[1] Hatch attended the public schools of Kansas and Oklahoma and then received a Bachelor of Laws in 1912 from the Cumberland School of Law (then part of Cumberland University, now part of Samford University) and was admitted to the bar the same year.

[4] He was appointed on October 10, 1933, as a Democrat to the United States Senate, and was subsequently elected on November 6, 1934, to fill the vacancy caused by the resignation of Sam G. Bratton.

He is best known as the author of the "Hatch Act" of 1939 and 1940, preventing certain restricted federal employees from engaging in specified political activity.

He was Chairman of the Committee on Privileges and Elections for the 77th United States Congress and Chairman of the Committee on Public Lands and Surveys for the 77th, 78th and 79th United States Congresses.

His service terminated on September 15, 1963, due to his death in Albuquerque, New Mexico.