Evening star., 1946-07-13
War Profits
Continued From First Page.)

members, are entitled to an ac-
counting of our stewardship of the
public trust we have accepted. This
should induce us to seek to account
frequently, fully and openly. No
possession should be more precious
than the confidence of the public
in the integrity and devotion to
duty of representative of the peo-
pie in a democracy. When wrong
fully challenged, we should rush to
defend that integrity
Office Manager Sought.
The committee also had expected
to hear at todays executive session
Louis Sarelas, identified by Mr..
Meader as Office manager of the
Washington Office OF the Carson
munitions combine. Mr.. Meader
said the committee had been un-
able to reach Mr.. Sarelas, but eX-
pected to hear him Monday.
Meanwhile. published reports that
the Justice Department planned to
seek indictment of at least IL figures
in the case. and that Representative
May would be hailed before the
grand jury, we're greeted with sur
prise both by department oficials
and United States Attorney Edward
M. Curran.
The department has had men at
tending daily sessions of the Mead
Committee, and developments have
been the subject of daily conferences
at the department. In authoritative
quarters, however. 1t was reported
that no decision has been reached
as to the departments ultimate
course
No Hint of Criminal Action.
If grand jury action is believed
warranted, the department will seek
indictments, it was explained.
Mr.. Curran, who would be notified
if grand jury proceedings were in
sight, said he had received no inti-
nation of such action. -
Although Mr.. May repeatedly has
denied profiting personally from his
associations with the munitions
combine, which received $4,000, 900
in war contracts, the Mead Com
mittee has received evidence tina,
Mr.. May was an agent" for the
Cumberland Lumber Co., that Cum
berland was a part of the combine
and that it received from the com.
bine $4,000 for lumber that never
was deAvered.
The Senate investigators also have
obtained testimony from War De-
partment officials that Mr.. May in
tervened on behalf of the Erie Basin
Metal Products, Inc, and Batavia
Metal Products, Inc, headed by the
Garssons, to help them get con-
tracts, advance payments, labor
equipment and contract termina-
tionS.
Both Henry Carson, guiding
director of the 16 companies of the
combine, and Benjamin F. Fields,
who has admitted outside the COM
mittee room that he ''interceded" in
behalf of the firms, refused to
testify late yesterday on the ground
it might incriminate them
Will Consider Refusals Further.
Senator Mead made it clear, in
eXcusing both witnesses, that the
committee did not want to interfere
with the investigation of the Cars
son war contracts which the Justice
Department is making. This in
wolves possible criminal prosecution,
the chairman emphasized, and,
while the committe could compel
these witnesses to talk, 1t was not
disposed to do so If they stood on
their constitutional rights.
The New York Senator said the
committee would consider Cars
son and Fields further after COM
pleting the rest of the testi-
mcny. 1t may or may not then
decide to force them to testify, he
explained, depending on what effect
this would have on the Justice De-
partment's inquiry into criminal
aspect Of the investigation.
The committee had adjourned
until Monday when Mr.. May replied
to Chairman Mead's invitation to
testify sent him earlier in the day
Promises consideration"
Mr.. May neither accepted nor
turned down the invitation. He
said he would be "only too glad to
consider" it most seriously. But he
asked Senator Mead to indicate
whether he would have the right to
have his counsel recall witnesses
for cross-examination, put new wit
nesses on the stand and obtain War
Department records.
He said he had appeared before
the Mead Committee last month
at his own request, put mo limit
whatsoever on that examination,
and believed himself justified in
| ronnly,Sino l,o had oyr1oinnd uyfr q