Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1940-10-17


power projects was that they would
not pay any taxes, and by not paying
taxes they would be subsidized, which
was unfair to private power compa-
MES. Yet, as the Senator says, when
the T. ". A. wanted to pay taxes,
and the Congress was seeking to pass
a bill to permit the payment of taxes
by the T. v. A., we found Mr.. Will
kie saying, 81 would let them stew
in their own juice"
Mr.. Norris: I thank the Senator
for his contribution. 1t is very apt.
1t is all true. Not only Mr.. Willkie,
but those of his kind, used as their
first argument, 'They do not pay
taxes" When Mr.. Willkie was con-
fronted with a bill permitting the
payment by the T. v. A. of sum
in lieu of taxes, he said, 81 would
let them stew in their own juice down
there. A few bankrupt count S
would be very enlightening."
Mr.. Mcclellan: Mr.. President, will
the Senator yield?
Mr.. Norris: yield.
Mr.. Mcclellan: Does not the Sena-
tor think that the President of the
United States would be in a very
unfortunate position if he should hold
such emnity against any counties or
any States in the Union?
Mr.. Norris: think a man having
that disposition would be unfit for
almost any office.
Mr.. Mcclellan: think so, too; but
1 certainly think he would be wholly
unfit to be President of the United
States.
Mr.. Norris: Everybody who knows
him and who knows what he has been
and what he has done, knows that
he is not prepared for the duties
of that high office.
Mr.. President, on the 21st day of
January, 1885, Mr.. Willkie made
speech before the Economic Club of
New York and the Harvard Business
School Club. In that speech, made
at time when even he probably was
not thinking of being candidate for
President of the United States, he
referred to the infamous Samuel In
sull as a ''forceful, dynamic, and
attractive figure"
Mr.. Willkie was referring to Sam
uel insult with admiration and APP
prevail. The same insult, who has
probably been the means of robbing
more small investors than any other
human being on earth, stands out in
the estimation of Mr. Willkie as a
"forceful, dynamic, and attractive fig
ure." The American people think of
insult as the man who was financially
able, from contributions he had re-
ceived from the American consumers
of electricity and the robberies he
had perpetrated upon the American
investors, to control foreign nation,
to charter foreign vessel, and to sail
the seven seas, in an effort to escape
the officials of the Federal Govern
ment who had warrants for his ar
rest. He dominated a great electric
empire. His methods were the same
as the methods of the Power Trust
everywhere.
In the same address Mr.. Willkie,
who was at that time president of
the Commonwealth & Southern and
trustee of the Edison Electric Insti-
tute-aS he was on the very day the
Republican party nominated him for
Presidential language forceful and
eloquent, refers to his ''obligations"
to public utilities privately owned"
He puts his loyalty to them above
everything else in the world.
In this speech Mr.. Willkie said:.
81 do not like to make person.
al references, but I want to say
to you that no duty has ever
come to me in my life, even that
in the service of my country
(MARK THAT) which has so ap-
pealed to my sense of social obi
cation, patriotism, and love of
mankind as this, my obligation to
say and do what I can for the
preservation of public utilities
privately owned. All that I have
observed, all that l know, and all
that l read teaches me that I
could do nothing nobler for the
future financial stability and po-
litical good of my country or the
social and economic well-being of
my fellow citizens than to stand
firm and unafraid against this
foolish fad and fancy of the mo-
ment"
There you have from the very heart
of Mr.. Willkie his philosophy. He
puts his loyalty to the Power Trust
above loyalty to anything else in life,
even to his country in time of war.
These words ought to burn into
the heart of every American citizen.
They ought to make him realize that
Mr.. Wilkes election would mean
the domination of the Power Trust
in our Nation. 1t is inconceivable to
me that man running for the Presi-
dency of the United States can ex-
pect to receive the votes of his fell
low citizens when his loyalty to pub
lie utilities privately owned exceeds
his 1Ova1tv RI hic Government ox,oy,