George Aiken
| George Aiken | |
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George David Aiken in his office
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United States Senator from Vermont |
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In office January 10, 1941 – January 3, 1975 |
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| Preceded by | Ernest W. Gibson, Jr. |
| Succeeded by | Patrick Leahy |
| 64th Governor of Vermont | |
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In office January 7, 1937 – January 9, 1941 |
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| Lieutenant | William H. Wills |
| Preceded by | Charles Manley Smith |
| Succeeded by | William H. Wills |
| 59th Lieutenant Governor of Vermont | |
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In office January 10, 1935 – January 7, 1937 |
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| Governor | Charles Manley Smith |
| Preceded by | Charles Manley Smith |
| Succeeded by | William H. Wills |
| 77th Speaker of the Vermont House of Representatives | |
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In office January 13, 1933 – January 10, 1935 |
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| Preceded by | Edward H. Deavitt |
| Succeeded by | Ernest E. Moore |
| Member of the Vermont House of Representatives | |
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In office 1931–1935 |
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| Personal details | |
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George David Aiken August 20, 1892 Dummerston, Vermont, U.S. |
| Died | November 19, 1984 (aged 92) Montpelier, Vermont, U.S. |
| Resting place | Mount Pleasant Cemetery Putney, Vermont, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse(s) | Beatrice Howard Lola Pierotti |
| Profession | Farmer Horticulturist Author |
George David Aiken (August 20, 1892 – November 19, 1984) was an American farmer and politician. A member of the Republican Party, he was the 64th Governor of Vermont (1937–1941) before serving in the United States Senate for 34 years, from 1941 to 1975. At the time of his retirement, he was the senior member of the Senate.
As Governor Aiken battled the New Deal over its programs for hydroelectric power and flood control in Vermont. As a northeastern Republican in the Senate, he was one of four Republican cosponsors of the Full Employment Act of 1946. Aiken sponsored the food allotment bill of 1945, which was a forerunner of the food stamp program. He promoted federal aid to education, and sought to establish a minimum wage of 65 cents in 1947. Aiken was an isolationist in 1941 but supported the Truman Doctrine in 1947 and the Marshall Plan in 1948. In the 1960s and 1970s, he steered a middle course on the Vietnam war, opposing Johnson's escalation and supporting Nixon's slow withdrawal policies. Aiken was a strong supporter of the small farmer. As acting chairman of the Senate agriculture committee in 1947, he opposed high rigid price supports. He had to compromise however, and the Hope-Aiken act of 1948 introduced a sliding scale of price supports. In 1950, Aiken was one of seven Republican senators who denounced in writing the tactics of Senator Joseph McCarthy, warning against those who sought "victory through the selfish political exploitation of fear, bigotry, ignorance and intolerance."
George David Aiken was born in Dummerston, Vermont, to Edward Webster and Myra (née Cook) Aiken. In 1893, he and his parents moved to Putney, where his parents grew fruits and vegetables and his father served in local offices including school board member, select board member, and member of the Vermont House of Representatives. Aiken received his early education in the public schools of Putney, and graduated from Brattleboro High School in 1909. Aiken developed a strong interest in agriculture at an early age, and became a member of the Putney branch of the Grange in 1906. In 1912, he borrowed $100 to plant a patch of raspberries; within five years, his plantings grew to five hundred acres and included a nursery. During 1913 - 1917, Aiken grew small fruits in Putney with George M. Darrow as "Darrow & Aiken." In 1926, Aiken became engaged in the commercial cultivation of wildflowers. He published Pioneering With Wildflowers in 1933 and Pioneering With Fruits and Berries in 1936. He also served as president of the Vermont Horticultural Society (1917–1918) and of the Windham County Farm Bureau (1935–1936).
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