Evening star., 1935-04-03
Wrote to Howe Outlining
Good Effect of Bath
Firm Contract.
PROBERS READ LETTERS
OF INSURANCE AGENT
Nye Quizzes Witness of Effort to
Stir Up japanese War Scare
to Aid Bills.
BY the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press
Evidence that a friend OF James
Roosevelt. son of the President. inter-
ceded at the White House for naval
ship building jobs for the Bath
'Maine) Iron Works Corp. was intro
duced today before the Senate NUM-
tions Committee.
Previously, Chairman Nye had as
serted a japanese war scare" was
stirred up TO help pass every naval
appropriation before Congress.
A letter written by Roger S. Mac
Grath, agent of the New York Life
Insurance Co. TO Louis McHenry
Howe. secretary TO President Roose-
welt. said:
The psychological effect Of the
administration awarding to the Bath
Iron Works contracts for two new de-
stroyers will be looked upon very IA
vorably by the people of Maine. and
will be very helpful in the upbuilding
OF the Democratic party in this State.
Letter Sent in 1898.
The letter was dated July II. 1893
urer Of the Bath Iron Works. de-
scribed MacGrath as a friend" OF
James Roosevelt
Thibault declared MacGrath was
lust an insurance agent trying to
build UP business.
You may recall" MacGrath wrote
that it was at my suggestion and
request that James Roosevelt spoke in
Bath, Me, last October during the
presidential campaign. after our
State election here, and I may say
that this part Of our campaign in
Maine aroused considerable interes!
and support for the President not only
in the City of Bath but throughout
the State, and We we're almost able to
carry the City of Bath for the Presi-
dent, which normally has been a Re-
publican stronghold for years"
Cites Subsequent Awards.
The letter pointed out that the
Bath company was then building one
destroyer and was bidding on two
more. .-.
Previously W. S. Newell, president
of the company, had testified he was
awarded two destroyer jobs a few
weeks after the date of the MacGrath
letter. He did not mention the in
surance agent as having any connec-
ton with the award.
A second MacGrath letter. this one
directed to Thibault on July 81, 1888
said:
Il took up the matter of allotting
to the Bath Iron Works contracts for
the two destroyerS with the naval
authorities while was in Washington
the week before last.
L also wired the President directly
and also Claude A. Swanson, Secre-
tary of the Navy, urging that all pos
sible consideration be given to your
tracts with the Bath Iron Works"
Hoover Case Cited.
Evidence that an effort had been
made to have President Hoover award
destroyer jobs to private yards in
preference to the Government navy
yards as an inducement for votes in
the last presidential election also was
introduced.
A letter sent to Newell by J. w
Powell. president of United Drydock
Co. one of the smaller yards. under
date of September 30. 1892, was
presented
This morning Gerrish Smith
president of the National Council of
American Ship Builders) and !
PowelD called on Ted Sanders at
national Republican headquarters in
New York and made an oral state
ment to him on the political effect on
the employees of the private ship yards
Of the award of the three destroyers
to navy yards and requested him to
use his influence with the President
to direct construction of the three
remaining vessels in private yards"
The Sanders was Everett San
ders. former secretary to President
Coolidge and then chairman of the
Republican National Committee. Con-
tinuing, the latter said:
He stated that he did not know
whether his influence would have any
effect on the President, but my per-
sonal impression is that he will try
to have the President award these
three vessels to private ship yards.
Meanwhile, Eddie Rickenbacker
World War flying ace. declined an in
vitation to appear before the House
Military Committee to testify on leg
islation to strengthen the Army Ali
Corps. He expressed the opinion an
other trip to Washington would be
fruitleSS.
Nye made his statement after evil
dence had been introduced by the
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