Evening star., 1949-08-28

"ln1uence ana Cne ike. Inc 1aCt
is that our operations on his be-
half were routine and normal in
every way and he knew it. We
had his company placed on the
invitation list to bid on a large
furniture contract from the Chi
cago Office of the Quartermaster
Corps and obtained for him the
prices on the most recent awards
of similar items. which is public
information. I, at no time. told
him that it was secret or conf
dental or had been obtained
improperly. We also investigated
the possibility of his getting
special jobs from the Capitol
Architects Office, from the In
terror Department. from the
new General Accounting Office
building and from the new court
house building. All Of this was
done without influence or pull" F"
It did not require a cocktail party
for seven Senators.
Cites GrindIe Statement.
II. I call the committees at
tention to the statement made
under oath by Mr.. Grindle on
August 8, 1949, and appearing on
page 1880 of the transcript where
he said in response to a question
by Senator Mundt, Il had never
intended in any way to actually
have a working contract between
my company and Mr.. Hunts COM
pany. I had attempted to get the
agreement and make the first
payment and complete the picture
of my dealings with a man who
had been charging S per cent on
the contracts"
18. never stated to Mr.. Grim
die that two White House parties
had been given in my honor. He
did ask me about a picture in
my Office of Gen. Vaughan. Mrs
Hunt and myself. I explained
that it was taken at a White
House concert
10. made no such statements
concerning 5000, 100000 worth OF
surplus airplane parts as were at
tributed to me by Mr.. Grindle in
his testimony. What actually hap
pened, and what I told Mr.. Grin
die, Is this: War Assets Admins
tration was reported to have sur
plus airplane parts in the hands
of disposal agents, the original
acquisition cost of which was ap-
proximately $400, 100000. A pro-
posal had been made that approx
imately one-fourth of this amount
be sold to the disposal agents and
that the rest (cost approximately
$500, ,000,000) be scrapped and
smelted. It was this proposition
which suggested to Mr.. Grindle
would make the taxpayers blood
boil.
20. I made no statement at any
time to Mr.. Grindle that I had
saved some client a $4,000 pen
atty for late delivery on a quar-
termaster contract -.
Denies Saying Vaughan Had Role.
| 81. did tell Mr.. Gripdle that
we represented Dorothy Draper.
I did not tell him that Gen.
Vaughan had intervened in my be-
half. -"
%. Mr.. Grindle's statements
concerning my part in the build
ing Of the Foxboro racetrack are
a distorted version of the facts.
also gather from some of the ques-
tions asked by members of the
committee that they some way get
the impression that Gen. Vaughan
had something to do with this
matter. Let me say first that
Gen. Vaughan had nothing what
soever to do with it and, as far as
I know. never even heard Of it
sss
%. Mr.. Grindle has hopelessly,
and, I believe, Intentionally, con-
fused what I told him about TAX
ing two bankers to Secretary
Johnson's Office. I was explaining
to Mr.. Grindle that there is no
such a thing as an inside track to
Government contracts. To illu-
strate this, told Mr.. Grindle that
recently two New York bankers
had come down to ask me If I
could find out whether Secretary
johnson had promised a certain
airplane engine manufacturer a
5000, ,000,00 contract If they could
get the Tucker plant reopened.
These bankers were interested 10
ascertaining the truth or falsity
of this rumor. I said I could
hardly believe 1t but that the
quickest way to find out about it
was to. 60 to Secretary Johnson's
Office, which we did. Secretary
Johnson was out Of town and we
talked to Col. Louis Renfrow, one
of the Secretary's assistants, who
said he was sure the rumor was
false but would check with the
Secretary. The next morning. Col.
Renfrow reported to me by tele-
phone that he had talked with the
Secretary who had assured him
that the story was entirely false.
It was perfectly obvious all during
my conversation with Mr.. Grindle
that the Lou referred to was Louis
Renfrow, not Louis Johnson.
Ran Into johnson at White House.
"a. I did not at any time tell
Mr.. Grindle or any one else that
was a close friend of Mr.. Louis
johnson. The fact is that I have
met him two or three times =.
Is. I had nothing whatever. di-
rectly or indirectly, to do with Gen.
Grice's appointment to his pres
ent position, nor did I ever state
to Mr.. Grindle or any one else
that I had anything to do with 1t.
26. I never stated to Mr.. Grindle
or any one else that "all I have to
sell in influence" =
c'nnnressinnaI De1enatinn