Evening star., 1947-07-01
May Lawyer Warns
Conviction Would
Please u. ). Foes

Defense counsel in the May
Carson war bribe trial asserted
in final arguments to a District
Court jury today that the case
has worldwide Importance be-
cause a verdict of guilty against
former, Representative Andrew
J. May and munition makers
Henry and Murray Carson
would give enemies of democracy
"a powerful argument against
the United States"
Starting a flve-hour summation
before the jury gets the case, prob
ably tomorrow afternoon, Charles
j. Margiotti. chief counsel for the
Carson brothers. declared that the
trial is the biggest little case that
has come out of the war.
Mr.. Margiotti charged that the
case started as political fodder
for congressional Republicans as
well as Democrats who wanted to
build up their personal or party
prestige by breaking down May, the
wartime chairman of the House
Military Affairs Committee.
Prove Termed Political Fodder"
Mr.. Margiotti singled out former
Senator Mead, Democrat, of New
York, wartime chairman of the
Senate War Investigating Commit.
tee, as having used the investigation
of May and the Garssons as ."'politi.
Cal fodder"
But it was political fodder also
for those on the committee and else.
where in Congress who were of the
opposite party to May" Mr.
Margiotti added. "They wanted q
chance to point to May in his pow.
erful committee position and say
that he was an example of the type
of politician who should be thrown
out of office" ...
Although the Justice Department
and the FBI "labored but brough
forth only a mouse" in trying tt
build up a court case, Mr.. Margiott
asserted, the current trial has at
tracted international as we'll as ma
tional attention.
Imagine the effect that guilt.
verdict would have on the enemie
of democracy all over the world,
Mr.. Margiotti told the jury.
Charges unfair Play" .
"They would point to the Unitet
States and say, Look, there are tn
former chairman of the Hous
Military Affairs Committee and I
couple of big munition makers con
victed of fraud and filling thei
pockets with gold Don't you think
ladies and gentlemen of the jury
that that would be powerful argu
ment against democracy"
Mr.. Margiotti attacked Govern
ment prosecutors and investigate
for what he said was unfair play.
He asserted that the prosecution wa
so eager to obtain convictions tina
it deliberately held back from tn
jury certain documents and testi
money.
Meanwhile, Perry w. Howard, on
of the Garssons' washington attor
neys, who became i'll while address
I ing the jury late yesterday, was re
ported at his home to be greatly i'm
proved, but still unable to return tt
court.
prosecuted on Suspicion"
He told the jury yesterday tina
May and the Garssons were beinl
prosecuted on suspicion and specu
llatlon" by the Government. Re
ferring to Senate War 'Investigat
ing Committee hearing testimon,
last year that the Garssons par
layed a paper empire" into $78,
900 900 munitions combine, Mr.. How
ard accused Government prosecu
!, tors of having brought "pape
case" into court.
Throughout the day the thre
defendants heard Justice Depart
ment special prosecutors describ
, them as men who substitute
profits for patriotism" They hear
. defense counsel picture May as "ol
: and penniless" and Henry Garssol
as a genius" who had to cope wit
, racial discrimination.
= The Government charges tina