Evening star., 1934-02-22
ARMY MAIL RELIEF
BEING CONSIDERED.
Assistance in Emergency
Under Study as I'm
mediate Step. \
Continued From First Page.)


the committee, it will be rectified," he
said.
The House Military Committee de-
cided to ask Gen. Benjamin Foulois,
chief Of Army Air Corps, for all rec
ords of airplane purchases back to
1926 Chairman McSwain said he
felt the committee was 'on the trail
of some rascality." Award of $780,
900 of Army airplanes is being
held up.
Before the Committee yesterday
Brown told of personal attention he
had given negotiations to let an ocean
mail contract last February in which
w. W. A.terbury, president Of the
Pennsylvania Railroad, was interested
for the Philadelphia Mail Steamship
Co.
The contract was never awarded
because of a Senate resolution, intro
duced by Chairman Black of the
committee, that it be held up until
the new administration came in.
Brown denied the statement of a
previous witness that he had eX-
pressed willingness to let the contract
despite the Senate expression.
Black read from the testimony of
A. j. Ball of the Pennsylvania Rail-
road. which said Senator Reed, Re-
publican. of Pennsylvania. waged
filibuster which held up Senate ac-
ton on the Black resolution until the
mail contract could be let
Denies Seeing Ball.
Ball testified" Black said. that
you Brown informed him you were
willing to award the contract and
ignore the Senate resolution, but he
said that Chairman OConnor of the
Shipping Board. and other Shipping
Board members we're much impressed
by the Senate action and that even
If the Philadelphia Mail Steamship
Co. got the contract it couldn't have
got the ships from the board 1t
would have been in the position of
having contract and no ships
Il don't remember seeing Ball."
Brown answered. Il saw Basil Harris
previously identified as a ship op-
eratoD and I expressed a reluctance
to sign the contracts even before the
resolution passed 1 hesitated to
award it until the matter had been
cleared up
Then Ball was wrong?' Black
queried
I'm quite sure he was" Brown an
swered. and let me say I've seen quite
a few contact men, but I've never seen
one that understated to his superiors
his influence, and his friendship with
the men he approached"
Did you tell Ball" Black asked
that you were happy to aid the
Philadelphia concern in getting this
contract as you promised Atterbury
you would give this matter your whole
hearted support?'
Committee Favored Award.
"I promised Atterbury,'' Brown an
swered, that would take care of it
myself personally. He wanted the
contracts let before the post office
came under influences that he felt
would not do anything for Phila-
delphia. 1 had confidence in Gen.
Atterbury and in his interest in ship
ping. The Interdepartmental Com
mittee was whole heartedly in favor
oil the Philadelphia award"
Brown said the Interdepartmental
Committee was composed of himself,
Secretary Chaplin of Commerce, Sec
retary Adams of the Navy and the
Chairman of the Shipping Board.
Once or twice Black seemed about
to go thoroughly into the story told
by previous witnesses that post Office
files dealing with air and ocean mail
were burned by Browns order
Brown read letters to Senator Rob-
inson, Democrat. of Arkansas, and
Mead, explaining why he had awarded
extensions of airmail routes just
before he left Office.
Were those letters among those
YOU returned to Postmaster General
Farley?" Black inquired.
No Brown answered. Two or
three weeks ago he returned some of
the letters reported to have been
burned and stated he did not know
how they got into his personal effects
IN New York.
Thought Return Unnecessary.
The former Postmaster General
testified he had not thought it neces-
sary to return the letters he read
yesterday.
How many copies of letters did
you take which were not returned to
Mr. Farley?" Black inquired
Il can't answer" Brown said. but
III be glad to look them up and let
you know
The committee chairman returned
to the subject later. but Brown
quietly asked him: What is it you
want me to count?"
The letters you said you would
count" Black said bit impatiently.
But Brown told him that he re
membered" no others.