Evening star., 1948-01-13

full responsibility for it. If he told
me about it when he acted, either
before or afterward, I approved it
and If I did not know of it at the
time, approved 1t later when I
learned Of it; or If I was not paying
attention, just the same I approved
it because everything he did was
fine and helped me-"
Gen. Graham said he was mot
clear In my own mind whether he
always spoke to me before or after
acting" but that nevertheless ut
was all the same to me" and what
ever he did was for my good, and
benefited me and pulled me out Of
a deep hole part way and I am
grateful"
General" Senator Ferguson
asked, you wanted to make some
money!"
IT sure did," the general replied.
"And everything was going along
fine until the President made a
speech?"
"Oh yes" the general said amid
laughter of the committee members
and spectators, II got clouded up
and a little worried when he started
talking about wheat"
Describes Confusion.
At one point in the testimony,
Gen. Graham stopped the proceed
ings completely by describing his
confusion over one of the brokerage
firms order confirmation slips. This
slip showed that the general had
bought "10M" of wheat.
I asked a friend what '10M'
meant and he said 100000. I
rushed to the phone and called
Brisker and asked him:
"'Good Lord, what have you
done?'"
When Mr.. Brisker explained that
the symbol meant 10000 rather than
10,000, 900 bushels of wheat, the gen.
eral said he felt much relieved and
asked only il there was enough
money In his account to cover the
purchase. He was assured there was.
IT felt kind of stupid" he told
the committee when the laughter
had died down.
Right to Job Questioned.
Meanwhile, there were these other
developments: &
/. Senator Elmer Thomas, Demo-
crat, of Oklahoma promised, Sena-
tor Ferguson said, to supply the
subcommittee today With A. record
ofaaAy commodity transactions he
has made. Senator Thomas acknowl-
edged over the week end that he
has traded in various markets for
years, but he said he never had any
inside information" ?
2. Mr.. Stassen challenged the
right of Edwin w. Pauley to retain
his Office as special assistant to
Secretary Of the Army Royal after
making admitted profits Of $o32, ,7o3
in commodity trading. Mr.. Pauley,
too, has denied using any inside
information"
In a statement given by telephone
from Sheridan, Wyo., to his Wash
ington Office, Mr.. Stassen said:
Nov that Mr.. Pauley has ad-
mitted the extensive nature of his
operations, I respectfully ask this
question of the President. I ask 1t
in particular view of the urgent
need for leveling off food prices and
Of the anticipated heavy govern
mental purchases Of food in 1948.
"The question Is this:
Does a man who has admitted
under investigation that he made
approximately q million dollars
($932, ,703, to be exact) in personal
profit, by speculating since the war
in increased prices Of food and COM
modities, belong in the position of
assistant to the Secretary Of the
Army for procurement and indus
trial mobilization"
No White House Comment.
Mr.. Pauley and Mrl tassen are
scheduled to confront one another
before Senator Ferguson's commit
tee probably on January 23. The
White House refused comment on
Mr.. Stassen's question to the presi-
dent.
8. The Appropriations Committee
disclosed that seven Navy officers
and one civilian employe have said
they traded in commodities in an
unspecified period. Their names
were supplied to the committee by
the Navy Department following
check of its personnel in policy and
purchasing positions.
The one civilian named was Mrs.
Eva M. Brisker, wife of Gen. Gra-
hams broker. A clerk in the Nays
Bureau of Supplies and Accounts,
she was disclosed last week to have
been the holder of 100000 bushels
of wheat futures last September II.
She has been before the Ferguson
subcommittee for secret testimony,
but Senator Ferguson said she will
not be called during the Graham
inquiry.
Not All Replies Received.
In addition to Mrs. Brisker, the
Navy Department said these Off
GERS have acknowledged trading in
commodities in an unspecified Pc
riod:
Capt. william L. Eagleston, U. S.
N. r., material division, Executive
Once Of the Secretary, Washington.
1t. Col. H. G. Tschirgi, U. S. M.
c., Marine Corps headquarters,
Washington.
Capt. v. H. schaeffer, U. S. N,
office of the Chief Of Naval Opera
tions, Washington.
Capt L. T. Haugen, U. S. N, Bu-
reau Of Ships, Washington.
Comdr. H. E. Cooper, U. s. NJ,
United States Naval School, New
port, r. I.
Comdr. James H. Fortune, jr., u.
s. NJ, United States Naval Post
graduate School, Annapolis, Md.
Comdr. Oliver L. Billingsley, U. s.
NJ, War Agency Liquidation Unit.
Interior Department, washington.
The department said replies to-
the QUESTIONABLE sent out have not
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