Early career in Queensland Forgan Smith emigrated to Queensland in 1912 hoping its warm climate would relieve a chronic bronchial condition. He was sponsored by a cousin in
Mackay, where he settled, worked as a painter and decorator, and married a local farmer's daughter, Euphemia (Effie) Margaret Wilson (15 January 1913 – 12 October 1958). Despite his youth and inexperience, it did not take Forgan Smith too long to adjust. When Prime Minister
Hughes called for
conscription to be introduced, Forgan Smith joined Premier Ryan in opposing it. This gave him recognition in the Queensland Labor Party, but made him a lifelong enemy in Hughes. Hughes misnamed him as "Hogan Smith, an Irishman from Glasgow" and accused him of speaking "Gaelic treason". Sometimes Forgan Smith incurred criticism for being authoritarian and dictatorial, although he was neither the first nor the last premier of his state to inspire such accusations. In such a case, the government's actions were effectively beyond legal challenge. Admittedly, these laws were more or less in line with similar ones passed in other jurisdictions (for example, the
Official Secrets Act in the United Kingdom). Also, Forgan Smith never declared a state of emergency himself; it would fall to later Queensland leaders to take advantage of that power. He would regularly consult with his Ministers to reach a decision, and while he could be heavy-handed in manner, he sometimes took advice from subordinates. The doctrine of states' rights meant a great deal to Forgan Smith, as it did to many of his predecessors and successors in the premiership. For example, he opposed the Uniform Tax Plan of 1942, even though it had been proposed by a federal ALP government under
John Curtin. Many people expected Forgan Smith to make a move to federal politics himself, just as
Ted Theodore had done. Nothing came of such notions. He seemed satisfied with his secure position in Queensland. The first Queensland premier to make wide use of radio, Forgan Smith was an effective speaker, and he made a good impression on many of those who listened to him. Radio allowed him to reach a wider audience than he could otherwise have done, and he also travelled throughout the state, especially to turn the first sod on a new public works project. Though never flamboyant (and in fact somewhat dour in manner), he became respected and genuinely popular. Benefiting from a weak and divided parliamentary opposition (Moore being opposition leader 1932–1936,
Edward Maher 1936–41, Sir
Frank Nicklin thereafter), Forgan Smith easily achieved re-election in 1935, 1938, and 1941. With no overt antagonists inside his cabinet, he was able to depart of his own volition from the premiership, which he did on 16 September 1942, becoming Queensland's longest-serving Premier. Three months later Forgan Smith resigned from parliament. A pragmatic and hard-working politician who rose, step by step, through careful planning, Forgan Smith was not dogmatic, nor did he do anything spectacular, preferring to busy himself with the minutiae of day-to-day administration. He claimed to be a
socialist, although he was an ardent critic of
communism. By his populism, his interests in education and state development, and his dominance of state politics throughout his time in office, he has sometimes invited comparisons with a later ALP leader of substantial electoral skill,
Peter Beattie. ==Post-premiership career==