Evening star., 1943-02-05
Land Tells Senate Uni
Contracts for Baroes
Will Be 'Repudiated'
Trumon Reps Orders
With Sovonnoh Firm;
Mocevoy Is Quizzed
Ry the Associated Press.

Hy the Associated Press.
Rear Admiral Emory s. Land.
chairman of the Maritime Com
mission, told the Senate Special
Defense Committee today that
contracts with the MacEvoy
Shipbuilding Corp, Savannah.
Ca, for concrete barges would
be repudiated and renegotiated.
Admiral Land made this known
when Chairman Truman said he
considered the contracts damn
poor"
Il don't understand" Senator
Truman asserted. why you would
make contract like that with
man like MacEvoy in the first
place.
Newark Man Heads Firm.
Clifford F. MacEvoy. Newark. NJ.
contractor, is president Of the Sa-
vannah Corp.
Commenting on testimony by Mr..
MacEvoy on equipment rental, Ad-
miral Land told the committee
proper procedure has been taken to
prevent unauthorized expendi-
tures'
Principal value of concrete barges.
Admiral Land testified. was from the
insurance standpoint. af1ording
added protection for the people be-
cause of lack of other transporta-
ton facilities" for hauling oil.
He said that when the oil short
age was foreseen consideration was
given to construction of concrete
bsrges purely as matter of in
surance'
He said construction was started
with reluctance" on his part be-
cause he was no enthusiast for
concrete In any shape" He said.
however, that from the insurance
standpoint the program was quite
justified
He said that 81 concrete and "a
self-propelled concrete barges were
under construction. MacEvoy is
building %.
IL Barges Needed Now.
The Navy, Admiral Land said,
wants II barges Immediately for
emergency military purposes
Cost OF barges is about $7OO 900
each and for the self propelled type
about $l,l0o,o0o each.
In discussion of equipment rent
al Mr.. MacEvoy was quizzed at
length about rental of q station
wagon he provided for 5000 a month
He said he considered the figure
fair rate. Committee Counsel
Hugh Fulton told MIR. MacEvoy that
the corporation already had ar
ranged for rental of a station wagon
at 50 a day.
Il never heard of it," Mr.. MacEvoy
replied.
Denies Giving False Vouchers.
Earlier, Mr.. MacEvoy denied that
his firm had submitted any false
vouchers to the Maritime Commits
sion for construction of barges.
Committee Counsel Fulton said
that S2,74l 400 had been allowed for
five barges under Mr.. MacEvoys
first contract with the Maritime
Commission. but that the corpora
ton had placed the cost as OF last
Decebmer 81 at ,$4. .466 ,855.
You spent almost twice the
amount and have not delivered
barge" Mr.. Fulton told Mr.. Mac
Evoy.
I don't think that is exactly
true Mr.. MacEvoy replied. be
cause we now are working on q
barges
Questioned as to the cost as of
December 81, Mr.. MacEvoy said
Il will not dispute that that is
the figure. but l will not affirm
that it is"
Refers TO Counsers Advice.
The contractor. who testified last
fall, during the committees inves-
tigation of the Winfield Park ,N
j. defense housing project. said he
had been advised by counsel to re-
fuse today to discuss that project,
when Mr.. Fulton referred to it dur
ing testimony.
The committee had been sharply
critical of the Winfield program, on
which Mr. MacEvoy was prime con-
tractor.
Mr.: MacEvoy testified that he had
been denied a contract for the
barges in September. l94l. but that
he later acquired the Port Newark
Shipbuilding Corp which had re-
ceived contract. and changed the
name to the MacEvoy Shipbuilding
Corp.
Asked the extent Of his invest
ment in the concern. Mr.. MacEvoy
said he and his wife 'hocked our
selves up to the ears to carry out
this contract
He testified he had contributed
$4,000 worth of equipment, placed
SIS, 900 worth of life insurance as
collateral for loan given a 100000
first mortgage in the concern and
put up $4,000 worth of stocks for
another loan