Evening star., 1940-04-26

4dCt llldl tIlc DAVlo Lawrence.
merits of Willkie as possible candi-
date are being discussed, sometimes
favorably and sometimes adversely
indicates at this time certain
restleSsness within the Republican
party which it is too early to meas
ure, but which may mean eventually
the nomination of some dark horse
for the Presidency.
The comment about Willkie usual
ly starts out with a concession that
he is an able campaigner, that he
would make colorful contest and
that he really has the capacity to
administer the responsibilities of the
Presidency. Then the discussion
turns on whether utility execu-
tive could be nominated or, if nomi-
mated, could be elected.
Both Know Utilities.
1t is an interesting coincidence,
but If, as now seems probable, At
torney General Jackson should be
Mr.. Roosevelt's choice for the Demo-
cratic nomination in the event that
third nomination for himself is
declined, the Presidential campaign
might have two standard bearers
who have served many years in the
employ of the public utilities.
Mr.. Jackson before coming to
Washington was an attorney for one
OF the big utility corporations in
western New York-a company in
which the Morgans, for example,
have a much larger percentage of
the ownership than they have in
the company of which Willkie is
president. This might mean that, if
the debate turned on the Public
Utility Holding Company Act, the
country would have first-class dis
cusslon on the merits of that all i'm
portant piece of legislation whose
passage, it is contended by many,
has had more to do with prevent
Ing unemployment and delaying re-
covery than any other single meas
ure passed by the New Deal.
Mr.. Wilkes skill as a debater
plus his background on this ques-
tion might we'll make the issue de-
torrents to unemployment, rather
than the type of smear campaign
which has so often been associated
with utility batting. The country
has heard very little thus far of the
true story of how a $4,000 900 900
industry has been injured by gov
eminent even after the abuses which
existed in the financing of utilities
In the mad twenties" were elimi-
mated by legislation under the Sc
curities and Exchange Act of 1884.
A Legal Fighter.
Wendell Willkie has never been
part of the financing orgy asso-
ciated with the utilities in the '2Os
and is himself not a utility mag
nate, for he never has been a rich
man or an owner of any Substan-
tial holdings himself. His life has
been largely that of a lawyer bat
tling his way to eminence in the
courts. One of the reasons why he
has attracted so much attention is
that he has not been willing to lie
down and accept for his company or
his industry what he believes are
conflscatory policies and unwar-
ranted attacks.
Until a few months ago, Wilkes
availability as candidate was not
taken seriously. Today he is be-
Ing looked over carefully by the
political leaders of the country. He
Is a liberal who is as ready to fight
for the civil liberties of an unjustly
accused radical as he is to seek
protection for the constitutional
rights OF a conservative. On for
eign policy questions, Willkie is as
anxious to keep America out of war
as any man in America. He has
seen war at first hand. In 1917 he
enlisted a few days after America
declared war; and he was in France
more than a year as first lieuten-
ant of field artillery. being recon-
mended for captaincy just as the
armlstice came. Lawyer, soldier,
business executive, public debater,
student OF history and government,
he is one of the few men who have
risen to national prominence in the
political arena without political
backing.
If for any reason the campaign of