoted world trade.
Rabaut, a deeply religious man and daily communicant, was the author in 1945 of the
amendment inserting the words "under God" in the Pledge of Allegiance to the U.S.
Flag, and of the legislation placing a cancellation mark on mail using the word s "pray
for peace". He had a good voice and loved to join his colleagues in song as they
would gather in the evening at the Congressional Hotel. Death came suddenly to
Congressman Rabaut on November 12, 1961 in Hamtramck, Michigan, as he was
speaking at a banquet honoring a former colleague.
He received awards from the International Economic Council (1944), the Catholic War
Veterans and the Daughters of the American Revolution (1956), and in 1957 the
George Washington Honor Medal from Freedom Foundation at Valley Forge.

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