Evening star., 1947-08-08

WOrld AlrllneS. The Senator S;
front.
Mr.. BirdWell made an affidavit in
California recently that the expense
account was incorrect, that he put
down the names of all the persons
he contacted while here. although
he had not entertained all of them.
Mr.. Hughes got a $4,000 900 con-
tract for Fill photo-reconnaissan
planes after one was recommended
by Elliott Roosevelt, then an Army
Air Forces colonel.
The subcommittee is inquiring in
to the circumstances of award of
this contract and of an $4,000, 900
one for flying boat"
Truce With Brewster.
The subcommittee turned to the
contracts after a truce agreement
was reached in the controversy be-
tween Mr.. Hughes and Senator
Brewster. Republican, of Maine over
origin, motives and past events in
the inquiry.
The name of Gen. Echols was
brought back into the discussion
while Mr.. Dietrich was explaining
that the Hughes Co. had spent
$6,000,000 of it's money on facilities
and development of the d. plane
before 1t got contract to build a
modified version of it, the Fill, for
the air forces
Il think it is worthy of note that
citizen would go out and spend
S6,000,000 on such development,
without getting the money from the
Government" observed Senator
Pepper, Democrat. of Florida.
ut is difficult for us to under
stand why you would prosecute a
man who had done that" Mr..
Dietrich said. Adding that Mr.
Hughes had captured the air
speed record from France and was
anxious to develop the fastest plane
in the world
Did you know the Army had
turned down this plane?" asked
Senator Ferguson.
Il most certainly did" Mr. Diet
rich answered. because I sat in
Gen. Echols' Office (early in 1912
when he told me he wouldn't deal
with Mr.. Hughes under any cir
cumstances.
Did he say why?" pressed the
chairman.
Because he had a personal dis
like for him." Mr.. Dietrich replied.
Personal Incidents Cited.
I Mr. Dietrich said later Gen.
Echols' words were: II will not do
business with Howard Hughes be-
cause I dislike him"
Mr.. Dietrich claimed Gen. Echols'
| feeling against Mr.. Hughes went
back to two incidents the general
said had occurred before the war
AS related on the stand by Mr. Diet
rich, they were:
l. After Mr.. Hughes had estab-
lished transcontinental speed
record as flyer. Gen. Echols had
expected him to land at Wright
Field. Ohio, for an inspection, but
Mr.. Hughes did not get there.
.. Mr.. Dietrich said Gen. Echols
became irritated at Mr.. Hughes on
later occasion when group of
Army officers and engineers were
sent to the West Coast to inspect
the Hughes plane and found that,
for secrecy reasons, a limit had
been placed on the number of per-
sons who could see it, Mr.. Dietrich
quoted Gen. Echols as saying it had
embarrassed him because he had to
modify the orders to his mission.
With Mr. Hughes on the stand
Senator Ferguson asked:
when did you first get the idea
OF building this flying boat?"
Mr.. Hughes said it was prior to
his meeting in San Francisco with
Kaiser"
Tells of Kaiser Conference.
Henry J. Kaiser, wartime builder
of ships. factories and many other
items, previously has told the in
vestigating group that he advanced
the original idea of building vast
feet of flying boats in 1912 to beat
the then serious menace of German
submarines.
The flying boat contract was
originally joint one to Mr.. Hughes
and Mr.. Kaiser. but Mr.. Kaiser
later withdrew. The big ship has
never yet taken the air. but is re-
ported to be about ready for tests
! Senator Ferguson asked Mr.
Hughes to relate his conversation
with Mr. Kaiser when the matter of
building flying boat first came up
Mr.. Hughes said he did not re-
member it very we'll.
| The substance Of it was that
Kaiser asked if I would be in
terested in building and designing
this airplane," Mr.. Hughes said.
Did he CKaiser) have any blue
prints?' Senator Ferguson asked.
He may have had" Mr.. Hughes
replied, but I don't recall"
Senator Ferguson wanted to know
whether Mr.. Kaiser had been in
Washington trying to get contract
to build cargo plane. Mr.. Hughes
said he did not remember and he
could not recall whether Mr.. Kaiser
had said definitely whether he could
get a contract.
(Glenn l.. Martin, Baltimore
plane builder, told the committee
last week that Mr.. Kaiser once
proposed to him combine of
airplane companies to build fly
ing boats. He quoted Mr.. Kaiser
as saying he (Kaiser> could get
the contract, although others
could notD
Questioned About Birdwell.
Mr.. Hughes said in reply to
further questioning that he had not
| sent Mr.. Birdwell to Washington
to try to sell his Fill plane to the
Government.
Senator Ferguson--Did you send
him (BirdwelD to Washington fol
publicity and propaganda purposes
in regard to the plane?
Hughes don't recall.
! Ferguson-Did you know that
Birdwell went to the White House,
or tried to go to the White House, in
relation to publicity on the d..
Hughes-I've heard something
| about it at this hearing.