Evening star., 1946-07-13
Senate Probers B|unt|y Charge
May Is Unable to Contradict
Facts Linking Him to Carson
Group Refuses
To Accept Terms
For Testimony

The Senate War 1nveStlgat-
ing Committee bluntly informed
Representative May, Democrat,
of Kentucky that it could find
no alternative to the conclusion
that he is unable to explain or
contradict facts" linking him to
a munitions combine it is inves-
tigating.
In a strongly worded letter to the
chairman of the House Military
Affairs Committee, the Senate COM
mittee refused to accept the con-
ditions Mr. May laid down yesterday
for personal appearance before
the investigators.
Stripped of ifs. 'ands' and butts,
the plain and simple import of
your Mays letter is that you de-
cline to appear before the commit
tee to face and explain the facts
that have been presented" the let
ter said. The committee has
sought to find an alternative to
the conclusion that you admit those
facts to be true, that you are un-
able to explain or contradict them.
1t cannot find any such alternative. E"
Would Be Treated as Witness.
In rejecting Representative Mays
terms the committee informed him
that if he testified, it would accord
him the. same privileges granted
to witnesses before the House Mill
tary Affairs Committee.
Mr.. May had told Chairman Mead
he would seriously consider testify
ing only if he could have counsel,
be allowed to cross-examine wit
nesseS and subpoena records.
Mr.. May has been described by
Army officer witnesses as being per-
sistent in helping the war contract
business Of group of companies in
which the Carson brothers, Henry
and Murray, were active.
George Meader, chief counsel. to
the Mead committee, said it was
the committees understanding that
Mr.. Mays Military Committee
handled its Investigations in much
the same way as the War Investigaf
ing Committee.
Mr.. Meader said the Mead Com
mlttee had been liberal in the past
In permitting counsel to sit with
witnesses, but otherwise the commit
tee wants to control its own pro-
ceedings."
May Subpoena Discussed.
The question of subpoenaing Mr..
May was discussed at today's execu-
tive session, Mr.. Meader said, but
it was decided to defer a decision
on that until after the inquiry is
completed.
The text of the committees reply
to Mr.. May, drafted at an executive
meeting today, follows:
Dear Mr.. May:
The committee has studied your
reply to its invitation to appear
before it in connection with its in
vestigation of Erie Basin Metal
Products, Inc, and allied companies.
Your reply contains some queries
which tend to indicate that if the
committee would depart from long
established procedures of investigat-
ing committees you might consider
:. the committees invitation most
seriously Even then, your consid-
Grafton of your consent to appear
seems to be limited to the facts
testified to by Mr.. l.. w. Fields and
Mr.. A. c. Brown.
Will Grant Customary Rights.
I'm the interest of fairness and
Justice the committee will be will
ing to accord you all of the custom
ary rights and privileges granted
witnesses before the Military Affairs
Committee of the House of Repre-
Sentatives, of which you are chair
man, acting in its investigative
capacity. The committee is conf
dent that this standard will satisfy
all of the safeguards to personal
rights which do not conflict with
the equally important objective of
obtaining full and accurate infor-
nation for the Congress and the
Nation. unhampered by technical
and legalistic distractions.
stripped of ifs 'ands' and butts,
the plain and simple import of
your letter is that you decline to
appear before the committee to face
and explain the facts that have
been presented. The committee has
sought to find an alternative to the
conclusion that you admit those
facts to be true, that you are unable
to explain or contradict them. 1t
cannot find any such alternative.
I'VE all are public servants. AS
such, the citizenry and it's repre-
sentative bodies. of which we are
fCoz JfYAn n