The people's voice. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1939-1969, 1946-08-09
The Mead Committees Job

The Mead committees investigation of proteering
broadened out last week by the Presidential permit
ting to examine the income returns of individuals and
firms involved in and execution of contracts
This order undoubtedly has and will the proteerng
gentry most uncomfortable feelings Many of them who have
insisted that their services prompted by great patriotism
will be shown to have apparently been most interested
thing only gougng profits out OF the people
of the country taking advantage of the to enrich
themselves beyond all at the expense of the public
The testimony of Lindsay G. Warren comptroller general
of the u A. presented before the committee last week.
ceived only slight attention most of the daily Mr.
Warren outspoken ndvidua the honest type of hard-
boiled guy with admiration for who connived to
chse exorban profits out the government Procurement of
cers who accepted favors from firms seeking
tracts dollar year men who smoothed the road for their
companies to get fat contracts and for ham
rngng the General Accounting Office the
that couldn't do the job supposed to do came in for
demnaion by the buntly speaking Mr.. Warren
From my seat" he said, '@ has looked if everybody
and his brother out to get the during the lush
years With high officials of the government the
acceptance of entertainment including cocktail parties hotel
bills and travel from the contractor while at the same
time drawing travel and diem from the
the rule rather than the exception There has
been complete breakdown of moral standards What am
insisting is just little ordinary decency".
Mr. Warren did hesitate to mention in his tes
mony particularly connection with former of
the army officers of the who conducted
contract negotiations and final settlements for firms with which
they later accepted" good positions mentioned in this
connection Major George W. Parker who
contracting and termination officer with the Howard Aircraft
CORPORATION general manager the
Col Forrest W. Smith who held the position with the
Cummings in Indianapolis and is
ager division of the company
Major Kerrwin Hagerty who served termination officer
with the Northwestern Aeronautca Corporation and
its president in charge of productions former Captain G.
Calvert who during the held assignment in the
Schofeld Steel Corporation in Houston Texas and
mealurgica engineer for the The obvious
that these
officers had shown themselves interested the
panes than protecting the interests of the govern
men and their places officials in the companies
Explaining his for presenting the testimony Mr.
Warren said The greatest service render by pointing
the statutory breakdown and the abuse of the vastly broad
ened authority given procurement agencies all under
the guse of war as we'll as the degeneration of moral standards
We cannot overestimae the seriousness of
situation Nothing less than the faith of people in the
integrity of their government is at stake.
The re-esabshmen of faith in the integrity of the
eminent actually the greatest responsibility of the Mead in
vestgang committee 1t is certain that the general public
had the impression that the contracts favored the
panies receiving them with clear road to the making of
profits But the attitude of the public that the
most important thing to get the material to the fighting
that if, probably the there graft in
voed this detail could be cared for later But the
of reckoning is here The public wants the facts disclosed
without fear And only thorough searching nves
cation committee with the facts and results freely
and clearly and wholly available to the general public will
convince that the unpreudced and honest and
uninfuenced by wealth and privilege
The recital of Mr. Warren of officers receiving high
posions with private concerns in return for avors to such
companies extended by them while in their army positions
brings to mind the of Admiral Land former head of the
Maritime Commission Admiral Land resigned from his
position with the maritime and the reported that
he retiring from active service Later reports however,
showed that he has accepted high position with private
Senator Aiken of Vermont has for time past
waged fight for thorough investigation OF the in
which the maritime affairs of the have been han
led land all available information released indicates that
ate shipping interests have profted to the tune of billions
the attitude of the maritime agency
them 1t is to be hoped that Senator Aiken will win
fight investigation he demanding and every public
Import should be given him in his efforts The integrity of
at stake IN this public OPINION as much as
is in connection with contracts And the for the
taken by the retiring Admiral Lund might also
re scrutnized. %