Evening star., 1947-11-20
Meyers Returns
1oStand, Denies
Any 'Kickback'
General Testifies
He Told Arnold of
Stock Transfer

Maj. Gen. Bennett E. Meyers
denied under oath before the
Senate War Investigating Sub
committee today that he ever
participated in salary kickback
arrangements with the self
styled dummy" executives of
Aviation Electric Corp, the Day.
ton (Ohio) firm from which he
is alleged to have taken $150,OO0
in income during the war while
on active duty with the Army Air
Forces.
Returning to the witness stand
with promise to answer ''in mi
nutest detail" all allegations made
against him, the former AAF deputy
procurement chief termed entirely
false" the stories given the subcom-
mittee by Bleriot H. Lamarre and
Thomas E. Readnower, president
and vice president, respectively, Of
the aircraft equipment subcontract-
ing firm.
The only truthful exceptions in
their testimony were references to
loan rerayments, Gen. Meyers said.
Tells of Talk With Arnold.
In an emotional voice, Gen. Mey-
ers said:
Il want to say without equivoca-
ton that earlier testimony of Mr..
Lamarre and Mr.. Readnower is en-
tirely false regarding any payments
to me except the repayment of loans
1 made to the corporation"
Questioned by Chairman Fergu-
son as to reports he made on his
stock holdings in aviation COM
panies, Gen. Meyers said he dis
cussed these securities with Gen.
Henry H. Arnold, AAF chief, in
January, 1943, and left the latter's
office with the definite lmp1 ession
could forget all about it, so long
as I didn't have any contractural
relations with these companies"
He stated he had reported orally
to Gen. Arnold $4,000 stock
transfer to his own future wife,
the then Tia r. Curnutt, which he
had neglected to include in writ
ten report requested of him by 1t.
Gen. George E. Stratemeyer.
Senator Ferguson asked why this
transfer had not been reported on
the QUESTIONABLE.
Senator, I do not recall why"
Gen. Meyers replied.
Stock Called Security.
Gen. Meyers explained the stock
given his intended bride had been
held by her for some time prior to
the gift. He said he had turned 1t
over to her because she had given
him 5000 in cash to hold for her,
or invest, and he didn't want pos
session of the money without giving
security.
He left the money in safe In his
Pentagon Office for awhile, together
with perhaps as much as $4,000 Of
other funds, and later moved it to a
safe deposit box, he said.
Gen. Meyers added he would not
want to state it definitely under
oath, but had "a definite impression"
he had acquainted Gen. Stratemeyer.
as well as Gen. Arnold, with the
formal transfer of this stock, orally
or in a written addendum to his
original report on stock holdings.
Gen. Meyers said it was through
his assistance that the subcommittee
obtained copy of an AAF directive
concerning reporting of aviation
stocks held by officers.
He suggested it would be highly
improbable to suppose he would have
profered this aid if he were not
certain his own stock transactions
were above reproach.
Of the Lamarre and Readnower
stories, the retired officer declared
he considered it 'inconceivable" the
two men would have been satisfied
with the small payments they stated
they received while turning over
most OF their salaries of record to
him.
IF I am guilty of anything, as
alleged here in this room, they are
certainly equally guilty with me-" he
commented.
Displays Irritation.
Speaking firmly and displaying
irritation occasionally at repeated
questions by Senator Ferguson di-
rected to the same matters, Gen.
Meyers began his statement with
the declaration he would not leave
before he finished his reply, unless
I am thrown bodily out Of my
chair
i Senator Ferguson assured him he
(See MEYERS, Page A-6D '
u, ). Railroads Restrict