Evening star., 1943-05-16
Louisianian Arrives
To Explain Deal Linked
In R s.. House Probe
JumonviIIe to Testify
Tomorrow About Sole
OF Steam Boilers
By JAMES E. CHM,

legged boiler deal-another incident
which has sprouted out Of the in
vestigation of the much-publicized
dinner parties in the house at 210l
r street NV
The committee will meet at 1896
am. tomorrow in special session
to listen to Mr.. Jumonville's story
and also to hear another witness,
Representative Morrison, Democrat
Of Louisiana, whose name has fig-
ured in the investigation Of the r
street house.
Representative Morrison was a
guest at one of the dinner parties
and admitted borrowing Packard
automobile from John P Monroe
the host. and placing his congress
sional tags on it.
Charges to Be Sifted.
The committee arranged the spe-
cial meeting at the request of the
eight members of the Louisiana
delegation of the House to sift
charges that one of its unnamed
members expected to get "a juicy
commission" out of a steam boiler
deal alleged to have been engineered
by Mr.. Monroe, who has identified
himself as manufacturers repre-
sentative in Washington.
With the committees subpoena in
his pocket, Mr.. Jumonville on reach
Ing Washington went directly to the
ONCE Of Representative Morrison
where he SAID:
II don't know what this is all
about. I am just a businessman
from q small town. but it seems am
the latest mystery witness in this
fuss about the big red house on R
street."
He identified himself as president
Of the Jumonville Pipe and Ma.
chinery Co. Of Plaquemine, La.
which has for years, he said, beer
engaged in buying and selling al
kinds of secondhand machinery.
Has Nothing to Hide
Mr.. JumonHlle explained he die
not know Mr.. Monroe and hae
never heard Of him until his name
appeared in the newspapers severa
weeks ago In connection with the
parties at the r street house.
Il am here to tell the committee
everything I know" he declared
The whole thing is a mystery q,
. far as am concerned. I am slac
to have this opportunity on behalf
OF myself and Representative Nor.
rison-my Congressman-to place
before the committee a complete
file of the whole boiler transaction
There is certainly nothing to hide"
Mr.. Jumonville said a committee
investigator from Washington went
to his home to see him and he had
been informed several others took a
trip to New Orleans to check with
the Public Service Co. about steam
boilers he bought from the concern
for sale to the Aluminium Corp. Of
America.
Mr.. Jumonville said before he left
Louisiana he had been told his tele-
phone wires had been tapped. A
similar charge was made by Mr..
Monroe on his first appearance be-
fore the committee several weeks
ago.
"Commotion" Mystifies Him.
The thing that mystifies me-" he
declared. lis why all this commo-
ton and apparent intrigue over q
simple business deal which is re-
corded in the files Of several Gov
ernment agencies"
He said he has one son in the
service, another who is leaving home
next week to join the Army Air
Forces, and had lived for IS years
IN Plaouemine, where everyone
knows him.
There is nothing mysterious
about me, my family or business"
Mr.. Jumonville declared. Il sold
the Aluminium Corp. of America
$4,000 worth Of equipment on a
Baton Rouge project, everything
from q small boat to 4 valve. In
all the transaction I never found
any trace Of the name OF John
Monroe.
'As to this so-called boiler deal" 4"
he said, II didn't need a salesman
TO assist me-"
Secretary of the Navy Knox. who
has admitted he and Mrs. Knox
were among prominent guests who
attended one of Mr.. Monroe's dinner
parties in the r street house, was
questioned about war contract
brokers on his recent appearance
at a House subcommittee hearing
on the 1914 Navy Department ap-
preparation bill, according to the
published record of the secret hear
ings, He was not asked about the
r street incident
Gas Book Seized.
Secretary Knox. however, has
been quoted as having said:
To have some one come in and
cay, I know Frank Knox and he
can get this for you -. that makes
me see red" Mr.. Knox further
disclosed he had done everything"
to suppress activity of war con-
tract brokers at the Navy Depart
ment.
From Boston came reports of the
Associated Press that Mr.. Monroe s
C gasoline ration book. issued in
Boston, had been ordered surren-
dered by the Massachusetts, Office of
Price Administration on the ground
that he was not eligible to hold it.
Mr.. Monroe has house in the ex-
elusive section Of Boston known As
Jamaica Plain.
Lawrence j. Bresnahan, Massa-
ehusetts OPA director, was quoted
by the Associated Press as saving
the action was taken, Because we
say he is not eligible" and empha-
sized there was no question of mis-
use"
Mr.. Bresnahan said Mr.. Monroe
had described his position in his rsx
application rs war order expeditine
and procuring" and gave addresses
at 1l9 Perkins street, Jamaica Plain.
and 2101 r street NV, Washington.
He further declared the action
was taken during = routine review
OF 1900 Massachusetts, supple
mental and preferred ration books.
Hl.lsl a 81