doolittle was elected as a democrat to the sixty-third, sixty-fourth, and sixty-fifth congresses (march 4, 1913 – march 3, 1919). he was an unsuccessful candidate for reelection in 1918 to the sixty-sixth congress. representative of the united states treasury department to italy in 1919. federal prohibition director for kansas in 1920. he engaged in the practice of law in strong city, kansas, kansas city, missouri, and washington, d.c. from 1921 to 1934.