Evening star., 1945-04-11
.0PA Bung|e5.
Wheeler Says
Charges 1t Called Off
Black Market Trap;
Rebuke Considered
By the Associated Press.

Senator Wheeler, Democrat, Of
Montana leveled a new barrage
of criticism against the OPA to-
day at Senate Food Investigate
ing Committee hearings.
Shaking his finger at Thomas I.
Emerson, deputy OPA administrator
in charge of enforcement, Senator
Wheeler declared OPA enforcement
officers had been called off when a
trap was set two years ago for
gang of black market meat op-
orators
Describing Mr. Emerson as an
inexperienced boy the Montanan
said:
IF they don't get somebody else
down there in charge Of enforce
ment, they might as well close up
the OPA."
Emerson Leaving OPA.
Mr. Emerson had informed the
committee earlier that he was leav-
ing OPA. He said he was "in the
process of changing" to the Office
of Economic Sterilization where he
would be general counsel.
Senator Wheeler put into the rec
ord telegram from Harry T.
Brundidge, writer for Cosmopol-
| itan Magazine, which related this
story:
In the spring If .943 Mr.. Brun-
didge undertook to expose black
market operations in meat. He posed
as buyer for New York night
clubs and got In touch with an
independent packer at Kansas City,
who said he had connections with
black market dealers in Omaha,
Denver and Chicago.
Jerome K. Walsh, OPA repre-
sentative at Kansas City, and
Maurice M. Milligan, United States
attorney for the Western District
OF Missouri, worked with Mr..
lBrundidge OPA agents accom-
panied the writer in his negotia-
tions with the black marketers.
Purchase Agreement Made.
At meeting in New York, an
agreement was made for purchase
of from 100000 to 100000 pounds
of meat a week. Mr.. Brundidge was
to go to Kansas City to make the
first payment and it was planned to
spring the trap at that time.
Mr.. Brundidge went to the Black
stone Hotel, Chicago, where he was
to meet two OPA men who were to
go to Kansas City with him.
Mr.. Emerson called off the two
OPA men, however, the telegram
said, and the whole plan fell
through, with Mr. Brundidge. as
Senator Wheeler put it, left high
and dry in the Blackstone"
Mr.. Emerson acknowledged that
the account given by Mr.. Brundidge
was substantially correct, but con-
tended OPA had all the evidence it
needed against the gang in question
without working with Mr.. Brun-
didge.
Questioned by Senator Wheeler as
to what was done with the gang.
Mr. Emerson said the leader was
sentenced to year and a day in
Jail and fined $4,000, while the 9TH
ers got fines and suspended SEN
| tenceS.
Indicted in Baltimore.
TT might interest you to know"
Senator Wheeler said, that the
black marketers who were indicted
today in Baltimore or who will be
indicted tomorrow in $2,000,000
black market operation are the
same characters with whom Mr..
Brundidge did business two years,
ago and could have been nailed
then-and permanently-instead Of
letting them loose and wild for two
full years
Mr.. Emerson clashed also with
Senator Bushfield, Republican, of
South Dakota after telling of OPA's
collecting various sums from alleged
violators of price regulations.
Most of them were obtained by
bluffing the victim weren't they?"
Senator Bushfield asked.
mo, Senator, most of them have
been criminal prosecutions" Mr..
Emerson replied.
Speaks of "Snoopers."
Senator Bushfield spoke of
"snoopers" telling businessmen they
must pay some sum or be dragged
into Federal court" He said he
knew of one case where four OPA
agents in four separate cars, "all
burning Government gasoline,
wrangled with poor little grocer
for three hours"
Finally, he told them to go to
hell and they left town. Senator
Bushfield concluded.
When Mr.. Emerson said most
such reports were not true, Senator
Bushfield f1ared up and said he was
there and knew what he was talking
about.
After Senator Wheeler had gone
into the Brundidge incident, Mr..
Emerson said he had reported the
whole matter to Prentiss Brown, at
that time OPA director, and Mr..
Brown approved by decision"
Sentiment apparently was mount
ing in the committee for formal
(See FOOD, Page A-51