Evening star., 1947-07-31

unsuitable for water-b borne opera.
tions.
High Regard for Hughes.
Senator Ferguson asked If tht
Navy had any use for the plane?'
Admiral Towers replied he coule
not commit himself since he hae
no details on weight, performance
range and the like.
II do wish to say" he added, "that
I have a high regard for the patriot.
ism, sincerity and aeronautica
competence OF Howard Hughes. Ye1
I can't venture an opinion or
whether he has succeeded"
Conditions in the Hughes Aircraft
Co. plant, where the eight-engine
flying boat was under construction
at Culver City, Calf, were graphic
ally described to the committee
when a recorded telephone conver-
sation with Mr.. Nelson was read
back by the other party to the con-
versation, Edward D. Burn, former
general manager Of the plant.
Mr.. Burn, now of Locust Valley
Long Island, N. Y, testified he was
manager of the plant for several
months during the summer of 1943
and prior to that time was Wash
ington representative Of the COM
pany for about six months.
Reads Transcript.
II Lo ovacnript ~ the
conversation with Mr.. Nelson, said
to have occurred August 27, 1943,
and asked If he recognized it.
II can't read it without my
glasses" the witness replied.
Here" said Senator Brewster,
"Ill lend you mine"
Mr.. Burn adjusted the Senator'S
glasses, grinned at the Senator and
began to read:
1--WE have a terrible, chaotic stu
alton out here ~
Chairman Ferguson cut in, "Whc
is saying that?"
"It says here it's me saying it," the
witness replied. He continued read
ing, and his voice doomed over the
loudspeaker system as If he once
more was talking loudly into tele.
phone from California to Washing
ton.
I'VE have a situation out here that
may blow up in your face, Mr.. Mel
son." He went on to explain the
situation consisted Of cilques form.
ing in the factory with Howard
trying to run things by remote con-
troll from his home"
Criticized Running Of Plant.
The general manager reported te
Mr.. Nelson he had mot gone tc
the plant for two days" and that
they're running things out there
like q bunch of school kids"
Mr.. Burn said, II still want tc
work for q living and don't want
to be tied to a lot of lies"
Senator Ferguson interrupted
Whose lies?"
1.-TWO groups or cliques in the
plant" was the reply. I'm my opin-
ion the engineers were not doing
their job. They kept drawing up
wonderful production progress
charts, but they didn't give the true
picture"
He said he told Mr.. Nelson, "I've
tried to clean up things with no sue
cess. In answer to questions, Mr.
Burn said that, although Mr.
Hughes owned the company, "the
only time we saw him was between
midnight and l, 2 or 3 O'Clock In
the morning"
Sometimes, though, Howard
would come in and work all night
but didn't see him then," Mr.. Burn
testified.
I'VE had a $4O0, ,O00-a-year payroll
padded up with ex-Hollywood peo-
plea lot of boys who wanted to
keep out OF the Army, and an air
craft plant was a good place to dc
it at that time ="
mot Johnny Meyer"
"Who were these people?" Sen.
tor Ferguson asked.
Not Johnny Meyer, if that's who
you mean," shot back the witness.
You headed off my question" ad-
mitted the chairman.
IT know" the witness said, II only
wanted to save you time" He re-
turned to his telephone converse