Spokane has produced more than its fair share of famous business leaders, artists, professionals and politicians. Two — one a Democrat and the other a Republican — earned national acclaim for the critical roles they played in maintaining the post-World War II institutions that laid the foundation for the "American Century."
Tom Foley did that in Congress and as speaker of the House from 1965-95, while my late grandfather, Eric Allen Johnston, did the same through a variety of posts. In writing a biography of the man I remember most vividly for giving Christmas its sparkle, a fuller picture is emerging. I see his passion for America, but also his deep concerns for our country.
I unearthed a long-forgotten keynote address he gave in January of 1945 to the Writers' War Board — an organization that coordinated some 4,000 American writers to support the war effort. In this speech, I hear my grandfather speaking to me, and to our times.
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