The Waterbury Democrat., 1945-02-01
Auctioneer
 Put On Spot

Washington, Feb. l.-(UP)-John Van 0inhoyen, . little guy with laryngitis, croaoked his story into senatorial microphone.
 Chairman James Mead of the war Investigating committee tossed him . cough drop, but it didn't seem to help. Johns voice grew weaker. Everyb ody in the caucus room strained to hear him, includ- ing Jacob Goldberg, a New York auctioneer whose face became scar let and stayed that color the rest of the afternoon.
 I'll simply introduce John, q q, ,6o0-a-year engineer for the Gov ernment's Defense Plant Corp, and let him tell his tale here in his own words. He'd gone to Cleveland, O., to look over a supply of surplus building materials that the DpC was getting ready to sell and there he met Goldberg and MT. Moss. From now on, John does the talking.
 T went upstairs in the Hotel CleVelander to Zee Jake Goldberg and this MT. Moss. On the dresser WCIO tWO UVbNSoI OiO OA hNuOA' The other might have been ginger ale. Chairman Mead asked if there was any ice)
 There also was pitcher of ice. Yes, I had something to drink. I had ginger ale. We had 6 very pleasant conversation. Goldberg said our men were doing a mar velous job. Then he told how he had been liquidator for years; how. when nobody else could sell thousands of Army bugles after the last war, he had advertised them in Boy Scout magazines and sold them all.
 "eandwiches were brought up, and coffee. Goldberg sent . suit of clothes down to De pressed and we got to talking about families An6 children. Goldberg said the war soon would be over, and thero would be big money for engineers like me. I said I hoped so, becausA I wanted to buy a little farm to raise my ehiI- dren He said if I wanted a mort gage maybe he could arrange 1t. Moss said Jake was a very smart fellow. said guessed I wouldn't take advantage of that offer.
 Then we got to talking about how his organization could lAuidOtG our surplus materials. Goldberg said he needed men to select tho material. He said fellow like mo didn't make much money.
 T smiled benevolently. He said his proposition was strictly legal He said he would take a number of us on his payroll. He said we should be worth &l5.0OO or $20,00O a year. HIS purpose was that l would rec- ommend that his company take over these materials. I would quit tho Defense Plant Corp. and then 60 on his payroll.
 He said he would train us. HN sid for me to remember that this was \ big thing; that 1t would amount to billions He also said to remember that I was in position tc' lay stones in his way. He said ! could report for fim, or report against him. He said he could take care of mo in a nice way. or in G nasty way. I became very much concerned"
 That about covers Van Ginhoven'n testimony, except that he went t. headquarters and urged his bosses not to have any dealings with Gold berg. Later on, he said. he was amazed to learn that Goldberg was auctioning of federal properties. Goldberg, a portly citizen with white hair and black eyebrows squirmed on a round bottom chair. His face, ears and neck soon turned rcd and he still was leaning for- ward to catch the testimony, when Chairman Mead recessed the hear. ing for the day.
 I asked Goldberg whether he cared to comment. He said, unssnil. ingly, that he did not. The hear ing will continue. Goldberg will get his chance to testify. I have noth InG further to report.