Evening star., 1947-08-07


at the time, or Asia, as the case
may be. He was abroad, but he was
due back In just a few days and as
soon as he returned, Mr.. Trippe
would talk to him and ask him to
hold up the matter of this investiga-
ton, and also would ask him to at
tempt a delay in the hearing of the
Community Airline bill with the
hope that we might get together on
both matters.
Brewster Makes Statement.
AFTER further testimony by
Mr.. Hughes, on these points,
Senator Brewster was sworn in
and began his statement.)
l appreciate the opportunity to
tell you what I know about this
particular matter, which Mr.. Hughes
brings up, and 1 think it is entirely
appropriate that the records of the
committee should contain my state
ment as we'll as his. -"
So, first, of course, as to the state
ment. the very precise statement he
makes, as to my proposing to him
in my apartment in the Mayf1oWer,
where I was entertaining him at
lunch, for which I paid $3.50 out of
my own pocket, it seems inconceiv-
able to me that any one could seri-
ously contemplate that one who had
been in public life as long I have,
In the State Legislature, as Cover
nor of Maine, as member Of Con-
gress. and the Senate, could on the
short acquaintance 1 had with Mr..
Hughes-as he said, I had only seen
him once before, when l was a guest
OF his in the Constellation, along
with Senator Ferguson and Senator
Vandenberg and Senator Barley
and Senator Truman-that on the
very brief acquaintance which that
necessarily represented, and the
meeting with him here in Washing
ton which think he Is substantially
correct about as to the duration of
them, that / would have made so
bald a proposition as he here de-
scribes.
1t sounds to me little more like
Hollywood than 1t does like Wash
ington. I am quite sure that no one
OF any competence or experience
here would make such a proposal,
and 1 can assure that 7 never did.
1t would be inconceivable that a
man would make such talk tn Mr.
Hughes.
Important Issues Involved.
But since this is a matter where
very important issues are involved
I have done some research, and /
think there Is sequence of events
both before and since this, which
lends rather ample confirmation to
my version Of this affair, and I
shall appreciate the opportunity to
present that as I realize something
of the nature of this suggestion.
Now. I think we may take note of
the fact that Mr.. Hughes has in his
public statements, although I don't
think he repeated that here today
intimated that his troubles COM
menced when he got his franchise
to fly overseas. I read that in one
OF his serials that he has been
issuing, and that statement seems to
me is utterly unborne out by the
records of this committee, in this
case, and so think in order to keep
the record straight, we should 90
back to the beginning of the inter
ests Of this committee in this affair
in July, 1912. when the matter of
the cargo boat first came to the
attention of the committee. ="
Now, the first time this came to
the attention of the committee was
in July of 1912, and I find not only
the record of the hearing in the
matter on July 30, but I find also
most interesting report of q
subcommittee on this flying boat
cargo boat. project, which has ap-
parently disappeared from the files
of the committee in some fashion
and 1t was only by telephoning to
Justice Burton in Switzerland, the
first Of this week, that I was able
to locate copy in his files. And
it is one of the most conclusive
indications of the considered opin-
lon of the subcommittee of this
committee, headed by Senator Wall.
gren. and on which was Senator
Hatch, and Senator Burton, after
visiting the West Coast at this
time, that this project should have
very careful scrutiny before il
should proceed
Senator Brewster submitted the
report which discussed aircraft pro-
duction problems In 1912 and ex-
pressed doubt as to the advisability
of diverting materials to manufac-
ture OF the Kaiser plane
Senator 'jYsy'''': 5 There it '''