Evening star., 1949-08-03
Probers RefusetoGive
Hunt Unrestricted
Access 10 His Files

SN.~SSA~Ae~@~SS>S
eating "fiye-percenters" refused
today to give James v. Hunt the
right to unlimited and unre-
stricted use" of his files now In
the committees possession.
Mr.. Hunt, a former Army
colonel and a key figure in the
investigation, had demanded the
return Of the files or access to
them for unrestricted use.
There were, meanwhile, these
other developments in the con-
gressional inquiry into activities
of "flve-percenters" and the al
legged use Of influence in award
ing Government contracts:
l. A House Armed Services SUBJ
committee moved into the inves-
tigation by deciding to call on
Secretary of the Army Gray for
information on any "five-per-
centers" who may have been con-
nected with the military uniform
business.
Served as FBI Agent.
2. John Maragon, onetime Kan
sas City bootblack. whose activi-
ties are being scrutinized by the
Senate group, was revealed as
having served a brief time in 1923
as special agent when the FBl
was headed by William J. Burns.
FBI spokesmen emphasized that
Mr.. Maragon has had no connec-
ton with the agency since j. Ed
gar Hoover became its director in
1924.
Roger c. White, counsel for Mr..
Hunt, made public an exchange
Of letters with Chairman Hoey of
the Senate subcommittee in which
Mr.. White demanded the return
of a Hunt diary and files or COM
plete access to them.
The diary, a record of Mr..
Hunts activities as a manage
ment counsellor here. Is reported
to have afforded the Senate in
vestigators considerable informa-
ton In their inquiry.
Senator Hoey told Mr.. White
he was very anxious to cooperate
with him because lit is my feel
ing that in the exercise of the
subpoena power, Congress should
in no way unreasonably hamper
any company in the conduct Of
its regular business.
mot in Public Interest"
He offered to give a representa-
tive Of Mr.. Hunts company COM
plete access to all his records for
use in connection with Mr.. Hunts
business and to return any rec
ords needed for the business "un-
der some suitable arrangement
agreeable to both the company
and the committee.
Senator Hoey also proposed that
II the records were needed by Mr..
Hunt to prepare for public hear,
ings, the committee would arrange
q convenient time and place: for
them to be examined.
"It is felt, however, Senator
Hoey added. that to give repre-
sentatives of the j. G. Hunt Co.
the right to unlimited and unre-
stricted use Of the documents at
this stage of the investigation
would tend to hamper the orderly
process of such an investigation
and would not be in the public in
terest."
Mr.. White said in his letter to
Senator Hoey that practically
every scrap of paper owned by
Mr.. Hunt or his company had
been delivered to the committee.
Refused Access to Files.
In his letter Mr.. White said he
was refused permission to examine
the files and records unless he
signed a letter agreeing not to re-
veal contents of the files to any
one else, particularly to Maj. Gen.
Alden H. Watt and Maj. Gen.
Herman Feldman, who have been
suspended from duty pending the
outcome Of the inquiry.
Names Of Gen. Watt, who head
ed the Army's Chemical Corps,
and Gen. Feldman, the Quarter
master General, appeared in the
Hunt diary.
In the House phase of the in
vestigation, Representative He
bert, Democrat. Of Louisiana, said
Mr.. Gray will be heard In a closed
session tomorrow.
Tells Of Rejecting Deal.
The House group had planned
to hear Stanley j. Cummings, ex-
ecutive secretary of the National
Association Of Uniform Manufac-
turers, Inc, today. But Mr.. He
bert said the subcommittee was
unable to get in touch with him.
Mr.. Hebert said Mr.. Cummings
told him personally three weeks
ago Of having been approached
by Mr.. Hunt in connection with
a pending Army order relating to
the manufacture OF officers uni
forms.
The Representative said he was
told that 'Mr. Hunt offered-for
$25, ,000-to try to get Gen. Field
man to rescind an order relating
to Army plans for manufacturing
uniforms. Mr.. Cummings turned
the deal down because his asso-
citation could not afford the fee,
MIR. Hebert said.
lWife HurIs Clock
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