Evening star., 1946-07-26
Watt Draws Committee Fire for 'Meoeer' Report
OnSheIIs, Messenger Role in Capt. Carson Case
now why the general carried the

to know why the general carried the
letter.
Because I had a request to carry
the letter from Congressman May,
who was head of the House Military
Affairs Committee, and you can bet
your life l was going to carry it,"
Gen Watt retorted.
What If it had been Congress-
man Whozit?" Senator Kilgore,
Democrat, of West Virginia, put in
Had it been any Congressman" I"
Gen Watt responded, Il would cer-
tainly have carried the letter don't
think any of you would question
that"
That is rather strange" Sem
ator Kilgore commented
At this point Senator Ferguson
introduced in the official record the
texts of the two letters written by
Mr.. May.
Under further examination, Gen
Watt told how he gave the letter to
the late Gen. Edward Belts, Judge
Advocate at General Eisenhower'S s
headquarters.
L told General Belts that l un-
derstood that Congressman May
was interested in this case and that
would be up there somewhere
around the boys battalion and If 1t
was all right I would look into it,"
Who asked you to look into it?"
Senator Ferguson demanded.
At Brooks Request.
Col. Brooks . 1t was suggested
that l look into it. l was a general
officer. He Capt. GarssonD was one
of the members of my service l am
proud of my service"
Senator Kilgore drew from Gen.
Watt a statement that no other
court martial case involving a
Chemical Warfare Service officer
was brought to his attention during
the war.
Senator Kllgore remarked: Now
let's analyze this. A little while ago
you said you thought the visit of
general officer would procure the
speeding up of the building of
plant" This was reference to
Gen. Watts earlier testimony in
defense of his business trip to New
York at the time he attended the
Carson wedding at Hotel Pierre in
January l944D
DO you think" Senator Kilgore
1f
officer to investigate captains trial
doesn't have some inf1uence?"
Il was messenger, Senator. pure
and simple Gen. Watt explained.
Criticizes Sending Generals.
Il tell you" Senator Kilgore ex-
claimed. the Army is sinking aw-
fully low when they are sending out
stars on the shoulders of mes
sengers!'
Wait, Senator" Gen. Watt
pleaded. Put yourself in my posi-
ton, will you please"
Il don't want to get into it," SEN
ator kilgore shot back.
Referring again to Capt. Carson.
Senator Kilgore asked if he was
charged with cowardice.
No, he was charged with dis
obedience of orders. but it comes
pretty close to that" Gen. Waitt
said. That was the implication"
He added, under further question
ing. that he doubted that any officer
would get away with" similar dis
obedience of orders with me il l
was resimental commander"
Identified as Col. Denholm.
The officer who gave the command
which Capt. Carson protested as
tactically unsound was "one of the
best fegimental commanders, Gen
Watt admitted under questioning by
Chief Counsel George Meader. The
otflcla. War Department record. filed
with the committee yesterday. iden-
tlfled the officer as Lit. Col. Charles
}. Denholm. commanding officer of
the 1880 Infantry Division.
At the outset of the hearing SEN
atory Connally. Democrat, of Texas.
who recently returned from Europe.
engaged in brief but vigorous dis
cussion with Gen. Watt on what he
called "lunkets' of Army officers to
various social functions of the Cars
sons.
Il know it is a normal stunt in the
Army when couple of officers want
to go hunting in North Dakota for
them to get travel orders to 60 to
inspect something in North Dakota
and then go on the hunt" he said
1T occurred to me that you were
attempting to use a device to have
the Government pay for the trip ito
New York; -
Despite Gen. Watts explanation
that he had military business in
New York at the time, Senator Con-
nally said he believed the practice of
getting transportation orders under
conditions of that kind is an abso-
Lutte shame and an outrage and
tho