THE WEST: Help for Henry

To California's businessmen, it often seemed as if Henry J. Kaiser might be the New Deal's own private Paul Bunyan. Back in 1942 when the Defense Plant Corporation turned him down emphatically, the RFC loaned Kaiser $123,305,000 to build his Fontana steel mill. And he was permitted to use his shipbuilding profits (most of which would have gone to the U.S. in taxes anyway) to help pay the RFC loan. In this way he paid off $17 million.

But even Paul Bunyan himself could not do without Johnny Inkslinger, the master figurer who...

Want the full story?

Subscribe Now

Subscribe
Subscribe

Learn more about the benefits of being a TIME subscriber

If you are already a subscriber sign up — registration is free!