Evening star., 1946-07-19
Formal Subpoena |ssuedforMay;
SABBATH Says Carson Office Calls
Were to Arrange Pinoch|e Games
Probers to T axe All
Possible Steps to
Force Testimony
By Corter Brooke Jones

py SVItSt OIUOkS JUHSS
The Senate War Investigating
Committee today issued a sub
poena for the appearance of
Representative May, Democrat,
of Kentucky on the witness
stand and Chairman Mead said
the committee expects him to
respect this subpoena"
Mr.. May told reporters he had nc
comment"
Chairman Mead announced that
the paper would be served at once
on the chairman of the House Mill
tary Affairs Committee, who thus
far has refused to appear at a
public hearing, except on certain
conditions, and amplify the state
ment he made to the committee in
executive session on June 4.
At a hearing that preceded this
announcement, Representative Sab
ath, Democrat, of Illinois, dean of
the House and chairman of its Rules
Committee, told of playing cards
with Murray Carson, who, with
his brother, ran a "letterhead cor
poration" into network of NUM-
tions companies that got $4,000, 900
in war contracts. Another frequent
player in the friendly games" of
pinochle, Mr.. SABBATH said, was
Joseph Freeman, the Washington
representative of the Garssons.
Never Aided Garssons.
But the 80-year-old Chicago Rep
resentative said he. never interceded
with the War Department for the
Garssons or Freeman or knew any
thing about their war contracts.
He said he called the Washington
office Of the Garssons at No. |
Thomas circle two or three times,
but only to get third for pinochle
game.
Earlier, Senate Majority Leader
Barkley and House Majority Leader
Mccormack, whose Offices were
mentioned as having been in tele-
phone communication with the
Carson Office, denied any knowl-
edge of the corporations and their
war contracts.
After issuing the subpoena for
Mr.. May, the committee recessed
its hearing until 10 am. Tuesday.
The subpoena was an ordinary
one such as courts use. If Mr..
May ignores it. the committee will
consider what further steps it may
take.
Mr.. May has been named repeat
edly by witnesses as a frequent in
terceder at the War Department for
the Garssons in Strengthening out
problems involved in their war con-
tracts. The most sensational evi-
dence concerning him was given by
Mrs. Eleanor r. Hall, a former sec
retary in the suite on Thomas Cir
Gle, who testified that she overheard
Mr.. May inquire of Freeman over
the telephone, What about that
$4,000" She said she also heard
Freeman ask an official of Carson
corporation, Batavia Metal Prod
ucts, Inc, over long distance about
that thousand dollars for Yeikle." :"
She explained that "Yeikle" was the
code name in the Office for Mr.. May
No Protection After Adjourning.
In discussion of the subpoena,
Senator Brewster, Republican, of
Maine pointed out that members of
Congress were protected from sub
poenas except in cases of serious
crime. But once Congress has ad-
journed, he added, and the member
has time to get him, his protection
under the Constitution no longer
exists.
The committee then would have
full power to compel the member
to respond, the Senator said
Senator Ferguson, Republican, of
Michigan pointed out that the con-
stitutional provision is that a mem
Der of Congress may not be arrested
during a session except for breach
of the peace, felony or treason.
II. however, Mr.. May ignores this
subpoena, Senator Ferguson added,
the committee could meet, after he
returned to Kentucky, issue new
one and hold session. If he still
refused to respond it could proceed
under the criminal statute for con-
tempt"
The Senator pointed out that
contempt charge could be pressed
through the Senate, or, If the Sen
ate were not in session, through the
United States attorney in Kentucky
He said the committee would take
all the steps the Constitution will
allow" in getting Mr. May on the
stand
Mrs. Bates Unable to Appear.
Senator Mead also had called
Mrs. Jean Bates, another former
secretary in the Garssons' Wash
ington Office, to testify again at
today's hearing, but her husband,
Donald Bates, gave the committee
a doctors statement that she was
too i'll to appear.
Senator Mead said the committee
wanted to talk to her about a re-
ported visit she made to Freeman's
home at 4130 Arkansas avenue NV.
Mr.. Bates, taking the stand, said
he and his wife had been at her
mothers home for supper on the
day she first was questioned by the
conlmittee-which the committee
-