Evening star., 1946-07-06
War Contracts
Continued From First Page J

May. Mr.. May was said to have
!; urged Gen. Campbell to see that
DR.. Carson got a personal intro.
: duction to the heads of the Chi.
cago ordnance district.
The Committee planned to sum
mon other War Department Off
GERS today, as it delved deeper into
the tangled affairs of the l6 Cars
son companies which obtained wal
contracts totalling $4,000 900.
''E" Award Opposed.
! John Slezak, Illinois manufac-
turer who, as a colonel. was war
time executive officer of the Chicago
ordnance district, told the Commit
tee late yesterday how all recon-
mendations of the district were dis
regarded and Batavia Metal Prod
ucts. Inc, one of the Carson COM
bine, was awarded the Army Navy
e for excellence in production.
I'VE were asked several times by
Washington to make the recon-
mendation,' said Col. Slezak. I'VE
did not do So"
He explained that Batavia had
failed in the essential achievements
for an 'E" award-good labor rela-
tions, cooperation with Federal
agencies and a good production rec
ord.
Reports Phone Conversation.
/ Former Col. William j. Brennan,
. ~. r-fi n, iof of loL
of the Army Service Forces, who also
testified yesterday, read a record of
a long distance telephone conversa-
ton in which he said:
May Representative May is
trying to hold the judge tSecretary
of War Patterson, who was then
undersecretary) to an alleged prom
Use by the judge, and I am certain
the judge made no such promise -
This referred to the "E" award
Col Brennan said he had based
that assertion on what 1t. Col. Rob-
ert B. Clark, jr., of the awards divi-
sion, had told him.
Col. Slezak read the committee a
transcript of a telephone talk he
had with Milton H. Petit, in charge
of awards for Army ordnance, March
27, ls45. Mr.. Petit said:
! In this case of the Batavia out
fit, there have been so many cooks
in the broth that I have a memo
signed by Judge Patterson.
Emphasized Production.
This memo stated:
There is attached a memo from
the chief of ordnance recommend
ing that the Batavia Metal Pro-
ducts Co. be favorably considered
for the Army and Navy E award
My sole desire is to have this norni-
nation considered on its merits. the
decisive factor to be the achieve
ment of the company in the produc-
ton of munitions. The matter is
not to be considered on account OF
any pressure to get an award tol
this concern, nor Is the company tc
be prejudiced by reason of any fric.
ton between it and the other agcn
cies. I trust that the case can b,
considered at an early date"
Col. Slezak commented on tn,
phone: Regardless of what tn.
Undersecretary's letter says askine
that this case be considered on it.
own merits, apparently that is moi
being done. Never have we recon-
mended company on the same
basis. We never have, and If We
would have given you facts similar
in any other company, you woulc
have turned it down. I will do any.
thing Gen. Campbell wants me tt
do. The story is this. They hae
horrible utilization of labor over
there. The Undersecretary told the
company they were going to get thi.
ceiling increase, and the La Man.
agement Committee had so much
trouble on it they would not go along
on it. Then the Washington Man.
power Commission upheld both the
local and regional representatives
SO we were stymied completely.
Pull in Washington"
"Of course this man in charge o1
the company (GarssonD told them
he doesn't have to deal with them
He deals directly with the Under
secretary. He has pull in Washing.
ton"
Col Slezak observed that Judge
Patterson had covered himself very
WELL and put the rest of us in thu
soup"
The witness told the COMMITTEES
he got the distinct impression that
Secretary Patterson wanted tn.
award bestowed, despite what h,
had written.
I'VE felt that Gen. Campbell
might have been pressured into /
,, himself" Col. Slezak added.
He explained that Col. Herber
} White at the War Department hat
! said that they did not want th'
chairman of the Military Affair
Committee to say ordnance was tt
blame because Batavia failed to ge
. the E."
At another point in his testimony
Col. Slezak said of DR.. Carson:
II don't say this man tried to in.
f1uence anybody, but he gave a cas-.
of Scotch to some of my men, which
tloxy rot,1ry, od