Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1946-07-29
WAACaIIsTransactjon
With Fields on Surplus
Items Entirely Legal

Members of special House COM
mittee investigating surplus prop
erty disposals conferred with War
Assets Administration officials today
to outline a course of action. Com
mitteemen have promised to con-
duct a thorough inquiry into pur-
ported Irregularities in disposal OF
high priority materials.
Revelation Saturday that Ben
jamin Franklin Fields, now under
investigation by the Senate War
Investigating Committee, had OPP
Grated brokerage in scarce ma
atrials was not denied by WAA. It
called its transaction with Fields
entirely legal"
But Representative Ridley, Re-
publican. of Oklahoma, who is
pushing the investigation, insisted
he was not satisfied with the WAA
explanation. He said he wanted
to know how material badly needed
in veterans housing was going to
persons without high priorities and
why there should be commission
Tor the mlddleman.
Fields Posed as Buyer.
The House committee will meet
again as soon as evidence is gath
cred and witnesses summoned, pos
sibly the latter part of the week.
The committee has announced its
intentions OF carrying on after the
oI inIirpp,ny1t of rnnnrccc
Explaining how Fields could get
SO 900 feet of bronze wire screening,
WAA said he was only one of 121
commercial or nonpriority buyers
who purchased the material after
priority holders we're satisfied.
Fields represented himself as a
buyer for Baumrin Bros hardware
firm of New York, but later sold it
to an Oklahoma City contractor
when the New York concern learned
Fields wanted to be paid in advance
of delivery. WAA said.
To Subpoena Fields Associates.
The committee was told at its first
hearing Saturday that Fields offered
to sell 500 rolls of the screen to a
Washington hardware firm for
So, 085. plus s1,617 commission, but
that the deal collapsed when Fields
asked that the total amount of the
transaction be paid to him before
the material was delivered.
WAA said today it was continuing
an investigation into surplus prop
erty disposals to determine whether
Fields, who calls himself a Washing
ton public relations man and has
served sentence for mail fraud, has
been interested in other types of
materials.
Representative Riley said the
committee will issue subpoenas for
Fields associates when their
names are known. A subpoena al
ready is out for Fields, but he has
not been served.
WAA Explains Deal With Fields.
WAA made this explanation of the
transaction with Fields.
Approached April /. the New York
hardware firm was asked by a Mr..
Green, representing himself as
Fields associate, if it was interested
in screen wire or hand tools, for
S per cent finders fee. The WAA
investigation showed Baumrin Bros.
replied April Is it was interested in
buying the materials.
On April 10. Fields associates
notified the New York firm it had
located 100000 linear feet of
the screening. On June "a, the
hardware firm was told it could
buy $50 rolls of screen for ssOS5.
plus 1918 commission. But
Baumrin declined to buy without
bill of lading, and the deal was
ended
| The screen eventually went to
c. B. War; of Oklahoma City for
S8,085 and a S4,44280 commission,
WAA said. The material was Of
fered June II and the transaction
closed sometime before June 10.