The producers news. [volume] (Plentywood, Mont.) 1918-1937, 1935-11-29
Wings
OVER
Washingt'n

license.
That would appear to be the
nomely moral Of the utilities ex-
Penslve filtration with politicians,
who gave a death sentence" in
return for cash. But again, and a.
gam, appearances are deceptive.
For twas only a lovers quarrel
with the gigolos, and the alleged
death sentence" was never more
than lot of hooey-a strong name
for a weak bill, of mild effect on
the. parasitic holding companies
and of little or none on utility pro-
fits.
Why Judge Coleman should rise
in such husbandly and protecting
wrath is another of those little
mysteries that make the power
trust propaganda dramas so excit-
ing. And as to political gigolos,
we won't believe they've been laid
off until we see their bills for SER
vices rendered in next years Re-
publican and Democratic campaign
contribution reports.
In 1924 the utility executives
bet $199,30O to $780, 100 that the
Republican party would win. In
1923, their campaign betting
was $205,S50 for the Republi-
cans to $115,OO0 for the Demo-
Gratis.
But in 1882, realizing that
their money would be wasted on
the hopeless Hoover campaign,
the power trust bosses cut down
their Republican national cOntri-
buttons to $64,520. To the rising
Democrats, if We should be so
unsuspecting as to take the Fed
trail Trade Commissions listing
without salt, it would appear
that the power trust gave not a
thin dime.
The commissions loyalty to
its president, however, seems to
be untempered by discretion.
While creating the impression
that Pres. Roosevelt was So evil
IDENTIFY on the side of the public
that the utility barOns would not
contribute to his fund, the FIT.
c. seemed not to realize that
others besides itself could COM
pile figures from the records of
the Democratic National Com
mittee.
The public utilities are much a.
bused, according to their publicity
agents. Politicians pick on them,
it would apepar. Thew are perse-
cuted and probed. They are even
sentenced to death by a callous
Congress and Prosecuting presi-
dent!
But through all this martyrdom
by some miracle, the utility COM
panies manage not only to sur
vive but to prosper. "They grew
fat and kicked" says a biblical
complaint about the chosen people
The elect of American business
have varied the formula-they
kick and grow fat, and the more
they kick the fatter they grow
Now a Sir Galahad has ridder
forth in the guise of a fox-huntine
Baltimore Judge, to rescue the vir
gin power trust from its self-pro
claimed sentence of death. In pro
nouncing the Wheeler-RayburI
holding company act unconstitu
tional, Federal Judge VIM. C. Cole
man of Baltimore accuses Con
gress of being grossly arbitrary
unreasonable and capricious,"
Coleman's decision was rendered
just after the Federal Trade Com
mission had made public some o
the utilities campaign contribu
tons to the Republican and Dem
ocratic parties. In the commits
sion's report may be found tn
key to the power trusts miracu
lous martyrdom. It is the Ike,
with which the maidenly magnate
lock themselves in a foul dungeon
with all modern conveniences
scream their heads off to be res
cued, and then unlock themselve
at mealtimes or to enjov othe
creature comforts.
Sam insult was impartial in hi
political contributions. He CAV,
to Republicans and Democrat
alike in proportion as either coult
be of service to him in milking tn,
utilities. The lesser men who com,
after him appear to be impartia
In the aggregate rather than in
dividually. The TIC. reports con
tributions of $468,900 by utilit,
bosses to the Republican party
and of $120,100 to the Democrat
party, in the 1924, 1928 and 1913.
national campaigns. Less fickl
than insult, the individual execu
tives appear to have divided u
their labor of love. One boss vii
give one party, nowadays, Will
another from the same corporation
will give to the other.
Harry Payne Whitney, directo
Of the Montana Power Co., cam,
nearest to keeping UP the Insul
tradition. He gave $4,000 to tn,
Republican campaign fund in 1924
according to the T. c., and $50,
600 to the Democrats in 1928. Tn,
president of the Montana Power
Co., John D. Ryan, preserved tina
corporations impartial stance OIL
both sides of the fence by a ges
ture Of $4,000 to the Democrat,
National Committee in 1924. Ii
1928, A. H. Virgins, a director
gave a similar favor of $4,000 Il
the Republican fund.