The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-07-03
KEEPING Uk
With I
THE NE WIS
BY LUDWELL DENNY

NJ A0h1NG4OIN' 0uIy Or leliOy
w of ammunition for candt-
dates lacking campaign issues is
being stored daily by the Federal
Trade Commission investigating
propaganda activities of the public
utility corporations and State or
CARNATIONS.
Today the commission was COM
plotting its probe Of the Wisconsin
power organizations, preparatory to
its summer prices. The hearings.
will be resumed in September when
the presidential campaign is getting
we'll under way.
Whether the criticism of the
Republican and Democratic plat
forms for failing to mention the
commissions revelations in their
planks on giant power will ems
courage Smith and Hoover to
recognize this alleged menace to
popular education and Government
in forthcoming messages accepting
the nominations is not known here.
The Wisconsin investigation is
uncoVering part of the same power
trust" network to control public
opinion through the press and COLI .
leges, revealed in the probe Of
eastern, southern and far western
States.
A. F.. Herwig of Milwaukee, di-
rector of the Wisconsin Utilities
Information Bureau testified ne CO.
operated with Professor Martin j.
I. Glaesser, University of Wiscon- d,
sin, and Professor Frank B. Woy,
ir the preparation of textbooks. 81
The Glaesser book was submitted
for suggestions to w. r. NTcGovernt /,
official of the Wisconsin Telephone
Company.
ID ECORDS of the 1922 conven-
An ton of State utility directors
we're introduced by the commission
to show attempted control of news
papers news and editorial policy
through advertising.
1--WE are trying to promulgate the
idea rapidly among newspapers that
public utilities offer a very fertile =,
field for developing regular prompt
paying customers of their advertis-
ing columns" B. j. Mullaney told
the convention.
when that idea penetrates the
United States, unless human nature
has changed we will have less
trouble with the newspapers than
we have had in the past"
Benjamin Ling, Ohio publicity
director, at that time described the
activities of G. G. Maxwell, former
secretary of the Ohio Public IT'LL
tiles Commission, who was employed
to make speeches against Govern
ment ownership because his former
official position made his addresses
good newspaper copy"
Much of his speeches printed by
newspapers reflected almost wholly
the viewpoint of utilities, so that it
might almost be labelled straight
out propaganda on behalf of the
utility industry" said Ling. M
The public and press were not
told that Maxwell was on therutil-
tiles pay roll. -
XXTHILE the Federal Trade Com
w mission revelations continue
in Washington, the National Educa-
ton Association at its convention in
Minneapolis is trying to clear its
members of all responsibility for the
wide use in public schools of the
country of the. utilities propaganda
books and pamphlets as texts for
students.
The education association should
denounce the efforts of the power
corporations to influence education,
according to j. w. Crabtree, execu-
tive secretary of the association.
A warning for all teachers and
principals to "avoid introduction
into the public schools of propa.-
ganda of a kind that will bias fu-
ture judgments Of the children"
was made by the association presi-
dent, Cornelia S. Adair of Rich
mond, Va.
1.-THE public schools are attended,
by more than 100000 Americans
at the most impressionable period
Of their lives; and the slant of their
thinking will determine the public
policy of tomorrow" she told the
convention.
Paul S. Clapp, managing director
of the National Electric Light AS
ISOLATION which is under fire by the
Federal Trade Commission invests
cation, has informed the N. E. a..
that his organization will welcome
a complete study of the relation Of
the utility interests to the schools.
n II r.
DEMOCRATS, who urged a 5o
- per cent larger tax cut than
the $22O,OQoOOO granted by Con-
cress under the administration pro-
gram, are now using the I-told-you-
so argument in relation to the
Treasury Department statement
that the Federal surplus at the be-
ginning of the fiscal year, July L
was $398,0000O0.
The Democrats insist that these
large Treasury SURPRISES encourage
extravaganza by Government De-
partments and deny the Ad-
ministrations claim to increased de-
partmental economy and efficiency.
They object to such rapid retire.
ment of the public debt as provided
by the Coolidge program.
During the course of the eighteen
months beginning March t5 1927.
and ending Sept. 49, 1928, the
Treasury will have retired or re-