Evening star., 1949-08-16

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Watt frowned and said:
"It's too bad to have to discuss
ones close friends here in public
and openly"
When he was faced with his
own description Of himself as lone
of the leading authorities in the
world on Pathological warfare u
the general gave an uncomfortable
laugh and replied:
That's most embarrassing, but
it happens to be true"
The remark brought gasp from
the Army officers and few civilian
spectators who were able to crowd
into the small committee room.
Gen. Watt was asked the cir
|cumstances leading up to his de-
cision to dictate a memorandum
on his fellow officers to Mr.. Hunts
secretary, Miss Mildred Ortmeyer.
'The suggestion was made by
Gen. Vaughan that I give him my
personal opinion Of officers most
likely to be considered" Gen.
Watt began. II can't guess when
that was. It was undoubtedly at
a social neutrality-suspicious. a
cocktail party.
The question of my retire
ment came up. Gen. Vaughan
did say that he felt I was the
best qualified for the job and that
I should succeed myself. He said
that I was only 56, that I had
good service left in me, and that
he knew of my abilities and there
was a possibility I might succeed
myself"
Gen. Watt was asked what use
Gen. Vaughan would make Of his
comments about his fellow OIL
GERS.
1T was my understanding" F."
the beribboned general replied,
that Gen. Vaughan wanted my
opinion which he would use when
my appointment came up. I as
sumed he wanted to use them
with the President.
Prepared for Vaughan.
Asked why he wrote the memo
randum in the third person, the
general explained: II was pre-
pairing them for Gen. Vaughan to
present to the President. It was
the third person, with Gen.
Vaughan speaking"
while it represented your view,
it appeared to be dictated by some
one other than you?" the witness
was asked.
1T was dictated for Gen.
Vaughan" he replied. He was
to present it,"
Pointing to the derogatory COM
ments he had dictated about other
officers, Senator Mccarthy asked
the general. did you indicate any
other officer was fit and quail
fled?"
mo, I didn't" the witness re-
piled.
Agrees on Qualification.
"You considered yourself the
only one qualified?" Gen. Watt
was asked.
That's embarrassing, but I am
obliged to agree" Gen. Watt re-
sponded.
His voice rose with emotion as
he said: 1--WE fought for the
corps 80 years. It's been my life. -
He went on to say that he felt
that in this critical period his
leadership of the corps should
continue. While he admitted that
was "a conceited idea." he argued
that he was not alone in that
opinion and proposed calling on
DR.. Edward U. Condor, director OF
the Bureau Of Standards. to poll
scientists about their opinion Of
Gen. Waits abilities.
Not Counting on Hunt.
Asked why he dictated the men,
orandum in Mr.. Hunts office in
stead Of his own, Gen. Watt said
that while he had complete con-
fldence in his own secretary, she
had to be with these officers and
I wanted 1t completely away from
my office"
Gen. Watt was asked II Mr..
Hunt knew about the memoran-
dunn. He said he thought Mr..
Hunt knew. He said he did not
recall discussing it, "but 1t was
quite likely Hunt knew I was pre-
pairing the memorandum for
Vaughan"
In answer to other questions, he
American novel, for her volumi-
80 u