Evening star., 1946-07-05
Carson Used
May for Favors,
Inquiry Is Told
Contract Cancellation
Loid to High Cost
Of Production
By Corter Brooke Jones

Chairman May of the House
Military Affairs Committee Wen
beyond the limits of propriety'
in winning favors for DR.. Henry
M. Carson, key figure in a grour
of Illinois concerns which wor
more than S78,OOO,0OO in wal
contracts, the Senate War In.
vestigating Committee was tolc
today.
This charge was made in a tran
script of a telephone conversation
between John Slezak, former Arm,
colonel, who was executive officer O
the Chicago ordnance district, and (
general in Washington. Col. Slezal
was a witness today.
Col. Slezak. it was brought out
said in this conversation. which tool
place March l. 1914:
This chap tGarsson) is one O.
those men-well, hate to say it, bu
the general Brig. Gen. T. S. Ham.
mona, then chief of the Chicago
ordnance district and I personally
went through his plant, and We are
familiar with it, you know. He uses
Congressman May considerably, ano
Congressman May goes beyond the
limits Of propriety in getting things
done.
"High-Priced Producer
Nov the M-66 fuze is being Gu,
back very, very much, and Carson
has quite a sizable contract ovel
there, and he is one of the high
priced producers, and yet whenever
We do anything to him, quite fuss
is made"
Col. Slezak's long distance con-
versation was with Gen. Thomas
J. Hayes of the Ordnance Depart
ment. and the transcript showed
that the general commented:
"All We have to do is to be sure
of our facts, and have the record
clear. We cannot justify-all We
have to do is to state he was
knocked out because he was the
high-coSt producer. and in justice
to the taxpayers and the country
we cannot keep the high cost pro-
ducer in
Gen. Hammond read for the COM
mittee a summary of the Chicago
ordnance Offices findings in regard
to Erie Basin Metals Products, Inc.
one of the companies in which DR.
Carson was major stockholder.
This summary stated that the
plant had been approved for the
smaller work, but not for the heavier
contracts.
Their prices were in the high
brackets" Gen Hammond added
But in war, prices are not the I'M
portant thing-time is
Changed Mind About Complaint.
On one occasion, long after he
had obtained contracts, DR.. Carson
came into the Chicago Office and
said he was getting a raw deal
from its ordnance officers, Gen
Hammond recalled.
II said We will stop right here,
the witness added. III call in some
one, and you can dictate your COM
plants, and We'll 60 into them thor
oughly.'
Gen. Hammond went on: But
the doctor changed his mind. He
said later that he had no complaint
to make-I had misunderstood him
I asked him to write us letter set.
ting forth anything he had to com.
@f
letter"
The summary which the Chicago
office eventually prepared concern
ing the Carson companies said they
had neither the engineering no.
the operating ability to carry ou
the contracts they had undertaken
Only Instance Of Kind.
They were charged further with
hiring away labor from other plant!
engaged in war work.
Senator Tunnel, Democrat, O.
Delaware asked whether there wa
anything unusual in the fact tina
DR.. Carson first introduced himself
at the Chicago Office armed with {
letter from Maj. Gen. L. H. Camp
bell, ir., chief of ordnance, writer
at the request of Representative
May.
1T was the only instance of the
kind l remember the entire time
was head of the Chicago Office" Gen
Hammond replied
Gen. Hammond was asked abou
the award of the War Department
e" Cfor excellence in production
TO the Carson munitions group
THE Chicago ordnance district,
said Gen. Hammond. never ap
proved the E award for those com
panies."
Did you disapprove it?" &sket
Senator Mead.
Yes"
"Why?"
Didn't Meet Requirements.
Because they didn't meet tn,
requirements-on labor turnover, Il
(See WAR PROFITS, Page A-3J