The Washington times., 1934-02-24
DEBATE STARTS
ON TRANSFER
OFFUNDS
Farley Didn't Know the Law,
:; Says Rep. Clyde Kelly,
Defending Brown
By International News Service

BY international News Service
Postmaster General Farley'S
cancellation Of air mail contracts
was unjustified, Representative
clyde Kelly (R) Of Pennsylvania,
declared in the House today, in
opening debate on the Admins
kration's emergency air mail Dill.
The evidence submitted by
Postmaster General Farley to the
House Post Office Committee. he
asserted, clearly showed that
Sthe Post Office Department
didn't know just what was in the
Iaw."
Fund Transfer Asked
The bill before the House au-
Ehorized the Post Office Depart
ment to transfer funds to the
Army to meet expenses Of the air
mail. Representative Kelly said
he would support the bill because
Eve are facing a fact" He added:
"Under the power the Post
master General had, he can
CelIed the contracts Of opera
tors who built up the greatest
air mail service the world ever
raw. We have been carrying
more mail than all the rest
Of the world"
He said the House PoSto111ce
Committee rejected the proposal
of the Postoffice Department to
give it authority to make tenn
norary contracts without competl-
live bidding, because it would be
Inconsistent for the Postmaster
General to cancel contracts on
Ehe ground that competitive bid
ding was flouted, and then do the
hame thing. He continued:
Loss Of Life Cited
: "Already there have been
crashes in the carrying Of the
mail by the Army. The cost OF
planes destroyed In five days
speratiOn of the man Is $4,000.
eve have lost six filters and
others have been injured"
Postmaster General Farley sub
hnitted a letter to the House COM
unittee, stating that he cancelled
contracts because Of fraud and
collision. Representative Kelly
said:
Il can say without hesitation
that conclusive evidence was not
there, and the arbitrary cancel
lstiOn Of contracts was not jus
titled"
Conference Justified
Representative Kelly asserted
that former Postmaster General
Brown was justified in calling a
conference Of oOerators in 1890
which formN the basis for can.
oellation-because it was neces-
cary to clarity the Waters Act.
BE said Postmaster General Far
Sey did the same thing last year,
when he called the operators in
TOR consultation on expenditure
q remaining funds for the air
mail.
Representative Kelly urged
Postmaster General Farley to is
eue an order Immediately turn
ing back the air mail to private
Tines, to be carried for As days
without pay, while an investiga-
hon is conducted.
Criticizes White House
Representative Kelly criticized
the White House for it's reference
10 the telegram of Col. Charles
a. Lndbergh, protesting cancella-
lion Of the contracts. Representa-.
Tive Kelly said:
at is unthinkable that this
youth, who flew the Atlantic,
would undertake improper mis-
eiOnS for money. william Ran
dOlph Hearst has said that he
offered Lindbergh q contract
gOr $5OO,OOO to make . moving
picture, and Lindbergh turned
& down."
Representative Mott (R.) Of
Oregon declared that Army deaths
0oN4444NV uPOAA VA4S GS4OsS4 va
temporary convenience pending
che resumption of airmail con.
tracts"
Representative Hollinger (R0
Of Ohio characterized Postmaster
General Farley'S action as the
dmoSt arrogant form of arbitrary
@ction one could possibly imagine. I"
Mrs. Rogers Aroused
Mrs. Edith Nourse Rogers (R,)
d sachusettS, who has flown
over the entire country, assailed
the Administrations position with
an unusual show Of emotion
she asked:
'Why Is it necessary to per-
potrate this unSpeakabIe thing,
the destruction Of human life?
Was 1t to diScredit the acts Of
. previous administration"
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