Evening star., 1946-07-27

dCAFe OOucc, DtIHlOCFAt, Oh Washing =
ton will tell to the Senate War In
vestigating Committee Tuesday
when 1t questions him about a $2,5OO
check his secretary received from a
war contractor was In the hands OF
the committee today.
In a letter to Senator Mitchell
Democrat. of Washington. and
member of the investigating COM
mittee, Representative Coffee said
Eivind Anderson. the war con-
tractor, volunteered to make a cam
paign contribution after praisine
Mr.. Coffee for the legitimate and
ethical representation had made in
his behalf as his Representative in
Congress"
The representation, he said, ap-
piled to the efforts both he and
the then Senator Holman, Repubh-
can, Of Oregon had made to see that
MI. Anderson, as qualified low
bidder, was awarded a $1,000, 900
hospital construction contract at
Fort Lewis, Wash.
Explains Use of Word Slip
He said he had used the word
slip" in acknowledging the check
Mr.. Anderson sent his secretary, Paul
Olson. because Mr.. Anderson had
used that word in his letter. Mr.
Coffee said he and Mr.. Olson decided
that for reasons best known to him
self. Anderson must be either allergic
to the word check, or he may have
dictated the letter and did not want
that person to know that ne was
making personal campaign con-
tribution to a Democrat"
Mr.. Coffee reported he had an
affidavit from one Clyde Philip, who
was associated with Mr.. Anderson
at the time the contract was
awarded, in which Mr.. Philip states
that the check was regarded as a
contribution.
The committee has an afidavit
from Mr.. Anderson that the check
was for services rendered" in OBJ
tanning the contract.
Text Of Letter.
The text of Mr.. Cof1ee's letter
follows:
July a, 1916.
Hon. Hugh B. Mitchell,
Senate once Building,
Washington IS, D. c.
Dear Hugh:
l am sure you can appreciate my
reasons for desiring to have the re-
hash of Eivand Anderson's and
Harry Cams charges OF last spring
as revived by Senator Brewster. be
disposed OF completely once and foI
all. 1t is obvious to any thinking
person that the prime purpose OF
bringing up this matter again Is DO
litical In nature. Now that the Sen
ator from Maine has succeeded In
creating newspaper headlines, l am
extremely anxious that your com
mittee follow through with an in
vestisation and the findings be giyer
the widest possible publicity. In thi.
connection, naturally, I am depend
ent upon you to handle the arrange
ments. 1t is obvious that Dawley
chairman OF the Republican State
Central Committee, and other ke,
figures in the local Republican scene
are elated over the success that ha,
met their efforts in getting Senator
Brewster to use the rostrum of tn,
Mead Committee as a vantage point
from which to create the impression
that unless Republicans are elected
to ofice in the forthcoming election
communism and corruption will con-
tinue to be the order Of the day.
You may wish to use the followins
as an aid TO the Meade Committee
counsel and Investigators In connec-
ton with Brewsters request for al,
investigation Of the S2,50o check
charges:
The story OF the $500 check be-
gins with the numerous requests ont
Eivind Anderson and or his repre-
sentativex, bondSnen and others
made to me for aid in straigftenins
out his difficulties with the Fedora
Government, beginning with my first
year in ONCE in 1887. That assist
ance was given to Anderson. and he
was never solicited for, nor did he
offer, q campaign contribution. In
early 194l Anderson either phoned
or wire me that he was coming to
Washington to protect his interest
as the low bidder on a million dollar
hospital construction contract at
Fort Lewis. He asked me if would
be willing to help him and l said
that I would naturally give him all
the aid within my power. 1t should
be mentioned here that Anderson is
known as a lone wolf" contractor in
the sense that he has never belonged
TO any of the contractors associa-
tions, etc. Anderson came to Wash
ington in April Of 1s4l, accompanied
by Mr., Charles Hall, an officer Of the
A. G. Rushlight Co.. which company
had been promised the subcontract
for the plumbing and heating facili-
ties II Anderson received the prime
contract. My secretary, Paul A. Oh
son, and I discussed Anderson {
problem: namely, the unwillingness
of the Quartermaster Corps on the
Fort Lewis and Preside levels tc
recommend the awarding of the con-
tract to Anderson as low bidder. even
though he had qualified as bidder
his bid had been accepted and he
had posted the usual bid bond that
he would guarantee that he would &C
forward with the contract If it was
given to him. It developed that the
Quartermaster Corps officers had al
most come to blows with Anderson
on previous occasions when he ha6
been engaged in construction work
for the Army on other contracts
did not understand then as well n
I do now the basis for the War De.
partment's decision to award the
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