Evening star., 1949-09-23
B-36 Probe Adjourn,
To Await Report on
5ymington Evidence
By Robert K. Walsh

"A navy court OF inquiry lnVeSJl-
eating the origin of document
attacking the Air Forces B-36
program decided today to adjourn
until a House committee decides
whether to give it a report con-
tanning statements of Air Secre-
tary Symington.
Refusal of Mr.. Symington to
testify personally caused the
three-admiral court to announce
today that it has gone as far as
it can with evidence available at
this time"
The Symington refusal was
backed up by Secretary of the
Navy Matthews. In a directive to
the court. Secretary Matthews
said that "it would not best serve
the purposes for which the court
of inquiry was convened to require
the Secretary of the Air Force to
appear before your court against
his will"
After ordering the adjournment,
Admiral Thomas c. Kinkaid,
president of the court, told re-
porters the verbal tug of war
between the court and Mr.. SYM
ington during the last three days
should not be regarded as "bick-
ering."
Conference Preceded Directive.
He also maintained that the
directive by Secretary Matthews
sis not to be construed as a
slapping down of this court" He
disclosed that Mr.. Matthews wrote
the directive after comforting with
the three admirals and with their
full concurrence.
Secretary Symington notified
Secretary Matthews late yesterday
he was unwilling to testify at
this time before the naval court
because he already has turned
over to the House Armed Services
Committee most of the informa-
ton he has on the B-36 contro-
verSy.
He explained this is contained
In an Air Force Office of Special
Investigation report to the COM
mittee and that Chairman Vinson
has stated that the report will not
be released to the naval court
until the committee decides
whether it should be given out. The
committee is to reconvene Oc-
tober S.
Another reason given by Secre-
tary Symington for refusing to
appear before the court was that
such an appearance might indi-
cate he was entering into an
inter-service controversy"
The court has been trying to
determine whether any Navy en-
ployes besides Cedric R. Worth,
suspended civilian assistant to
Undersecretary of the Navy Kim
ball, prepared the memorandum
that spread rumors of faulty per-
iformance by the B-36 super
bomber and fraud in its buying.
Mr.. Worth has assumed full re-
sponsibility for the memorandum
that set off the House committee
investigation last month.
Adjournment Order Explained.
4 Admira, Kinkaid explained that
s,today's adjournment order does
not mean that the court neces-
sarily has completed its hearings
or that it is ready to make
recommendations to the Secretary
of the Navy. Because of the
existence of probably further
evidence in the report now held
by the Armed Services Commit
tee, he said, the naval court can
make no further move until it
knows definitely whether that
evidence will be made available.
The only information that the
court wants from Secretary Sym
1ngton, he said, is whether he can
shed any light on the origin of the
Worth document.
The evidence is there in the
report of the Air Force OSI," Ad-
miral Kinkaid commented, I'VE
hope to get it. if we do get it,
there may be further proceedings.
If we don't get it, we probably
will start preparing our report to
the Secretary of the Navy"
Said He Knew Names.
AS a witness last month before
the House committee, Mr..
Symington said he knew the
names of those involved in the
then mysterious memo.
The naval court wanted to
question him on that point. It
sent a request to his office late
Wednesday and was informed he
had gone to New York, but would
consider" any questions sub
mitted to him. On his return
early yesterday he wrote the court
that he would receive any ques-
tions the court cared to send to
his Office.
Admiral Kinkaid then declared
Mr.. Symington's physical pres
ence" was needed because evidence
1t the inquiry might later be used
at trial and because interested
parties such as Mr.. Worth had
right to cross-examine witnesses.
ForrestaI Kept Diary.
The courts judge advocate.
Capt. Sanford B. D. Wood, made
an appointment to see Secretary
Symington at 4 pm. He arrived
on the dot, had to wait minutes,
was ushered into the Secretary's
Office, and came out As seconds
later. He explained he had been
handed a letter to take to Secre-