Evening star., 1940-08-19
Debate on Public
Power Supercharges
The Air Waves
BottIers Beg Just
One More Minute
As Gong Sounds

Sparks flew at the American 70.
rum Of the Air broadcast last night
when three Democrats and three
Republicans turned debate on
public versus private power into a
bitter political controversy.
Still begging Theodore Crank,
the harassed moderator for lust one
more minute" as the program ended
were Senator Schwartz, Democrat, Of
Wyoming; Senator Bridges, Repub-
lican, of New Hampshire; Senator
Bone, Democrat, of Washington;
Representative Rankin, Democrat,
of Mississippi; Representative Dirk 4
sen. Republican. of Illinois, and
Representative Bender, Republican,
of Ohio.
Senator Bridges, one of the leading
agitators against public power, and
Representative Rankin, father of
Tennessee Valley Authority legisla-
tion in the House, fired the opening
blasts in prepared speeches and
then it was free-for-an.
Schwartz Draws First Blood.
Senator Schwartz, charging that
Republican Candidate Wendell L.
Willkie had attempted to ham
string" the T. V. A. by continuous
court action to have it declared un-
constitutional, added:
What he would do to public
power in this country if by some un-
fortunate circumstance he should
be elected to office ." Well, it
would be crime"
Then Representative Rankin
echoed with an attack on Mr.. Willkie
and "other Republicans" for fight
ing T. v. A., public power and
cheaper rates.
Mr.. Bender turned to Mr.. Rankin
and responded. John. this man
Willkie certainly burns you up.
doesn't hep
To which Mr.. Rankin replied,
We'll, III be satisfied just as long as
he doesn't burn the people down
with his electric rates by getting
elected"
you just watch his dust" said
Mr. Bender. and Senator Schwartz
take more than power magnate to
beat Roosevelt"
Every Man for Himself.
After that, the Senators and
Representatives took of their verbal
silk gloves and started punching.
II ~ uyff
charges and counter-charges split
along strictly party lines.
Senator Schwartz claimed that
Mr.. Willkie. as president of the
Commonwealth & Southern Corp.
had contributed s17.500 to a cam
paign to defeat public power in a
Chattanooga (Tenn) referendum.
Representative Dirksen charged
the T. V. A. set up Offices in Chat
tanooga to coerce Federal employees
into voting for the bond issue" (to
finance public power plant con-
struction).
Representative Rankin, marshall
ing few figures, insisted that pri-
vate power companies ARE wiring
ing from the unprotected users of
electricity" more than billion dol
lars year in excess charges, that
District residents are overcharged
s2,871 900 a year and that other
State overcharges included Sl0,737,.
900 for residents of Virginia and
$l2 .309 900 for Maryland residents.
He said he arrived at these fig
ures by comparing the rates OF
private power companies with the
rates of the city owned and OPP
Grated electric system in Takoma,
Wash.
Tax Argument Attacked.
Met by charges from the Repub-
lican members of the panel that
private companies were forced by
the high tax burdens to charge
higher rates than the untaxed Gov
ernment-owned plants, Representa-
tive Rankin declared:
Private power companies through
out the United States in 1886 paid
only 1872 per cent of their gross rev.
enues while the Tacoma Electric
System paid more than 16 per cent
of its gross revenues in taxes. cash
contributions and free services"
In his prepared speech. Senator
Bridges charged that New Deal
fellow travellers have built them
selves mighty political machine
through public power projects. He
also declared that the public own
ership movement constitutes a COM
bination of commercial and politi-
cal racketeers."
1t was remarks like those that
started the ruckus which kept a
capacity crowd at the Willard Hotel
ballroom and a Nation wide radio
'o,5;on,o of ~. AE,,t,,,I Dxaaloae.