Evening star., 1934-03-06
Hoover Prohibition Director
to Fit Evidence Together
for Grand Jury.
NO RECOMME MENDATIONS
TO JURORS EXPECTED
Body Would Have Complete Dis
cretion-House Votes $4,000
for Expenditure Probe.
BY REX COLLIER,

prohibition in the Hoover administra-
ton and now a special assistant 50
the Attorney General, has been as
signed to apalyze evidence placed be-
fore the grand jury in the investiga-
tion Of War Department contracts,
preparatory to formulation of a for
NAL report by the grand jury
Meanwhile, the House unanimously
voted $4,000 for a Military Affairs
Committee investigation of War De-
partment expenditures from 1926 to
date.
Chairman Warren, Democrat, of
North Carolina, said the Accounts
Committee. which reported the resolu-
ton. had been promised thorough
going investigation, letting
the chips fall where they may"
One subcommittee. headed by Rep
resentative Rogers. Democrat, OF New
Hampshire. will investigate airplanes;
the other, of which Representative
Hill, Democrat. Of Alabama, is chair
man, will go into Army leases, in
Guiding that of the Port Newark, N. j.,
Base to the Mercur Corporation.
Woodcock it was learned today, Is
reviewing all testimony given by two
score witnesses and correlating the
facts into a coherent picture to aid
the grand jury in arriving at a de-
cision.
Seeks Role of Each.
Fitting the evidence together much
as he would proceed with jig-saw
puzzle Attorney General Cummings
special assistant Is endeavoring. it is
said, to find precisely where each i'm
portant figure named in the inquiry
belongs in the intricate case. with a
view to determining the extent, if
any, Of culpability.
II the grand jury so desires, 1t Is
understood, Woodcock may advise the
jurors on legal points involved in con-
sidering what action to take with re-
spect to certain persons.
Indications are that he will assist
United States Attorney Leslie G. Gar
nett and Assistant United States At
torney David A. Pine in drawing up
the final report Of the inquisitorial
body to the District Supreme Court.
There Is a possibility that the findings
will be reported before the end of this
week.
1t has been said at the court house
that the grand jury will not be asked
to indict or ignore any one-that the
matter of indicting or exonerating any
of the principals said to have been
named by witnesses will be left en-
e., Aa ~f
jury.
Silverman Statement Refused.
The only principal officially named
as a defendant in the grand jury pro-
ceedings is Joseph Silverman, jr. New
York and Washington dealer in sur
plus Army supplies. Silverman,
through the Office of his counsel, A.
Mitchell Palmer. has indicated a de-
sire to testify before the grand jury,
but is said to prefer appearing first
before the House Committee on Mil
itary affairs. Chairman McSwain OF
that committee informed Garnett's
Office today that the committee had
given no consideration to the matter
of hearing Silverman.
Silverman yesterday sought to pre-
sent Statement" to the grand jury.
but Pine declined to present any
statement to the grand jury that was
not supported by legal evidence. This
meant that only Silverman himself
could present his statement in the
grand jury room. It was indicated
that If Silverman made a formal re-
quest to appear, the request would be
laid before the grand jury for action.
This request had not been received
today.
Bill Held Up.
The House subcommittee on Army
appropriations was reluctant to report
the Army appropriation bill until the
grand jury investigation Of War De-
partment contracts was completed, the
record of the recent committee hear
ings reveals.
Chairman Ross Collins, addressing
Brig. Gen. Alexander E. Williams,
chief of the Army's transportation di-
vision, said
General, I suppose you understand
the reasons underlying these inquiries
that have been made regarding pro-
curement procedure respecting auto
motive equipment. We are all aware
of the investigation the local grand
jury is now conducting OF matters
touching Army procurements.
This committee would be con-
strained to take notice of such irregu-
larities and itself conduct searching
inquiry were it not for the fact that
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