Solon Earl Low
Encyclopedia
Solon Earl Low was a Canadian
politician in the 20th century.
Low was born in Cardston
, Alberta
, and was a farmer, school teacher and school principal. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
in the 1935 provincial
that swept the Social Credit Party of Alberta
to power. Low became provincial treasurer
under Premier
William Aberhart
in 1937. He was defeated in 1940 but regained a seat in a by-election in which George Woytikew resigned for him.
In 1944, he was acclaimed the first official national leader of the Social Credit Association of Canada at the party's founding convention. Though there had been a group of Social Credit MPs in parliament since 1935 under the leadership of John Horne Blackmore
, the party did not have its first national convention until 1944 at which point the national party was officially founded. He was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons
in the 1945 federal election
. Low represented Peace River, Alberta
until he lost his seat, along with every other Social Credit Member of Parliament
(MP), in the 1958 federal election
. Low retired as party leader in 1961 and died in 1962.
Low contributed to Social Credit's reputation for anti-Semitism
by numerous controversial comments. As Alberta treasurer he once said:
In 1947, when Low was federal leader of the Social Credit party, he used a national Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
(CBC) broadcast to lambaste "the international power maniacs who aim to destroy Christianity
" and the "international gangsters who are day-to-day scheming for world revolution
." He also claimed there was a "close tie-up between international communism
, international finance, and international political Zionism
." Low officially repudiated anti-Semitism in 1957 after having criticized Canada for not fully supporting Britain and France in the Suez Crisis
and having visited the state of Israel.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
politician in the 20th century.
Low was born in Cardston
Cardston, Alberta
-Demographics:The population of the Town of Cardston according to its 2007 municipal census is 3,578.In 2006, it had a population of 3,452 living in 1,234 dwellings, a 0.7% decrease from 2001...
, Alberta
Alberta
Alberta is a province of Canada. It had an estimated population of 3.7 million in 2010 making it the most populous of Canada's three prairie provinces...
, and was a farmer, school teacher and school principal. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Alberta
Legislative Assembly of Alberta
The Legislative Assembly of Alberta is one of two components of the Legislature of Alberta, the other being the Queen, represented by the Lieutenant-Governor of Alberta. The Alberta legislature meets in the Alberta Legislature Building in the provincial capital, Edmonton...
in the 1935 provincial
Alberta general election, 1935
The Alberta general election of 1935 was the eighth general election for the Province of Alberta, Canada. It was held on August 22, 1935 to elect members of the Legislative Assembly of Alberta....
that swept the Social Credit Party of Alberta
Social Credit Party of Alberta
The Alberta Social Credit Party is a provincial political party in Alberta, Canada, that was founded on the social credit monetary policy and conservative Christian social values....
to power. Low became provincial treasurer
Treasurer
A treasurer is the person responsible for running the treasury of an organization. The adjective for a treasurer is normally "tresorial". The adjective "treasurial" normally means pertaining to a treasury, rather than the treasurer.-Government:...
under Premier
Premier
Premier is a title for the head of government in some countries and states.-Examples by country:In many nations, "premier" is used interchangeably with "prime minister"...
William Aberhart
William Aberhart
William Aberhart , also known as Bible Bill for his outspoken Baptist views, was a Canadian politician and the seventh Premier of Alberta between 1935 and 1943. The Social Credit party believed the reason for the depression was that people did not have enough money to spend, so the government...
in 1937. He was defeated in 1940 but regained a seat in a by-election in which George Woytikew resigned for him.
In 1944, he was acclaimed the first official national leader of the Social Credit Association of Canada at the party's founding convention. Though there had been a group of Social Credit MPs in parliament since 1935 under the leadership of John Horne Blackmore
John Horne Blackmore
John Horne Blackmore , a school teacher and principal by training, was the first leader of what became the Social Credit Party of Canada, a political party in Canada that promoted the social credit theories of monetary reform....
, the party did not have its first national convention until 1944 at which point the national party was officially founded. He was first elected to the Canadian House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
in the 1945 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1945
The Canadian federal election of 1945 was the 20th general election in Canadian history. It was held June 11, 1945 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 20th Parliament of Canada...
. Low represented Peace River, Alberta
Peace River, Alberta
Peace River is a town in northwestern Alberta, Canada, situated along the banks of the Peace River, at its confluence with the Smoky River, the Heart River and Pat's Creek. It is located northwest of Edmonton, and northeast of Grande Prairie, along Highway 2. The Peace River townsite is nearly ...
until he lost his seat, along with every other Social Credit Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
(MP), in the 1958 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1958
The Canadian federal election of 1958 was the 24th general election in Canada's history. It was held to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 24th Parliament of Canada on March 31, 1958, just nine months after the 23rd election...
. Low retired as party leader in 1961 and died in 1962.
Low contributed to Social Credit's reputation for anti-Semitism
Anti-Semitism
Antisemitism is suspicion of, hatred toward, or discrimination against Jews for reasons connected to their Jewish heritage. According to a 2005 U.S...
by numerous controversial comments. As Alberta treasurer he once said:
- "[A]nti-Semitism is spreading because people cannot fail to observe that a disproportionate number of Jews occupy positions of control in international finance, in revolutionary activities and in some propaganda institutions, the common policy of which is the centralization of power and the perversion of religious and cultural ideals."
- Ending anti-Semitism, he said, would require Jews to denounce those "arch-criminals" in their midsts who are responsible for these initiatives.
In 1947, when Low was federal leader of the Social Credit party, he used a national Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, commonly known as CBC and officially as CBC/Radio-Canada, is a Canadian crown corporation that serves as the national public radio and television broadcaster...
(CBC) broadcast to lambaste "the international power maniacs who aim to destroy Christianity
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
" and the "international gangsters who are day-to-day scheming for world revolution
World revolution
World revolution is the Marxist concept of overthrowing capitalism in all countries through the conscious revolutionary action of the organized working class...
." He also claimed there was a "close tie-up between international communism
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
, international finance, and international political Zionism
Zionism
Zionism is a Jewish political movement that, in its broadest sense, has supported the self-determination of the Jewish people in a sovereign Jewish national homeland. Since the establishment of the State of Israel, the Zionist movement continues primarily to advocate on behalf of the Jewish state...
." Low officially repudiated anti-Semitism in 1957 after having criticized Canada for not fully supporting Britain and France in the Suez Crisis
Suez Crisis
The Suez Crisis, also referred to as the Tripartite Aggression, Suez War was an offensive war fought by France, the United Kingdom, and Israel against Egypt beginning on 29 October 1956. Less than a day after Israel invaded Egypt, Britain and France issued a joint ultimatum to Egypt and Israel,...
and having visited the state of Israel.