The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1934-02-24
Brown Ayers He Was Misunder.
stood With Reference to
Personal Remark
FARLEY SAYS SAME THING
Senators Try in Vain to Get at
Bottom Of Queer Mixup on
Postal Deal

Washington, Feb. 24.-(P)-Denials
were the order Of the day Saturday
at the senate airmau committees
hearing.
First. Walter F. Brown. postmaster
general under Hoover. denied he had
told the committee Friday that James
A. Farley. present postmaster gen.
eral. recently had made a personal
remark" about Senator Black Dem.,
Aa), chairman Of the committee.
Then Farley denied the same thing.
Farley further denied he had made
a statement Of personal nature
about any member Of the committee
He went on to deny that there had
been any collision in airmail con-
tract affairs since he took office, that
there had been any talk of hitting
below the belt" at his conference with
Brown, or that he had made a state
ment he had no sympathy for po-
litical investigation.
Let me say" Farley said. that
didn't enjoy Mr.. Browns confidence
and he did not enjoy mine.
II would be unwise. to say the
least. to make any remark such as
has been inferred"
Hearers inferred It
Brown Friday testified Farley had
made to him "a personal remark" the
testimony being given in such a way
that listeners inferred the remark In
question was about Black.
II did not SO state" Brown empha-
sized Friday.
The senatorial investigators tried In
vain to find out what the personal
remark" was.
Pressed for his exact" reply to
Brown when the latter claimed he
was being treated unfairly, Farley
shook his head to indicate he did not
recall. He said he did not ask Brown
not to repeat anything. as Brown had
testified.
Questioned by Senator Austin tRep.,
VT, Farley said airmail contracts In
volyed SIS, 900, 900 when he entered the
cabinet. but when congress reduced
the airmail fund to $4,000 900 these
had to be reduced.
As TO the fact that the operators
had been called in to discuss the re-
auctions when this was held by the
comptroller general not to be neces-
sary. Farley said he regarded the
meetings with the operators and the
contract reductions as entirely proper.
Regarding the later wiping out Of
the contracts, he testified the con-
tracts were adjudged "a violation Of
the law and not in order"
The acceptance by Chas. F. Adams,
Hoover secretary Of the navy, Of an
invitation by the house naval com.
mtttee. placed two past-administra-
ton men simultaneously In 4 new
administration spotlight.
Adams Enters Denial
In Adams case, also, q denial en-
tered. House committee testimony
that he had owned 500 shares Of
Douglas Aircraft company stock lille
IN office had been termed by Adams
as false.
Word circulated at the capitol that
President Roosevelt was swiftly shap-
ing 2 still-concealed plan for rebid-
ding on airmail contracts. Private
industry under 1t would again take
over the Job.
The house was called into session
an hour earlier than usual, with lead
ers determined to dispose quickly, II
possible. OF an emergency airmail bill
that would ease the present army
postoffice airmail task.
House Pushes Bill
The house postoffice committee was
ready to shove forward next week it
own bill, which would pass the air
mail pouches back to private hands
on . flat-rate poundage basis. Ef-
forts would be made to have the hold
ers OF Cancelled contracts bid alone
with others II they were properly
qualified.
Brown, on the witness stand for
the fifth day Friday. told Of going to
Far!eys office to deliver missing
Official records. He quoted the pres
ent postmaster general as saying
there about the Black investigations
you know haven't any sympathy
With these political investigations
anyhow"
Brown said he couldn't repeat the
remark Of personal nature" Far.
ley then made because Farley asked
me not TO-" but he would II Farley
gave him permission.