The Washington times., 1935-03-11
RAYBURNP NPOWER.
BILL ASSA|LED
IN LETTERS
Nv EARL GOODWIN


There never has been anything
like the flood of mail propaganda
against the Rayburn bill to regu-
late holding comp nies.
Some members of Congress are
getting two thousand letters
day, many of them couched in
frantic terms, begging the legisla-
tors not to abolish private electric
light and. power companies and
turn the jobs over to poll( cal
favoriteS.
Other letters attack President
Roosevelt, charging him with a
campaign to knock down the mar
ket value of the stocks and bonds
of utilities.
One member of Congress is said
to have received four thousand
letters in a single day. coming
from all over his State, and many
from other States. It was appar-
ent that there was single source
c. inspiration because of the same
phrases used in many of the let
ters; while all of them Nave the
one idea of killing the Rayburn
bill, which embodies the Presi-
dents desire to eliminate the
evils of holding companies
Lobbyists Arrive
Furthermore, the Capital is fill
ing up with holding company
lobbyists and publicity men.
Many of them do not appear 20
know how to go about their task
of filling the papers with pro-
utility matter and have been ask
ing advice of newspaper CORE
spondents, who have replied that
it is the business of newspaper
men to report the facts and not
to be used as tools for an activity
with strong interest in pend
ing legislation.
The purpose of the Presidents
program with respect to holding
companies is to remove the water
from their stock, bring them into
line so that electric light, gas
and power rates will be eco
nomical and still equitable to all
concerned. He has stated on many
occasions that there are good"
and "bad" utility companies and
that no soundly financed, we'll
operated company has anything
to fear. What he is after is the
holding company of the "Insull
Empire" type, whose financial
Tower of Babel collapsed with so
many personal financial tragedies.
Domination Feared
But the propaganda reaching
Congress appears to be based on
the fear that the Government
wants to take over and run all
electric light and power COM
panies. It is reported that many
of these letters to members of
Congress contain a phrase like
this:
"I am an expert at my job;
can run it much better than
a green politician who would
be put here to take my job
from me-"
Another statement which is
based on completely erroneous
idea is that the Government in
tends to take over utilities and
that when it does so all employe
pensions will be forfeited. Vet
eran employees of electric light
companies throughout the country
who have been contributing to
retirement and pension funds
have evidently been told that the
Presidents program would wipe
out these funds. Nothing is fur
ther from the truth.
Told to Protest
One employe of the Rochester
Gas and Electric Company, Roch'
ester, N. Y, a concern which has
been very active in stirring up
letter writer's, wrote to a member
of Congress that he was forced
to write six letters to lawmakers
here. protesting against the Ray
burn bill" before he could get a
pay check"
This employe declared that he
was making the protest under
orders; and had to follow out in
structionS or not receive his pay;
he said he was averse to such
"strong-arm stuff" and wanted
some information concerning the
Rayburn bill, about which he
knew nothing of his own know.
Ledge