Evening star., 1947-08-09
Hughes

and breadth OF the wall.
Hughes
Continued From First Page.)
Brewster a four-page letter, and
sent copies to Chairman Ferguson
and Mr.. Hughes, about being
heard"
Had Been Summoned to Probe.
He said a committee investigator
had called him in New York re-
questing him to appear, but while
he was en- route from New York
Thursday, the subcommittee en-
tered into the agreement to drop
the entire matter of the personal
charges between Senator Brewster
and Mr.. Hughes.
Yesterday. talked to Chairman
Ferguson and he asked me not to
persist in trying to be heard, and
I went back to New York, and was
out at my farm in Frenchtown,
when I heard Senator Brewster on
the radio program in which certain
false statements were reiterated"
Mr.. Fulton continued.
Il drove all night to get here and
made my application to be heard
this morning. Chairman Ferguson
said it probably would be denied"
Finding Mr. Fulton in the witness
chair when he reached the COM
mittee room, Senator Ferguson went
into conference with Senator
Pepper, Democrat, of Florida, only
other committee member present.
He then explained to Mr.. Fulton
that it was necessary for the sub
committee to get on with the subject
under investigation (the war con-
tracts) and that if he were permit
ted to testify it would cause others
to come in with statements on the
Brewster-Hughes controversy.
Ferguson Pounds GaveL
AS Mr.. Fulton attempted to make
his statement, Senator Ferguson
pounded his gavel. and shouted that
"the committee has decided that
your application is denied and the
decision Is final"
It asked permission-," Mr..
Fulton said.
Again Senator Ferguson pounded
his gavel.
They have declined even to hear
the application to be heard and that
is not in line with any previous
committee procedure" Mr.. Fulton
got in.
Mr.. Fulton, this is final," Senator
Ferguson shouted, pounding away.
II have no alternative but to give
1t to the press" Mr.. Fulton shot
back
When Mr.. Hughes again took the
witness chair he defended the prof.
ect for the 20o-ton flying boat for
its experimental value to aviation
despite the fact it was not COM
pleted In time for use during the
war.
Had Heard No DPC Complaint.
In the course Of his testimony
today. Mr.. Hughes declared:
l. He had heard of no Defense
Plant Corp. complaints in 1914 that
the Hughes Co. was soaking" the
corporation by making the Govern
ment pay for company manpower
and facilities used on other war
contracts.
2. He did not recall" that he used
John w. Meyers, Hughes public
relations man whom the subcom-
mittee today is seeking for further
questioning, to contact" any Gov
ernment officials about getting the
cargo plane contract in 1912.
8. He knew nothing" about any
effort Henry Keiser, West Coast in
dustrialist, might have made to OBJ
tain the contract in the first place.
4. He was mot prepared to say"
if he has anything in writing from
the Government authorizing various
changes from time to time in the
original design of the flying boat.
But he declared Government repre-
sentatives were at his plant all the
time and were in constant touch
with revisions he made. He said he
accepted that "as sufficient proof
that the changes were satisfactory"
Describes Big Cargo Plane.
Mr.. Hughes gave the subcommit-
tee the following description of the
huge plane which now rests on the
water at Long Beach, Calf, but has
not yet taken to the air
1t has a 420-foot wing spread
longer than a football field and as
big as a city block"
1t is 200 feet long, has a hull "A
feet in diameter, and carries eight
engines of 5000 horsepower each.
1T is really designed for much more
power by addition of newly de-
veloped engine types" Mr.. Hughes
explained.
The flying boats wing area is H.
460 square feet. almost three times
as big as any plane built at the time,
and twice as big as the Glenn
Martin Co.'S Mars.
Today's questioning of Mr.. Hughes
began in a much calmer atmos-
phere than that of any previous
session, once the hearing had sub
sided after the tangle with Mr.
Fulton.
Explains Design Changes.
Senator Ferguson brought out that
Mr.. Hughes began to change the