The Wilmington morning star., 1942-07-26
Charles Stewart Says
BY CHARLES p. STEWART
Central Press COlumniSt)

BY CHARLES P. STEWART
Central Press Columnist
Capitalizing the war for individual profit is
inexpressibly mean business, of course. Attor-
ney General Francis Biddle very properly has
minutely investigated suspected cases of it.
Now congress has passed a law penalizing it
severely.
Operating in Washington, there undoubtedly
has been class of brokers who professed he
ability to get unduly fat bargains for seekers
after government contracts. Possibly some of
them have been at the game for long time,
but it appears that Uncle Sans enormous war
time requirements have stimulated 'em ir
their activities and multiplied 'em numeri-
cally.
In the first place, if a broker collects pay
from one Of his customers for promised serv-
ices he can't perform, he's grating on the Gus
TONER who hasn't any remedy for it, or he'd
incriminate himself. Not that I think the
greedy contract hunter is entitled to any SYM
pathy.
Attorney General Biddle's investigation and
another one by Chairman Carl Vinson of the
representatives naval affairs committee have
strongly indicated good many cases in which
crooked contractors have employed crooked
brokers and have had their moneys worth
from the latter in the form of mighty juicy
contracts, and good many other cases in
by crooked brokers.
Many Need Help
II such discoveries hadn't been made, it
wouldn't have been necessary for congress to
pass law to put stop to the system.
Now, don't for minute intend to suggest
that the average contract applicant wants in
excess of fair return on his stuff. He may
even consult a broker with no bad intention,
but merely because he's inexperienced in
Washington and believes he needs an old hand
to advise him. If he gets better deal than
he'd expected, I presume he generally bears
up under the shock with oparticular lamenta-
tion
Suppose, though, that contractor either by
design or accident, closes dicker on consid-
erably favorable terms to himself
A contractor and broker combined can't
dispose of big order of goods to the govern
ment, at fancy figure, without bit of ac-
quiescence on the part of the governmental
boys who subscribe to it for Uncle Samuel
Far be it from me to so much as hint that
as many as one in 1,000,0 of our wartime
contra acting agents are otherwise than 100 per
cent on the level.
A corking high percentage of 'em, however,
are as unsophisticated as babies.
What chance does one of 'em stand in con-
ference with slick, sly broker, who could
sell an imitation gold brick to the treasury
department?
What the government needs, to stop grating.
isn't so much a law, to punish it after it's
been perpetrated, as a lot of educational
COURSES for the benefit Of its executive crew.
to prevent it in its incipiency.
There are three groups:
l. The contractors
g The brokers.
g. The governmental guys
l think I've given a pretty clean bill of
health to the governmentaities except as to
intelligence
| I've said that the contractors are okey. on an
average.
Brokers As Guides
Now I propose to speak word for the
brokers.
Of the big ones I'm suspicious, as everybody
is
Many Of 'em, however, are perfectly well
intentioned. The fact is that they're not brok-
ers. They're guides around the capital
| Washington now is the cussedest place ever
intended to come into with the best intentions
| of prompting our war effort and good gov
ernment miscellaneous1y
| know big out-of-town supplier summoned
in to see cabinet member. Arriving. he re-
ported at the proper department. Got an ap-
pointment?" asked the desk clerk Nope"
conceded the applicant, who'd neglected to
bring his telegram, but phone his office. He
knows me-" Nothing doing" said the clerk
''You gotta 60 outside and phone in for an an.
pointment. Appointments are the only things
we recognize.'
Mayor LaGuardia of New York was the
caller I'm referring to.
The gal on the phone desk hadn't heard of
him.
Thus a broker has his utility if for no more
than Introductory purposes.