Evening star., 1947-08-11
Hughes Probe off Until Nov. II;
Flyer Calls Brewster CowardIy>
Predicts Inquiry Won't Resume
Ferguson BIomes
Meyers Absence
For Sudden Holt
BULLETIN

AUGUSTA, Me. P).-Chair-
man Brewster of the Senate
War Investigating Committee
today answered Howard
Hughes accusation that "he
was too cowardly" to continue
the investigation of Hughes
plane contracts by charging
that the plane manufacturer
had six times said on the wit
ness stand that 'I earnestly
urge the committee to drop
this matter right here"
Hearings in the Howard
Hughes war contract case were
adjourned abruptly today until
November II by a Senate War
Investigating Subcommittee.
Mr.. Hughes, millionaire California
movie producer and airplane manu-
facturer, said the hearings were
called off because Senator Brew
ster, chairman of the full Senate
Committee, was too cowardly to
stay here and face the music"
There was no reason for other
Senators to continue the battle for
him, Mr. Hughes said, and he pre-
dicted the investigation never will
be resumed.
Chairman Ferguson, in announc-
ing the postponement this morn
ing, said it resulted principally from
the subcommittees inability to 10
cate John w. Meyer, Hughes pub
licity man, for further questioning
about his expense accounts for en-
tertaining Army and other Govern
ment officials directly or indirectly
concerned with war contracts.
Closed Session Precedes Acton.
The announcement came sud-
denly after a closed session of the
subcomynittee while Mr.. Hughes sat
in the Senate caucus room where
the hearings have been held, ready
to resume his testimony. Mr.. Hughes
had been on the witness stand since
last Wednesday afternoon, testifying
in the investigation of his $4,000
600 wartime contracts to build
planes for the Government.
Reporters crowded around him
after the postponement was an
nounced. He said first: II think the
hearings were recessed because they
don't want to continue, and don't
think they'll be resumed November
IT,"
Later, in a scorching statement
read as battery of newsreel
cameras were trained on him, he
asserted that Senator Brewster
''took a run out powder" as soon as
he saw he was fighting "a losing
battle"
Hughes Issues Statement.
His statement was the latest
verbal blow in his row with the
Senator from Maine which began
even before Mr.. Hughes arrival in
Washington last Wednesday. He
had charged the Senator with hav-
ing offered to call off the investiga-
ton if Mr.. Hughes would help merge
Trans World Airlines. in which he
is the largest stockholder, with Pan
American AirwayS.
The text of the statement Mr..
Hughes read before the newsreel
cameras follows:
II have just been asked why I
think the hearing was called of.
II believe it was called off because
the people OF this country rendered
the final decision in any contro-
versy. The public is the final judge.
It was very obvious from the time I
first walked into this room that the
public and the press were on my
side.
They believed that there was no
Justification for this investigation
in the first place.
a Washington Too Hot"
.. Gas soon as Senator Brewster
saw he was fighting losing battle
against public opinion he folded up
and took a run out powder.
"Yes, when Senator Brewster
headed, for the backwoods of Maine
that was the tipoff. Washington was
getting too hot for him.
There was no reason for the
other Senators on this committee
to continue his battle for him if he
(See HUGHES. Page 'A-4.)