Evening star., 1947-06-06
Carson viii Resume
Stand Monday 10 Tell
Why May Aided Firm
By Robert k. Walsh

By Robert K. Welsh
Henry M. Carson will return to
the witness stand Monday In District
Court to explain why he asked
former Representative Andrew J.
May "to do something about" pre-
venting a shell contract cutback,
getting an "E" award, and removing
o War Department freeze of funds
on Carson munitions companies In
1s45.
The trial of Henry and Murray
Carson and May on charges of con-
spiracy to defraud the United States
was in recess today because of the
Judicial Circuit Court Conference.
Defense counsel expect to finish
direct examination of Carson late
Tuesday. Cross-examination by
Government Special Prosecutor VIII
liam A. Paisley may keep Carson
on the stand another two or three
days.
Replying to Government charges
that he and his brother paid May
more than $53,0 900 for wartime
favors, Carson asserted yesterday
Batavia Metal Products, Inc, and
Erie Basin Metal Products, Inc,
Illinois afiliates in the $4,000, 900
Carson chain, were "harrassed"
and "penalized" and disseminated
against" by regional War Manpower
Commission and Ordnance Depart
ment officials. He turned to May,
he said, in the public interest and
In Mays capacity as chairman Of
the House Military Affairs Com
mittee.
Felt Congress Should Know.
"I felt somebody in Congress ought
to know about situation Of that
kind" he said. "I was interested in
the general welfare of the country.
Representative May had told me our
companies were sort of guide or
standard for other companies in a
couple of production matters. I
considered that good reason to
call our difficulties to his attention.
Government attorneys indicated
they will fight proposed defense
introduction of two matters related
to the charge that May put pressure
on the War Department to stop a
cutback on the 8-inch shell produc-
ton at Batavia in 1945.
One of these is an 8-inch shell
itself. Defense counsel carried a 200
pound shell into the courtroom
yesterday morning, but removed 1t
after Justice Henry A. Schweinhaut
sharply rebuked them for not having
notified him in advance that they
planned to show such an exhibit to
the Jury. Justice Schweinhaut did
not rule on adnissibility of the huge
bit of evidence, but defense counsel
said they would move to have 1t
admitted Monday.
The other item expected to receive
the fire of Government counsel
Monday is controversial copy of a
telegram said by Carson to have
been sent to him in April, 1945, by
Capt. E. r. Hayward, then of the
Pittsburgh Ordnance District and
secretary of the Ordnance Integral
ing Committee on shell production.
This telegram, as identified by
Carson late yesterday, described a
"discouraging" lag in shell produc-
,tion and urged Carson companies
and other munition plants to in
crease production. The message read
by Carson was carbon copy Of a
communication he said was received
by telegraph in the Batavia plant.
Mr.. Paisley objected that the copy
might or might not be authentic.
Justice Schweinhaut said he would
accept 1t tentatively, but Mr.. Paisley
was promised an opportunity to OBJ
iect further Monday.
Important to Defense.
The telegram is important from
the defense viewpoint, because of
Government charges that May pro-
tested to the War Department
against Carson 8-inch shell cut
back in 1945. At that time, accord
ing to earlier witnesses, including
Secretary of State Marshall and
Gen. Eisenhower, the War Depart
ment's policy was for great ctt-
backs in shell production, because
the war was nearly won in the
European area.
Gen. Eisenhower, when shown the
April, 1945, telegram last week by
Defense Attorney Charles j. Mar
giotti, said it could not have applied
to any need for more shells in
Europe.
Carson testified yesterday that,
on the strength of the reported
telegram from Capt. Hayward, his
companies acted in good faith" in
increasing production of the 8-inch
shell. Court adjourned as Carson
was about to describe how he asked
May to do something about prevent
ing a cutback ordered soon after by
the War Department.
Earlier yesterday Carson 1dentl-
fed several kilograms in which 1t.
Gen. Brehon Somervell, then Army
Service Forces commander, and 1t.
Gen. Levin H. Campbell, then chief
of ordnance, urged him to increase
8-inch shell production in September
and October, 1914. Carson also
said he attended a meeting in Chica-
60 in December, 1914, when military
representatives of Gen. Eisenhower
cited the urgency Of increased shell
production.