Archives West Finding Aid

Faith and Freedom the Pillars of American Democracy was written in conjunction with Hawthorne Daniel and published in 1950. An edited typescript along with a few items of correspondence are included in this box.

Typescript, background materials, correspondence, list of autographed copies sent out and reviews. The book was originally published in 1958 as part of a series on religion all entitled Why I Am A Methodist, Episcopalian, Mormon, etc. The First Presidency of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints had asked Bennett to write the book which he seemed pleased to do. He began writing in 1956.

There is little material about the Bennett business interests in 1965 except for some in information about tax problems that had developed as a result of the Bennett Association, the family holding company, having absorbed Bennett's Galss and Paint. Bennett Motor Co. was reorganized "to conform to the Ford Motor Company's ever changing dealer policy."

There is also little material about Senator Bennett's immediate family. He did note in a letter to a friend that son Bob was a political representative for J. C. Penney and Company based in Washington D. C. Bob married a granddaughter of Mormon Church president David O. McKay. The Senator was pleased to have this family connection.

One of the Bennetts daughters, Rosemary Bennett Fletcher is married to Robert Fletcher, brother of University of Utah President James C. Fletcher. They had been long time residents of New Jersey but were transferred during the year to Albuquerque New Mexico where he became vice president for research of the Great Sandy Corporation--responsible for producing U. S. Atomic weapons.

His senate duties continued to grow. He was appointed by the Vice president, Hubert Humphrey, to be a member of the senate Ethics Committee - known officially as the "select Committee: Standard and Conduct. His other committee assignment included Finance, Banking and Currency and the Joint Committees--Atomic Energy and Defense Production. Tom Korologos became his cheif Administrative Assistant replacing Ralph Mecham who had become a Vice President of the University of Utah.

1965 found the Republicans in Utah at somewhat of a low ebb. Bennett and Republican Laurence Burton are the only two major republicans in office. Democrat's Senator Moss and Congressman King hold the other two National offices and the governship was held by newly elected Calvin Rampton. Sherman Lloyd is mentioned as the most likely cnadidate to challenge King for his congressional seat.

The business correspondence for 1966 is useful in helping to better understand the many Bennett interests. Bennett Leasing had problems with both taxes and the Valley Music Hall. Bennett Ford is in the process of being transferred to Richard Warner. The Bennett Association invests in the Almaden Winery.

His legislative duties were sometimes frustrating. He wrote to Gweneth Gates in January that "I am usually on the losing side [but] to this time I am not ready to quit." Later in January he attended an International Balance of Payments Conference in England and in April a conference in New Zealand.

He noted the passing of an old friend, Charles Roh. "His passing leaves a real hole in the list of older men who helped me so much when I was getting started in the business." In July and August the Senator was hospitalized for his ulcer condition.

During the year he wrote to David Lawrence McKay urging him to have his father, LDS President David O. McKay, disassociate himself from an implied endorsent of the John Birch Society suggested by Ezra Taft Benson.

As the ranking member of the Senate's Finance Committees Bennett assumed more responsibility and power. He was responsible for the Nixon Administration's tax bill which proved to be an arduous assignment. According to his administrative assistant, Robert Wolthius, the "long and difficult floor fight on the tax bill" caused his ulcer condition to worsen and he was forced, on December 2, to undergo surgery. Wolthius replaced Tom Korologos who had moved on to the Whote House to become a special whote House assistant to President Nixon. As a member of the Banking Committee, Bennett also had a leading role to play in the monetary reform measures that came about in 1972.

Mrs. Bennett successfully underwent surgery at the beginning of 1971 to replace her hip joint. A sad note for Bennett was the death in March of his sister, Mary Bennett Smith.

Some of Senator Bennett's business interests apparently prospered. Bennett Motor Company showed a substantial profit increase and on December 4, 1971, Bennett Ford officially became Rick Warner Ford. The Bennett Association investment in Terracor, the company founded by his close friend Glendon Johnson, was in some jepordy.

The Bennetts took several trips because of his senate responsibilities. In May they were in Munich for the International Banking Conference; they later traveled to Paris in June for the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) conference which was tied to his Finance Committee work; in September they went to Geneva for the United Nations Atomic Energy Conference.

Senator Bennett was the recipient of two honorary degree-the first from Northeastern University in Boston and the second from his Alma Mater the University of Utah.

There were major changes in the business enterprises of the Bennetts namely Richard Warner completed his buyout of Bennett Ford and changed its name to Rick Warner Ford." Various property transfers by the Bennett's in back of their First South Store allowed for the development of Arrow Press Square.

The Bennetts have recovered their health but there were ups and downs in their family. Robert Bennett was associated to an unknown degrees in the Watergate drama. Wallace and Theda continued to serve the LDS Church in a mission presidency in England. The Fletcher grandchildren are coming of age and there is some insightful correspondence from two of them. Lawrence Jeppson published a book, The Fabulous Frauds. The publisher had to withdraw it because some of its material was in error. The Bennetts celebrated their fiftieth wedding anniversary.

Bennett served as ranking member of the Financial Committee and also had seniority on the Banking Committee. In addition he was on the Housing and Urban affair committee, joint committees on Atomic Energy, Defense Production and Internal Revenue Taxation Committees. He chaired the committee on Standards and Conduct. His correspondence to other Senators and house members, titled as Congressional Correspondence, does not reflect his committee work nor in most cases issues before the Congress. Its substance is almost exclusively personal. Paul Denham became his administrative assistant because Robert Wolthius vacated the job to return to Utah and run (unsuccessfully) for Congress against Gunn McKay.

Bennett had some problems with two Mormon publications the Deseret News and The New Era. The Era featured an article on the life of Heber J. Grant which ignored his polygamous relationships and these tended to cast doubt on Mrs. Bennett's (Frances Grant) parentage. She is the daughter of President Grant and his third wife Emily Wells. Senator Bennett wrote several letters to important Church authorities stating, "I don't know whether this (the article stated Grant had just one wife) is the result of careless editing, poor scholarship or a deliberate editorial decision, but it is completely false and unfair." Later in the year Bennett became some what upset at the Deseret News because they carried little, if any, information about the Bennett's fiftieth wedding party which was featured in the Washington media.

Richard Nixon won in a landslide against Geroge McGovern in the race for the presidency but the senate stayed Democratic, thus Bennett did not become chairman of the Finance committee Utah voters overwhelmingly endorsed Republican Nixon and Jake Garn but voted democratic for its two Congressmen--Gunn McKay and Allen Howe.

There is only one item regarding Senator Bennett's business interests and this has to do with his former company, now Rick Warner Ford. Family correspondence is also negligible. The topics under the general heading "Legislative" are more varied than in some other years but there is no substantial in depth information. The "Personal" correspondence provides an overall glimpse of 1973 mentioning the following: Senator Bennett had a relapse of sorts from his ulcer operation and required additional surgery; he and Mrs. Bennett went to Vienna and South Africa on a Congressional trip; he announced his forthcoming senate retirement in 1974; some contenders for his senate seat are mentioned; there are fleeting references made to the Watergate situation and Bennett is chosen to receive an honorary degree from Brigham Young University.

The material for 1974 is limited. There is no business correspondence and only 1 family item. The congressional corresondence is also sparee but repeating many of the former themes--birthday greeting thank you's for small favors and notes from participants in the Senate Prayer Breakfast Group. 1974 was the year in which Bennett left the Senate and the hotly contested race to fill his seat took place between Mayor Jake Garn of Salt Lake City and Congressman Wayne Owens. There is almost no material about either his retirement or the race. The 1976 material consists of some newsclippings featuring Bennett's son Robert. It was not part of the original collection, but was included because its amplifys 1972 material having to do with his role in the Watergate break-in.