The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1911-05-08
NATION NOT TO Be
]. D'S BENEFICIARY
Wickersham Shows Danger
BUSINESS of Rockefeller
Foundation Bill.

John Callan O'L.aughlin In Mondays
Issue of the Chicago Tribune says:
The Rockefeller foundation Is not to
be given corporate existance by the
United States government.
Attorney General Wickersham, in an
opinion given tn the President has con-
dcmncd the project as unwise and cal
culated to perpetuate the huge for.
tune which John d. Rockefeller has
amassed. The President Is under
stood to agree with the reasoning OF
his attorney general. aud In the event
that bill creating the foundation
should pass congress he in all proba-
bility would veto II.
No one who Is aware OF the benevo-
lent motives prompting Mr.. Rockefel-
ief In seeking to secure the creation OF
n corporation through which civiliza-
ton and humanity might be benefited
will believe that In approving the
draft OF the bill for this purpose which
Is pending In congress he was actuated
solely by the selfish, desire to keep his
enormous holdings intact for the use
of his descendants. Yet this would
be the certain result If congress were
to enact the bill introduced by Sena-
tor GallinHcr and reported favorably
by him from the committee on the Dis
trict OF Columbia two weeks after its
introduction.
Blocks Hasty Action.
Could Mr.. Gailinger have had his
way he would have forced the passage
of the measure through the senate at
once, and similar action would have
been urged by the house.
So far as the attorney general was
concerned. he had to decide what was
better and wiser from the point Of
view of public policy-the creation of
a corporation with unlimited powers
1T. and with no restrictions upon their
procedure save the mere right of con-
grcss To repeal the charter under
which they acted. or the protection of
the people and the repsiblic from a
huge fortune. constantly increasing.
free from federal taxation and beyond
federal regulation. though the bill pro-
posed that the corporation should
make n yearly report of what 1t had
done TO the secretary Of the interior.
Tho bill defined the object of the
corporation to be the promotion of the
wcll.being and advancement Of civil
cation of all peoples In the acquisition
and dissemination Of knowledge; the
prevention and relief of suffering. and
promotion of any and all Of the ele-
mcnts of human progress.
AoaHoAsa arna$ Oovuer
There Is no question that this IL a
highly worthy object and properly safe
guarded. would be OF immense value
to humanity. But Mr.. Wickersham.
looking at the matter from the point
Of view OF the statesman. concluded
that for the United States to perpetu-
ate a creature whose tentacles now
touch practically all industries would
mean it's eventful domination Of the
nation.
In the first place, the foundation
avowcdly would be perpetual. In the
Isecond. It's directors would determine
what would best advance civilization
and apply themselves to its realization.
even II the purpose might be the con-
/ troll Of the government of the United
Estates.
The incorporators Of the foundation
manned in the bill are Mr.. Rockefeller,
his son. his charitable representative.
mis- personal counsel. and another who
has been long associated with him.
This board. under the bill. could be
Increased or It might remain at it's