Evening star., 1947-08-13
Hughes Labels Probe.
Smear on Roosevelt;
Brewster TO Garry On !

~ ~~a VII
The Howard Hughes case con-
tinued to simmer today, with sena-
tors arguing about the future of the
investigation and the fate of the
Senate War Investigating Commit
tee itself
Mr.. Hughes was back in Culver
City, Calf, following his takeoff
from National Airport yesterday
afternoon. He predicted that If the
Senate subcommittee hearings on
his wartime aircraft contracts are
resumed November II, "it will be
only to save face"
The plaAe manufacturer and Aim
producer said on landing that it was
logical to assume" Republicans
planned the inquiry to smear the
name of President Roosevelt. He
attacked what he called the "Ges-
tapo methods" of Chairman Brew
ster of the War Investigating Com
mittee, accused him of unlimited
capacity to hit below the belt" and
declared that "he will be In my hair
for the rest of my life"
The Maine Senator, whose per-
sonal feud with Mr.. Hughes took the
subcommittee off on a side issue"
last week, declared at Grange
meeting in his State last night that
we've just begun to fight"
Questions Publicity Expenses.
IF Mr.. Hughes is innocent of all
wrong doing" he said, why does
he spend thousands of dollars on a
high.power publicity staff to attack
others rather than to answer the
simple question of what the Gov
ernment is going to get in return
for s40,000,000. The answer to date
is nothing"
The purpose of the subcommit-
tee, headed by Senator Ferguson,
Republican, of Michigan, was to
delve into Hughes war contracts
with the Government to produce a
huge flying boat and photo-recon-
naissance planes. The flying boat,
nearing completion at Long Beach,
Calf, has not yet flown One of
the Fill reconnaissance planes, of
the type ordered by the Army fol-
lowing recommendation by Elliott
Roosevelt while on an Air Force
mission In this country in 1943,
crashed last year Another is being
tested, Mr.. Hughes reported last
week.
The Brewster Hughes Side issue"
was still subject of controversy in
the subcommittee today. Chairman
Ferguson said the subcommittee it
self will decide whether to go
deeper into that matter. Senator
Pepper, Democrat, of Florida, a
subcommittee member, declared the
next step in examination of that
feud should be left either to the full
Senate or the Justice Department.
Resumption May Depend on Meyer.
Attorney General Clark already
has promised Senator Brewster the
Department will look into his
charges that Mr., Hughes falsely ac-
cused him of having offered last
February to call off the investiga-
ton If Mr.. Hughes agreed to a
merger Of Trans World Airlines and
Pan American Airways. - e>
Whether the investigat ton, OF the
main issue of the Hughes war con-
tracts will be resumed November II
the date set when the subcorn-
nittee suddenly adjourned hearings
last Monday - seemed to depend
principally on finding John w,
Meyer, portly publicity agent for
Mr.. Hughes. %
From a long-range standpoint,
however, the War Investigating
Committee drew additional fire
from other members of Congress
who criticized its procedures or in
dicated that it should be abolished
next year. The Senate last Janu-
ary, by a 49-to-43 vote, continued
the committees life until next jan
uary 81.
Meyer Passport to Be Voided.
Mr.. Meyer, variously reported to
have been In New York City and
Richmond. Va, while the subcom-
mittee attempted to serve a sub
poena on him since last Friday,
would be unable to leave the coun-
try if he expected to do so.
Frank Dow, acting commissioner
of customs, disclosed his Office had
word" from the State Department
to take up" Mr.. Meyers passport
If he tried to board an outbound
ship. He described this as merely
"a precautionary measure, so far
as I know
The subcommittee issued the sub
poena last week in an effort to
bring Mr.. Meyer back for second
round of questioning about enter
tainment he provided, with Hughes
company funds, for various Army
and civilian Government officials
directly or indirectly concerned with
ry,,~hae eoNtro nfe G,,ri,,o the uyer