Evening star., 1947-08-07
In Brewster'S Suite.

ana L am trying not TO make any
statement unless I am quite sure o1
it.
In Brewster's Suite.
Now, the luncheon was during tht
week commencing February 10, 1947
1t was In q suite of Senator Brew.
ster. and I charge specifically thai
during that luncheon the Senator
in so many words told me that if
would agree to merge TWA with Par
American Airways and 60 along or
his Community Airline bill, there
would be no further hearing in this
matter
Senator Ferguson: think that
happens to be Tuesday, February
II. You may proceed
!, Invited to Amplify Statement.
Mr.. Hughes: Well, I have made
my statement, Senator, do you want
me to amplify it?
Senator Ferguson: Whatever took
place. we would like to have it as
full rs possible, OF your own knowl-
edge.
Mr.. Hughes: I think that I have
told you what took place.
/ Senator Ferguson: Now, that
closes that matter, does it? Now,
is there anything else that Is out
side this issue that you want to dis
cusS?
Mr.. Hughes: I thought Senator
Brewster wanted to talk after that.
Senator Ferguson: Mr.. Hughes,
did you have counsel at that time?
A man appeared with you at the
hearing. Mr.. Heron?
Mr.. Hughes: He was not counsel.
To be frank, I have been advised
that Senator Brewster was very
tricky. and that If I held any con-
versation with him, alone, was tax
ing a chance and therefore should
have someone with ME, to be sure
that he could not claim had made
statements which I did not make
So I contacted a gentleman that 1
knew and asked if there were any in
Washington who could 60 along with
me merely for the purpose of seeing
that I was not placed in an unfair
position. SO Mr.. Heron, whom had
never met before in my life, was
suggested for that purpose.
Senator Ferguson: see.
Mr.. Hughes: I took him with me
first to Senator Brewster's office and
then thereafter he accompanied me
to the hearing. He was not my law
yer
Senator Ferguson: All right. !
would like to ask a few questions
In the matter Do you know
of anything that the committee
did to carry out what you have
claimed Senator Brewster asked. or
requested, or desired. Do you know
of anything that the committee did
to carry it out, or not to carry it
out?
Deitrick Sent to See Trippe.
Mr.. Hughes: Well, Senator, ]
have no microphone in your secret
conference rooms but I can only
say that the following events tran
spired after this luncheon. Now
uu1 nix G1lC IullSl1COll l. VSlu oCAluto1
Brewster that I had previously dis
cussed the matter with Juan Trippe
during his dinner in his apartment
at the Mayf1ower Hotel, that I had
promised to give him my answer
in 80 days.
Thereafter, I dispatched Mr.. Del.
trick to Mr.. Trippe in New York
and asked Mr. Dietrich to find out
on just what terms Mr.. Trippe hac
In mind this deal. Mr.. Dietrick
reported to me that he did not
think 1t would be possible to make
an equitable transaction with Mr.
Trippe.
Senator Ferguson: And Trippe Is
the president of Pan-American?
Mr.. Hughes: Juan Trippe, yes. So
7 told Mr.. Dietrich to drop the
matter there. at least temporarily
At Just about that time. Mr.. Flan-
agan arrived on the scene in Cali
fornia and started getting very
tough about this investigation; ul
to that time everything had been
very friendly. 1t was sort of a veiled
threat. Mr.. Flanagan hove on the
scene and started asking all of the
embarrassing questions he could
think of, and 1t was quite apparent
to me that the timing was the ap-
plication of screws after my refusal
to go through with Mr.. T'rippe. .
Questioned on "Payoff'.
He (Mr. Flanagan wanted to &c
into Johnny Meyers expense ac-
counts and he went down to Neil
Mccartney, my ex-attorney. and said
Look, we know there has been a
100000 pay-off there. to Elliott
Roosevelt. What about it?" And
I mean his whole attitude evidently
was one of making trouble.
Senator Ferguson: Mr.. Flanagan
that you are speaking about is one
of the investigators for the Commit
tee? Is that correct?
Mr.. Hughes: That is correct. I
suppose
Senator Ferguson: The date that
Mr.. Flanagan came to California, do
you know the date he came out
there?
Mr.. Hughes: No, don't, but !
Know that the timing was such in
relation to Mr. Dietrick's refusal to
Mr.. Trippe that felt the two were
definitely connected, so then ma
turany have been jealous of my
reputation and there is no question
but what the threat of this bad
publicity was very powerful weapon
in my case.
Consequently, and because I was
pretty exhausted fighting Mr.
Trippe's political maneuvers ir
Washington, I talked to him on the
phone and I said, Look, there Ii
no chance of us getting together
unless we discuss this matter in per
SON." And he said, that seemed \te
be right, and would / come to New
York. And 1 said, mo-" that ]
could not come at the time, and he
said well, he would come to Cali
fornia. So he came to California
and we had some considerable dis
-cussion and during the course Of