Evening star., 1940-09-23
WiI|kie FaVors
Cheap Power al
Federal Dams
Tells Oregon Crowd
locoI Areas Should
Decide Distribution
BY J. A. OTEARY,
Star Staff Correspondent.

PORTLAND, Greg. Sept. 23-
Wendell L. Willkie told the people
OF the Northwest today he favors
making available to them at the
lowest possible rates" the power that
will be generated at the Federal
Governments two big dams in this
area-Bonneville in Oregon and
Grand Coulee in Washington.
Mr.. Willkie laid down the prin-
ciple that local areas to be served
should determine whether this Fed
eral power, generated by water.
ought to be distributed by munici-
pal or private systems.
If they decide in favor of public
distribution, then appropriate
machinery should be set up for de-
terminlng the fair price TO be paid
for the existing privately owned
systems" he declared.
His position on the water powe-
question has been awaited with kee
interest, since he was the head
big private utility corporation 80
fore winning the Republican p> ss,-
Dental nomination and he selected
this city. within "a miles of Bocne-
vile, to make his attitude clear
Speaks Following Parade.
Speaking TO a large crowd in the
City Auditorium following a parade
through Portland and vicinity ne
declared:
The United States Government
has invested some $270.00O,0OC II
the development of Bonneville and
Grand Coulee Dams. 1t seems in
conceivable, therefore, that ar one
would suggest that these pl cts
should not be completed. Ir cJn-
nection with this great navil ion
and reclamation project. large q ian
titles Of power are developed. 1nL'
power absolutely should be d. 0s,c
of for the benefit of the publ
The people in the various political
subdivisions of Oregon and Tier
States within transmission ace
of this project should det me
how they wish the power distr o-toc.
whether through existing d bu-
tion systems municipality O. p-i-
vately owned. If the people desire
it to be sold exclusively through
public agencies, then some appro-
pirate machinery should be set up
for determining the fair price to be
paid for the existing privately owned
systems.
Whatever the method Of diStri-
button this great reservoir of cheap
power should be used for the indus
trial development of the great
Northwest and to provide domestic
and rural users of electricity their
requirements at the lowest possible
rates"
Reply to Democratic Plank.
Mr.. Wilkes speech was construed
by political observers here as his
answer to the plank in the Demo-
cratic platform which sought to
show that the nomination of Mr..
Willkie by the Republicans had
drawn clear issue between the two
parties on the public power question.
In discussing the power develop
ments in the Tennessee and Colum-
bia River basins, the Democratic
platform said, in part
These victories for the people
must be safeguarded They Will be
turned to defeat if the Republican
party should be returned to power.
We pledge our party militantly to
oppose every effort to encroach
upon the inherent right of our peo-
pie to be provided with this primary
essential of life at the lowest pos
sible cost.
The nomination of an utility
executive by the Republican party
as its presidential candidate raises
squarely the issue whether the Ma
tion's water power shall be used for
all the people or for the selfish in
terests Of a few. We accept that
issue"
Mr.. WILKES speech appeared to
have narrowed the issue down
merely to the question of local de-
termination Of the method OF dis.
tribution.
T. V. A. Issue Recalled.
His suggestion that appropriate
machinery be set up to determine a
fair price for private systems when
a community decides in favor Of
public distribution, served to recall
that it was this question of fair
compensation that first brought Mr..
Willkie into national prominence.
AS president of the Common
wealth & Southern Corp. Mr.. Will
kie Waged long fight against the
price to be paid by T. v. A. for part
of that companys system in the
Tennessee Valley, and finally won
an increase 1t was this contest
with the New Deal which made
him known throughout the country.
(See WILLKIE, Page A-5.)