Wendell Willkie

Wendell Lewis Willkie (born Lewis Wendell Willkie; February 18, 1892 – October 8, 1944) was an American lawyer, corporate executive, and the 1940 Republican candidate for president. Willkie appealed to many convention delegates as the Republican field's only interventionist: although the U.S. remained neutral prior to Pearl Harbor, he favored greater U.S. involvement in World War II to support Britain and other Allies. His Democratic opponent, incumbent President Franklin D. Roosevelt, won the 1940 election with 55% of the popular vote.

Willkie was born in Indiana in 1892; both his parents were lawyers, and he also became one. He served in World War I but was not sent to France until the final days of the war, and saw no action. Willkie settled in Akron, Ohio, where he was initially employed by Firestone, but left for a law firm, becoming one of the leaders of the Akron bar. Much of his work was representing electric utilities and in 1929, Willkie accepted a job in New York City as counsel for Commonwealth & Southern Corporation (C&S), a utility holding company. He was rapidly promoted, and became corporate president in 1933. Roosevelt was sworn in as U.S. president soon after Willkie became head of C&S, and announced plans for a Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) that would supply power in competition with C&S. Between 1933 and 1939, Willkie fought against the TVA before Congress, in the courts, and before the public. He was ultimately unsuccessful, but sold C&S's property for a good price, and gained public esteem.

Wendell Willkie (relief)

Wendell Willkie plaque is a public sculpture at the Indiana Statehouse in Indianapolis, Indiana and was designed by American sculptor and educator Paul Fjelde. This bronze plaque honors Wendell L. Willkie (1892–1944) who was the Republican Party nominee for the U.S. presidency in 1940. The plaque was placed in the Statehouse rotunda on February 18th, 1950. The inscription on the bottom of the plaque was taken from Willkie's book "One World" which calls for unified world order.

Description

At the top of the plaque is Willkie's name and the dates of his birth and death, February 18, 1892 – October 8, 1944. A silhouetted image of Willkie is facing proper left and is located in the center of the plaque. In this image Willkie is clean shaven and wearing a suit and tie. Inscriptions beneath the image describe Willkie as a "Distinguished citizen of our state and our country", a lawyer and an industrialist, the author of "One World," and the nominee of the Republican party for President of the United States in 1940. Under the description in an eagle and beneath it is an inscription from Willkie's book "One World" that reads: