Evening star., 1947-11-25

statement by Secretary OF the AR
Force Syn,ington on the case OF
Mai. Gen. Bennett E. Meyers:
The New United States Air Force,
created under the National Security
Act of 1947, is about two months old.
It is a tragic fact that as we have
been welding together this new de-
partment, the healthy condition of
which is now universally accepted as
vital to the security of America, we
have also been forced to read and
contemplate, day by day, for many
weeks, the unfolding of one of the
most shocking scandals ever ex-
posed in the history of any branch
of our Government, the sordid story
of Bennett E. Meyers.
For some time it has been our best
judgment that no comment or re-
port on the facts should be made
until the Senate committee had
completed the Meyers hearing. Un-
der the circumstances it has not
been pleasant waiting.
AS representatives Of not only
those millions of men who either
have served or are serving in the Air
Force, but also of the memory of
those tens of thousands who died
in service. we now want to report
in considerable detail about this
case.
Matters of this character affect
the heart as we'll as the head. How
the Air Force feels with respect to
the former can perhaps best be re-
vealed by the attached correspon-
dence; namely, Capt. Friedberg's s
letter to us of November IA; and our
reply of November 10.
Grateful to Probers.
The Air Force is very grateful to
the Senate War Investigating Com
mittee for its long and painstaking
efforts to bring out the facts in this
case. Such detailed examination
and Recommendation were required as
could not have been accomplished
by the Air Force. We believe the
committee has performed signal
service to the people; and we will he
very glad to work on with Senator
Ferguson to whatever extent he and
the committee believe it is advisable
to continue any aspect of investiga-
ton.
We are equally sure, however
that. just as the committee is
anxious to bring this man to justice
so also they are equally anxious to
remove any semblance Of stigma
from the faithful and loyal members
Of our great corps.
There have been three major ques-
tions incident to Air Force action
as the result of these hearings or
Meyers; namely, Cd should Meyers
have been caught before? (2)
Should he have been court-martialed
within recent weeks? 90 Should
the anonymous letter of 1945 have
been acted upon by the Air Forcei
We will take these points up ir
order.
/. Should Meyers have been caught
before?
It appears that during the years
1940-1945 Meyers was profiting from
company performing war con.
tracts in which he had substantial
ownership, and that he was living
on scale obviously not supported
by an Army officers salary.
Answer Not Checked.
Through the inquiry instituted by
Gen. Arnold-the QUESTIONABLE o.
1943-Meyers was asked concerning
his ownership of securities in air.
craft companies. This questionnair.
was answered in the negative by
Meyers apparently falsely and nj
further check on his answer wa.
made.
The foregoing point raises two
questions: Were Meyers superior
officers (Gens. Arnold, Stratemeyer
Echols and possibly others) negli.
gent in falling to observe that Mey.
ers' scale OF living was such that hi
must have income other than hi.
Army salary, and inquiring into the
source of that income, and should
they also have known of Meyers
irregular personal relationships ane
taken action with reference tt
them?
The answer in both cases is no
for the following reasons Some
| officers of the services have wealth
which they have inherited, or which
their wives have brought to them
which enables them to live on 8
scale which their salaries alone
would not support. 1t Is not ar
American custom to inquire into ths
personal finances of its officers.
There is no indication whatever
that Meyers irregularities were
known by any of his superiors, OF
that there was reason why they
should have been known.
In considering whether Gen. Jone
(Maj Gen. Junius w. Jones, al
Inspector, or Gen. Stratemeyer wa
negligent in not checking on tn
truth of the replies they received
to the QUESTIONABLE Of February
1943, concerning securities owned b,
general officers, an important facto
must be borne in mind. A mos
valuable tradition Of the armed serv
ices is the sense of honor of it
officer corps.
Detection Difficult Job.
1t is well known that one of th'
most difficult jobs in the operation
of the capitalistic system is the de
lection of a financial crook, espe
cially If he has knack for figures
record of able service and thor
ough training in finance ant
accounting.
Conviction of the head of the New
York Stock Exchange as thief dit
not mean every banker and broke
in the country was a crook. Nor dit
conviction of the highest Fedora
Judge in the land below the Unitet
States Supreme Court signify tina
other judges and lawyers in tn
country were crooks.
In many ways the actions OF Iva
ADVERTISEMENT.