The Waterbury Democrat., 1940-06-28
Willkie Ranks Self
AS "True Liberal''
Republican Candidate for President Regarded as No.
Enemy Of New Deal-lias Had Interesting Career

dent OF the United States" he said
last April 4, land I have not the
slightest delusion about being NOM
mated"
Last April rs he admitted he was
"honored" by and Interested" in
illusions to his political available
ity but said he was more concerned
with the principles In which be-
lieve' than In any hypothetical
presidential prospects he might
have.
Willkie was born az years ago In
Elwood, Ind. His grandparents came
TO this country after the collapse
OF q revolutionary movement In
Germany. They spelled their name
Willcke.
Mother Pioneer Lawyer.
His parents were both lawyers. his
mother having been the first woman
admitted 10 the bar In Indiana.
Willkie, whose boylsh reading tastes
ranged from poetry to the more
obstruse sciences, developed q taste
for law from his parents and, with
1t, q considerable training In lib
eral sociology. At 10 he helped his
father, Herman r. Willkie, prepare
a case for union labor In opposition
to a picketing injunction,
In high school and college WILL
kie distinguished himself as a de-
batter OF a slightly radical tinge. He
became follower OF the late Sen.
Robert NJ. LaFollette after hearing
the Wisconsin Progressive speak.
During summer holidays Willkie
earned money by working In har-
vest fields from Oklahoma TO the
Canadian border. The World War
interrupted his efforts TO get started
In the law. He served In France
with the 325th Field Artillery and
after the Armistice joined the law
Arm OF Mather q Nesbitt In Akron.
O.. first practicing for o time In
Fort Wayne.
SHE'D From Politics.
Willkie was q Democrat In those
days. Indiana party leaders wanted
TO get him into politics, but he re-
sisted the temptation after receiv-
Ing, from trusted friend, the ad-
vice 10 forget IT," Otherwise, he
might have run for Congress,
The Arm Of Mather, Nesbitt a.
Willkie had several utilities as
clients. Developing into a brilliant
trial lawyer, the Junior member at
tracted the attention OF d. g. Cobb,
president OF Commonwealth a.
Southern. In 1929, having fought
the Ku Klux Khan TO q standstill
In the middle 20s and become a
delegate TO the national Democratic
convention IN 1924. Willkie permit-
ted Cobb 10 persuade him TO go To
New York.
Four years later Willkie was pres
ident OF Commonwealth a. South.
ern. ut n time when utilities were
n national scapegoat In addition 10
being In bad condition financially.
Other utilities concerns were dis
charging statesmen. Willkie imme-
dlately hired 800 new ones. His
campaign 10 stimulate consumption
was so successful that In six years
the Commonwealth a. Southern
companies had doubled their output.
Sale OF electrical equipment jumped
from less than 100000 In 1888 10
$2o,0oo0o0 In 1887.
At the same time, Wlllkie lowered
rates and established q policy OF
getting along with his customers In
stead OF continually fighting them.
Praised ny Jackson.
A leading New Dealer, now Attor-
ney General Robert II. jackson,
once praised him for adoption Of
o low"price, high-volume basis for
his industry"
Since becoming president Of Com
fnonwealth d Southern Willkie has
received the relatively small salary
OF $4,000 q year--just what the
President gets--has accepted no
bonuses, has stayed out OF the stock
market and has assumed no direc-
torships outside his own corpora
ton.
Commonwealth d Southern had
utilities In II states, including Ten
nessee, when iva began to expand
under tho New Deal. As represen.
tative OF more than 100000 Com
monwealth q Southern security
holders. Willkie felt their interests
were In jeopardy and called upon
the government TO buy his com.
pany's Tennessee properties.
/ The iva commended he was asking
10000, 900 too much. He suggested
that another governmental agency,
the Securities and Exchange Com
mission, be asked 10 Ak fair price.