Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1945-09-23
COP Sees hifewash'
In Ending Of Hearings
On Elliott Roosevelt
By the Associated Press,

VII LIIIOH kOOSeven
BY the Associated Press.
Amid Republican cries of
"whitewash," the House Ways
and Means Committee voted
yesterday to refer the Elliott
Roosevelt dad debt" case to the
House without further investi-
cation now.
Republican members wrote a mi
nority report demanding further
inquiry.
Committee Democrats pushed
through, II to 10, a motion by
Chairman Doughton which:
/. Holds that John Hartford,
president Of the Great Atlantic &c
Pacific Tea Co., is Justified" In
claiming a tax deduction on $196, 900
be lost on a 100000 loan to the
late Presidents son. Committee
members estimated the deduction
would mean about $4,000 to Mr..
Hartford in actual cash.
1000 Pages of Evidence.
2. Sends to the House more than
1000 pages of evidence and testi-
mony regarding the case for filing
as a public document. That will
make the reports on Elliott's trans
action available in full for the first
time.
Chairman Doughton told news
men this winds up the case" He
added, however, that the commit
tee might consider later the ques-
ton of whether Elliott should pay
income tax on the $4,000.
Committee Republicans protested
heatedly against the decision in the
minority report made public by
Representative Knutson, Repub-
lican, Minnesota.
They argued that:
/. Testimony of Elliott, Mr.. Hart
ford and Former Secretary of Com
merce Jones-who arranged settle
ment of the debts Sin conflict
They said discrepancies exist par
ticularly in the role the late Presi-
dent Roosevelt played in the case.
2. Further investigation should be
made, to cover not only questioning
the three principal figures in this
loan but on inquiry into other re-
ported debts accumulated by Elliott
Termed Son Independent.
Elliott, in statement read by the
committee in secret, said his faith
er's only connection with the ar
rangement of the loan was assur-
ance to Mr.. Hartford, on the lat
ter's inquiry, that his son was in
dependent in business and such a
deal would not embarrass the Presi-
dent.
ITO refer the case to the House in
It's present incomplete form anC
without specific recommendation
will be received by the country as
a whitewash, which in effect il
would be-" the COP report declared
"One Democratic member of the
committee described the transaction
as messy and smelling to high
heaven
I'm fairness to Elliott Roosevelt
to the taxpayers and to this great
committee, we should not do other
than hold a full public hearing"
Yesterdays action followed failure
by Republicans Friday of move to
force appearance of Elliott, Mr.
Hartford and Mr.. Jones as witnesses
before the committee. Democrats
beat down this attempt II to 10.
Memory Often Failed.
The Republican report, in part
declared:
while Elliott Roosevelt's memory
fails him in many particulars, he
is emphatic as to all details which
would tend to show that he and his
associates obtained the 5000, 600
from John Hartford, and that the
President OF the United States
Franklin Delano Roosevelt, merely
approved the loan.
Elliott Roosevelt also insists that
1t was he who secured the services
of Jesse Jones to make settlement
with Mr.. Hartford, while Mr.. Jones
testified that he acted for Elliott
Roosevelt at the request of the
President.
IF the testimony of John Hart
ford is correct concerning his tele-
phone conversation with the Presi-
dent, the President did tell him that
he though the Texas State Radio
Network was good proposition
That he recommended the loans to
his son Elliott, and hoped that he
would make it.
Even though they (Mr Hartford
and the President) had never met,
the President began by saying Hello
John
The question as to who sought
this 100000 loan from John Hart
ford for this Texas radio venture
warrants the bringing before this
committee of those individuals who
are yet living"
Network Owners Named.
The Republicans said Charles
Roster and Sid Richardson, two
wealthy oilmen of Fort Worth,
Tex, together with Elliott's ex-wife,
Ruth G. Roosevelt, and Elliott's
children are the present owners OF
the Texas State Network
(The name of the Fort Worth
Gilman who is part owner of the
Texas State Network is Charles
Roeser)
THE Texas State Network was
losing money when the President
and Elliott Roosevelt got John
Hartford's 100000. & At the
very time that it commenced te
show a profit, the President insti-
gated a settlement with Hartford,
the Republicans said
Richardson and Roster g = fire.
quently dined at the White House
They were dinner guests there or
December IA, 1941. Mr.. Jones testi-
fed: In December, 1941, the Presi.