Evening star., 1946-07-04
May, Patterson
Contract Link
Shown by Memo
War Department
Document Gives
Details of ToIks
By Corter Brooke Iones

By Carter Brooke Jones
Secretary of War Patterson
when Undersecretary during tn.
war, was persuaded by Chairman
May of the House Military AT.
fairs Committee to see that Ba.
tavia Metal Products, Inc, on,
OF a group of interlocked Hi.
nois corporations, obtained a biz
war contract, according to &
War Department memorandum
placed in the record of the Sen.
ate War Investigating Commit
tee today.
The memorandum, identified at 8
hearing late yesterday by Miss Dor.
othea Molander a pretty War De.
partment stenographer, thus summed
up conversation of several officer.
at headquarters of the Army Service
Forces:
"The reason the 8-inch shell
contract was given Batavia was be.
cause the Garssons put pressure or
Congressman May, who in turr
asked Judge Patterson for the con-
tract. Gen. Campbell (then chief
OF ordnance) was contacted on the
matter, and he ordered Gen. Hardy
to place the contract"
After the memorandum was
placed in the record, the commit.
tee said Secretary Patterson will
be called as witness. just when
he would testify remained uncer-
tain, but Chairman Mead, saying
Let the chips fall where they
may" declared definitely that Mr.
Patterson willsbe called. The COM
mittee is in recess until 10 am. TO-
morrow.
Previous testimony has described
Representative May as intervening
at the War Department for DR.
Henry M. Carson, an inventor and
manufacturer. DR. Carson and his
brother, Murray w. Carson, We're
directors of Batavia and others OF
the linked corporations.
Deleted From Record.
The reference in the memoran-
dunn to Mr.. May and Secretary
Patterson was deleted from the per-
manent record, but the original
paper containing these references
was identified by Miss Molander
r. r. Denton, former colonel in
the Army Service Forces, and vii.
liam j. Brennan, former colonel and
chief Of its labor branch, testifyins
with Miss Molander, said they as
sumed the deletions were made be-
cause the matter was based on xu-
NOR and gossip.
A transcript or a Iong-distance
telephone conversation between Col
Brennan and the chief of the Chi
cago ordnance district, showed the
two officers agreed that the Cars
sons had "got Patterson all exer-
cised" over demand that the man.
power ceiling at the Batavia plant
be raised.
The Garssons were described ir
this talk as arrogant" boasting
that if they couldn't get what they
wanted in Chicago, they could come
to Washington and get it,
There was much dissatisfaction
with the GarSsons in the area. the
committee was told, and the Labor
Management Committee was re.
ported to have threatened to re.
sign if Batavia's manpower cell.
ing was raised.
Earlier testimony yesterday after
noon revealed that Batavia received
an overpayment of $1,110,31577 iIl
the contract settlement which the
Government made with it at the
close of the war.
This evidence came from Capt. H
B. Hutchinson, finance officer ir
the Chicago ordnance district. He
said the overpayment represented
padding and misrepresentation o1
expenses incurred.
Capt. Hutchinson was asked if he
was called on the carpet concerning
the Batavia account while the con.
tract termination was being nego.
tiated.
I'VE were called to Washington 6
couple of times the captain replied
"and asked why we were giving thi:
contractor so much trouble"
Who had complained about you?'
asked George Meader, committee
counsel.
DIR. Carson had complained al
the War Department" the witness
explained.
Testimony on Phone Call.
Previous testimony had brought
out that Representative May tele-
phoned the chief of ordnance anc
others at the War Department con-
cerning DR.. Carson. asking to be
assured that the Illinois promoter
would get "a square deal on wal
contracts.
Capt. Hutchinson said after hi
talked to the chief of his section il
Washington no further attention
was paid to Batavias complaint.
In computing the overpayment
the officer said. an item of about
$714,000 for overcharged materials
was disalloWed Another claim
which was greatly reduced wa.
1922 900 for labor. 1t was shown, ht
explained, that the labor costs oi
subcontractors had improperly beer
included.
The original contract involved was
let to Erie Basin Metal Products
Inc, another corporation in which
DR.. Carson and his brother were
directors.
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