The Ypsilanti daily press. (Ypsilanti, Mich.) 1928-1962, 1940-12-04

Wendell Willlxie knows how in
eWtably the re-
cipicnt's expenses keep up with II.
He just can't prevent it. | myself
recall that. as an S1S-a-week cub
reporter. felt richer than ever I
have since then. although subse-
quently I've made a bit more than
that The rule may not apply on
into The Millionaire classification.
but | fancy that it does up to and
probably above the $4,000 line.
Simply in the course of nature
big stipend's bills are correspond
ingly higher than small ones.
and il doesn't imply extravaganza
in the former case. either
Anyway, Wendell apparently
isn't fixed to wag along for four
years without. job-not if he's to
be Republican presidential fac
tor in 1914. BY going into complete
political eclipse / presume he could
stay off relief indefinitely, with
what he's managed 20 hang onto
out Of his annual $4,000. He evil
IDENTIFY doesn't propose to go into
eclipse. though. His obvious no
tons TO remain a shining light on
the 1914 c. o p horizon. Thatn
call for sizabie wad OF money.
At dinner at Washington Ma
tional Press club. some time before
the last campaign. heard Wendell
y, al
Spurns Big Offer
He said he had $4,000 in Com
monYealth & Southern Stock. He
mentioned that he'd bought an In
diana farm occasionally. altogeth-
er FIVE or six of them He referred
likewise to an offer. he'd had Of
$4,000 yearly to join a New
York law firm. but he didn't ac-
cept it, preferring Commonwealth
& Southern on half as much. He
didn't explain why, but it's imma-
terial; the S150000 proposition.
having been turned down. isn't a
consideration in the argument as
TO his maintenance during the
coming four-year period.
What's he to do? Wendell him
self isn't inquiring, but politicians
are.
Independently OF all else, he
must have a comfortable bank &C
count. but the best guess Is that
it's inadequate to support a four
year presidential candidacy Ditto
the dividends on $4,000 worth OF
Commonwealth & Southern stock.
It's understood that Common
wealth & Southern would be glad
to get him back on the basis of his
original $4,000 per annum or even
better than that. but his friends
oppose 1t on the ground that 1t
would re-link him with public util-
tiles and completely queer him for
1914. the association handicapped
him this year.
Then how about a hook-up with
q big law firm like the one that
wanted him at the S150.000 rate.
His friends object again. Their con-
tent!oh is that such a firm once
more would identify him with
Wall Street. which his manage
ment is so anxious to avoid having
his name re-associated with.
Many Of his well wishers think
he ought to retire to one Of his In
diana farms. pretending to 'culti-
vate the soil, but really devoting
himself to writing for newspapers
and magazines. to speech making
and to numerous tours Of the coun-
try. stirring UP his kind Of senti-
ment.
Others insist that a college
presidency is the ideal job for him.
also mixed with writing (he's
good writer). oratory and the gen.
eral concoction OF political medi-
cine. like Glenn Frank.
But there's one main difficulty
with both these agricultural and
college presidential schemes.
Small Remuneration
Willkie. to carry on four years
of effective missionary work, needs
an exceedingly substantial income.
Farming doesn't yield one. College
presidents salaries aren't impos-
ing in comparison with public
utility magnates' Magazine and
newspaper writer's aren't overly
remunerated. Speech markings re-
turns aren't imposing A lot Of 1t
has to be done gratis.
Wendell. in short. can finance
himself handsomely as a public
utility executive or a Wall Street
lawyer. but either Of those two