Evening star., 1947-08-02

cam asserted MI. Meyer 1ido
been given six draft defer
ments. The hearing recessed
until Monday with Thomas
Slack, attorney for the Hughes
Aircraft Co., denouncing the
proceedings as not calculated to
arrive at justice because, he
said, both sides are 1t heard.
HUGHES PLANS two-day fight to
Washington to testify Wednesday
Page Az
A compilation purporting 10
show that Howard Hughes pub
licity man, John Meyer, spent
$5,093.79 on the entertainment
of Elliott Roosevelt and his wife,
Faye Emerson, was placed in the
Senate War Investigation Sub
committee records today.
Mr.. Meyer admitted to the in
vestigators that he had spent $106
entertaining Mr.. Roosevelt, then an
Army Air Forces colonel, in a party
of six at New York night clubs the
day Mr.. Roosevelt drafted his report
recommending that the Government
buy Mr. Hughes photo-reconnais-
Sance airplane.
He identified a photostat of an
expense voucher he had turned in
for this entertainment on August
20, 1943. He denied he had talked
to Mr.. Roosevelt about this plane
or its prototype, the d., plywood
ship.
Meyer Challenges List.
Chairman Ferguson of the sub
committee conducting the investi-
cation, said the compilation of ex-
pense accounts for entertaining
Mr.. Roosevelt represented entries
by Mr.. Meyer on expense vouchers
in the years 1943, 1914 and 1945.
A later witness, Roy K Sherwood,
assistant controller of the Hughes
Aircraft Co.. testified that an audit
ing firm had reported that Mr..
Meyer had expense accounts total
ing $164,000 for the five-yeer period
from January l, 1912, to December
81. 1916.
Mr.. Meyer. In resuming today the
testimony begun yesterday in the
investigation of the $40000,000 war;
time airplane contracts awarded
Mr.. Hughes, challenged the list of
expense items.
Il am not sure these are my
records" he said when he was
handed photostats of expense
vouchers on which the list was said
to be based.
Senator Ferguson said the expense
account records were taken from the
files of the Hughes Aircraft Co.
Evidence from War Department
records introduced yesterday indi-
Gated Mr.. Roosevelt had persuaded
Gen. H H. Arnold, then chief of
the Army Air Forces, to upset the
firm" decision of his chief of air
staff and award contract to the
Hughes plant for 100 photo-recon-
naissance planes.
Mr.. Roosevelt, who returned from
combat duty as head of air recon-
naissance in the European theater
to head a mission to aircraft plants
in the summer of 1943, was listed
frequently in Mr.. Meyers notes for
entertainment in Hollywood, Wash
ington and New York, along with
his party. He was to appear before
the committee Monday.
Not Certain of Total.
Chairman Ferguson told Mr..
Meyer as he resumed the stand ::
Il am showing you photostatic
copies of your expense accounts OBJ
tanned from the files of the Hughes
Co.
IT believe the total shows around
$1,000 you say you spent for the en-
tertainment of Col. Roosevelt and
party. Is that correct?"
Il can't be sure of the total, Sen
ator, from these notations."
''Whe ndid you learn Mr.. Hughes
was anxious to sell his photo-re-
connaissance plane; the d. or Fill
to the United States Government?'
Il didn't know about that"
when did you first meet Army
officers in connection with the
FLIP" Senator Ferguson asked.
"I would have to look at the
notes"
Then look at the record and tell
me if you can"
Was Head OF Plane Mission.
This hotel bill is dated August
8, 1943," Mr.. Meyer said. 1T is the
hotel bill for Elliott Roosevelt. but
it. still doesn't show that paid it
At the Ambassador Hotel in Los
Angeles. He was head of mission
coming to look at aircraft plants for
the War Department"
How long did Col Roosevelt stay
at the Hotel?" Senator Ferguson
asked.
Three days, and only $33," the
witness replied. a very reason
able hotel!"
when did you learn Col. Roose-
velt was coming to the West Coast?"
"Mr. Hughes told me the colonel
was coming on mission. Among
officers who accompanied him was
Col. Harry Edison, one of the COM
(See PROBE, Page A-3.)