Evening star., 1946-08-16
Surplus
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CdlIic Oul III geStlmOny yesterday,
when Fields at first denied and then
admitted he had talked long dis
tance with Drummer on Wednesday
Drummer said that when he talked
with Fields Wednesday night he
simply told him that he would be
glad to return here and testify if
| he was needed
He said he also asked Fields how
1t was going" before the commit
tee, and Fields made some remark
that Brunner didn't remember.
At one point Brunner broke into
committee questioning to cry out,
I'm trying to tell the truth. I'm
trying to tell things as they hap
pened. I'm trying not to do myself
an injustice or anyone else, but I'm
mentally whipped"
Earlier in this mornings hearing,
Chairman Slaughter charged pretty
sloppy work" on the part of the War
Assets Administration in granting
priorities for surplus goods to II in
ternational organizations without a
written legal opinion on which to
base its decision.
His accusation came after Edgar
A. Stansfield, acting general coun-
sci of WAA, told the committee the
decision to include the international
organizations on the priority list was
worked out in staff conferences and
that he could not produce written
legal opinion to justify the decision.
He denied that the decision was
due to pressure from the State and
Commerce Departments.
WAA Administrator Robert M.
Littlejohn- had been expected to
appear before the committee again
today to submit a report based on
his August 2 order granting rela-
lively high priority to international
organizations, such as UNRRA and
the Pan American Union. Mr..
Stansfield appeared instead.
Mr.. Stansfield insisted that the
powers of the WAA administrator
were sweeping enough to include
international organizations under
the heading of public and govern
mental institutions and certain
other non-profit institutions.
Chairman Slaughter retorted that
If Congress had intended the inter-
national organizations to come into
the priority structure ahead of
American businessmen it would have
said so in the Surplus Property Act.
Says Congress Was Specific.
IF Congress was SO specific that
it wrote in volunteer fire compan-
les" Mr.. Slaughter asked the wit
ness, don't you honestly think Con-
gress would have spelled out inter-
national organizations" The wit
ness responded that Mr.. Slaughter
could answer that better than he
could.
The WAA counsel pointed out
the IL international organizat tions
were seventh on the priority list
and did not rate the discount on
surplus property sales given to
domestic tax-exempt education and
public health institutions.
Mr.. Slaughter responded that the
place Of international organiza-
tlons on priority lists put them
ahead of American business"
Robert B. Bradford, director of
the disposal policy division of WAA
since July l and previously special
assistant to the administrator for II
months, was asked about steps that
WAA has taken to correct irregu-
larities> and other faults brought out
in earlier testimony about the han
ding of surplus property.
New Ordered Issued.
He said that within the past few
days, Mr.. Littlejohn had ordered
that a disposal agency shall" re
quire a agent to submit proper
recommendation" that he really rep
resents the principal for which he
buys surplus material. Previously,
the WAA regulation simply said that
such Recommendation may" be asked.
When Mr.. Bradford insisted that
WAA never sends advance notices
OF surplus property disposals to any
individual person or group. Chair
man Slaughter remarked, But such
notice does trickle out all the time.
doesn't it?"
Mr.. Bradford conceded that there
had been such instances, but de-
clared that I'VE always try to track
them down.
What do you do when you find
any such instances?" Mr.. Slaugh-
ter asked. Have you fired any
body?"
I'm sure we have" Mr.. Bradford
replied. But I don't do it person
ally because it is not the scope of
my office"
Other aspects of WAA procedure
about which Mr.. Bradford was
asked included stricter controls es-
tablished by MIR. Littlejohn for the
supervision and operation of re-
gional Offices, the ban on use of
priorities by brokers, measures to
prevent hand processing" of dis
posal documents, the handling of
complaints and general pricing
policy.
Pricing Methods Overhauled.
Mr.. Bradford said that in con-
nection with Mr.. Littlejohn's con-
ference this week with zone and
regional directors here, an intensive
study is under way to devise i'm
proved pricing methods. He dis