Evening star., 1947-11-25
Syminqton's Statement on Meyers Case

taneously to the criminal division of
the Department Of Justice and the
intelligence division (G-0 Of the
War Department.
A copy of the letter was sent to
the Air Force by the War Depart
ment. No action by the Office of the
air inspector appears, and no one
remembers the letters in the office
of Gen. Arnold, who was at the Pots
dam conference with the President
at the time. Gen. Eaker, in charge
of the Office in Gen. Arnold's alb
sence, does not remember it. The
copy sent the Air Force by the War
Department was filed.
Indication of Unreliability.
It has to be matter of judgment
as to which charges against general
officers and others should be investi-
gated by the limited facilities of the
air inspectors oAce. The letter
itself gave indication of unrelia-
bility. 1t was anonymous. 1t pur-
ported to come from man of the
"Air Corp" who constantly mis-
spelled the word corps.
This. anonymous letter was one of
hundreds that are received from
various enemies, in and out of the
service, which any officer or en-
listed man is likely to acquire.
These enemies may be disgruntled
employees and their friends and sup
porters, officers or enlisted men who
have not received the promotions
they think they deserve, and many
others. Investigating authorities
should protect individuals against
malicious injury of this type, just
as they protect the public against
unlawful acts.
When this anonymous letter was
received in 1945. the war with Ger
many had just been completed and
the Army Air Force was faced with
the tremendous job of redeployment
to the Pacific. This was a time
when AAF headquarters had the
enormous responsibility of swinging
the entire weight of most of its air
power half way around the world
against Japan. Under these cir
cumstances, this anonymous letter,
against trusted high-ranking men,
ber of the air corps, was not fol-
lowed up.
Hindsight is better than foresight,
but 1t is agreed with Gen. Arnold
| that the letter should have been
investigated.
So much for the past. To us the
future is even more important; and
now it is both our duty and our
desire to set up in the Air Force a
procurement system which reduces
to an absolute minimum the chance
of any such disgraceful occurrence
ever happening again.
Procurement Being Revamped.
A general reorganization of the
entire procurement structure OF the
Air Force has been under way dur
ing the two months since we first
obtained autonomy under the new
Security Act. To that end, as Un-
dersecretary, the Air Force now has
one of the Nations foremost experts
on procurement planning and ad-
ministration, Arthur S. Barrows, for
many years president of Sears, Roe
buck & Co. Mr.. BarrowS is pre-
sently engaged in a thorough study
of all procurement matters incident
to standardizing, streamlining, and
allocating of straight line operating
authority along with responsibility
It Is with pleasure that we can
also report the fact Mr.. Frank J
Wilson, retired head of the United
States Treasury Secret Service, has
agreed to work with the Air Force
in an advisory capacity, with a view
to establishing an inspection organ
ization which will produce maxi
mum efficiency with the facilities
available.
In closing, as we mentioned in the
attached, recent letter to Capt
Friedberg, the action Of any one
man can never sully the glorious
past record of the Air Force, or
retard its brilliant future.
| Confident of our ability to ad-
fvance in public esteem through hard
work, we dedicate ourselves to
maximum effectiveness, the best
American business practice, and the
highest traditions Of the military
service.
Fo1owing is the tert OF a letter
1Dritten to Mr.. Symington BY q
captain in the Air Corps Reserve:
345 King street. Pottstown, Pa
IA November, 1947.
Secretary for Air,
War Department,
Washington, D. c.
Dear Sir:
i After having read the account O
financial manipulations Of Maj. Gen
Bennett E. Meyers, retired, my bloot
is boiling to such an extent I f1nt
it difficult to sit down and write ,
coherent letter.
Is this the type of man who wa
our superior officer, while my com
rades and myself were serving il
combat areas? A great number O
my buddies, whom grew to respec
and love have made the supreme
sacrifice, many shot down in flames
before my own eyes. Did they die
so men of Meyers ilk could ply thei1
6lthy troSc fo ha ohle tn wallou