Evening star., 1947-08-05

| barrassing to the President, who
would have to forward the nomina-
ton to the Senate"
Mr.. Roosevelt said the promotion
was sent through by Gen. Spaatz a
third time because he (Mr. Roose-
veIt) had been filling a position
since January, 1943, calling for the
rank of brigadier general. Neverthe.
less, he said, 1t was sent through at
time when he was absent, and
was acted upon against my ex-
press wishes"
He asked the subcommittee tc
obtain af1idayits from Gems. Eisen.
how, Spaatz and Doolittle "as tc
whether they were Influenced by the
fact that was the son of the Presi-
dent"
I Says He Was Not Interviewed.
When Mr.. Roosevelt brought uI
the General Accounting ONCE re-
port in which he said millions Of
gifts to other officers are listed, he
challenged the committee to make
that available to the press.
Senator Ferguson said he did moi
know what documents Mr.. Roosevelt
was talking about and added: I
"The committee is going to dea
just as fairly with you as you dea
with the committee"
Mr.. Roosevelt commented that the
committee usually interviewed al
witnesses in closed session before
public hearings, but you never ever
bothered to interview me-"
Senator Ferguson said the only
instance in which he knew of any
Army officer accepting a gift of ar
automobile resulted in the promp,
dismissal of the officer from thu
service.
In his first appearance on tn,
stand yesterday, Mr.. Roosevelt
declared he was in Europe or
many occasions" when Mr.. Meyel
recorded him as having receivee
lavish entertainment in this coun
try. Mr.. Roosevelt admitted h,
borrowed $1,000 from Mr.. Meyer il
May, 1945, but repaid it in fiv,
months with full years interest
The money was borrowed few day.
before his marriage to Actress Fay,
Emerson, Mr.. Roosevelt explained
Answering questions in a cleal
voice and with an air of confidence
Mr.. Roosevelt told the Senators h,
thought Mr.. Meyer had used hi.
name rather freely" in describin,
parties attended by many others.
Paid His Fair Share.
IT also paid for my fair share,
Mr. Roosevelt told the subcommit.
tee.
Mr.. Roosevelt asserted in a radio
interview last night that this in.
vestigation is purely political"
II believe" he said, that the pas,
records of Senator Ferguson ane
Senator Brewster will bear me Out
in that they have spent a good pro-
portion of their time since Franklin
D. Roosevelt died in trying to smear
him. I think they did 50 in the
hopes of building themselves po.
litically."
Senator Brewster yesterday sent
to Attorney General Clark state
ment concerning what he called "a
blackmail charge by Mr.. Hughes
He said he would welcome the most
thorough exploration" of the Hughes
charge that he offered to call of
the investigation ii Mr.. Hughes
would merge his Trans World Air.
lines with Pan American Airways.
Justice Officials at Hearings.
Justice Department Representatives
are attending the subcommittee
hearings. A department spokesman
yesterday refused comment on theil
presence but committee officials
said department representatives fire..
quently have sat in on such sessions
! Mr.. Roosevelt took the stand be.
fore crowd that packed the Senate
Caucus Room late yesterday, aftel
the subcommittee had spent two
days quizzing Mr.. Meyer about hi.
expense account.
Highlights Of yesterday after.
Moons session were:
Mr.. Roosevelt denied that "hos.
pitality" he accepted from Hughes
officials had violated an order issued
by Gen. H. H. Arnold, head of the
AAF, in March, 1912 to govern
officers dealing with war contrac-
tors.
The Arnold order read in part as
follows:
Each officer will accordingly be
governed by a full realization that
acceptance by him of the most cas-
ual entertainment or insignificant
gift, however innocently rendered
from one seeking consideration from
the Army Air Forces, may tend to
so compromise both the Army Air
Forces and himself as to seriously
impair public confidence"
Mr.. Roosevelt told the commit