Evening star., 1949-08-31
Vaughan le||sofProbe
By FBI Clearing Him
OF Tax Case Fixing
CONTINUED From First Page0


be made available to this COM
mittee."
Senator Mccarthy repeatedly
tried to draw from Gen. Vaughan
an admission that he exerted
pressure on the Agriculture De-
partment to get more grain for
liquor interests-at a time when
grain was short and rationed-and
received pay for his efforts.
Gen. Vaughan just as repeatedly
denied the allegation and insisted
that he had heard of the no FBI
investigation of any such at
tempted pressure.
Not Disturbed" He Says.
Gen. Vaughan did volunteer,
however, that he called the
Agriculture Department on the
Presidents instructions to check
up on a rumor that grain allot-
ments to distillers would be cut.
He said he was told that the
Agriculture Department was issu-
ing a press release that the quotas
would be cut. This was at the
time when distillers were allowed
to operate only few days a
month.
Gen. Vaughan denied that he
would be "disturbed' by word OF
any additional cut in grain alloca-
ton or that he had tried to in
fluence the decision in any way.
Skouras Sought Ships.
Under a barrage of questions
from Republican committee men,
bers, Gen. Vaughan also:
/. Disclosed that George Skou-
ras-previously identified as
$1,000 contributor to the 1916
Democratic campaign-came to
him for help to get ships on which
to load farm implements and ami
mails bound for Greece. Gen.
Vaughan said he sent Mr..
Skouras to the Maritime Com
mission for help on the Greek
rehabilitation project. but did not
recall whether Mr.. Skouras got
his ships.
2. Told the committee that he
made several appointments at the
State Department for William
Helis in connection with Greek
war relief, of which Mr.. Helis was
the president. Mr.. Helis, wealthy
race horse owner, sometimes
known as the Golden Greek" has
popped up in the testimony as a
campaign contributor and the per-
son for whom Gen. Vaughan inter-
veAed to get building permit for
the Tanforan Race Track.
No. Connection With Pass.
3. Again denied that he tried to
influence the/judgment Of Housing
Expediter Tighe Woods to speed
up building permit for the Cali
fornia track, despite Mr.. Woods
testimony that Gen. Vaughan told
HIM to please hurry up."
4. Denied he called Mr.. Woods
to the White House in connection
with the Tanforan permit. He
said Mr.. Woods told him he
planned to see Presidential Assist
ant John Steelman and would
"drop in and see me-" The build
ing permit was granted four days
after Mr.. Woods White House
visit.
S. Denied he had anything to do
with Mr.. Maragon's getting a
White House pass or subsequently
losing it. He said the Secret Serv-
ice gave Mr.. Maragon the White
House pass when the mysterious
man-about- Washington was a
railroad representative. He said
the Secret Service also picked up
the pass.
Changes Stand on Marag0n.
6. Conceded that in view OF
testimony that Mr.. Maragon
failed to declare perfume oils
while going through customs he
would no longer be willing to rec
ommend Mr.. Maragon for State
Department job. This was a
change from yesterdays testimony
when he said Us far as he was
concerned the committee had not
proven it's charges against Mr.,
Maragon, who now faces possible
prosecution on income tax eva
sion and perjury charges.
It was Col. Mara who testified
he was told by Peyton Ford of the
Justice Department that charges
that Gen. Vaughan took a bribe
to fix a tax case were proved un-
founded.
Gen. Vaughan said he under
stood the FBI looked into his
affairs at the request of a mem
ber Of the press" Later. at the
insistence of Senator Mccarthy.
Col. Mara identified the newspa-
perman as Columnist Drew Pear
son.
Questioned About Costello.
Senator Mccarthy began his
line of questioning with the state
ment that according to the New
York Liquor Board Frankie Cos
tello, New York gambling figure.
wa4 in partnership with Mr.. Helis
in a liquor company known as the
Whitley Corp.
Mr.. Mccarthy said Phil Kastel,
not otherwise identified, also was
in this company.
Mr.. Helis was mentioned in yes
terday's testimony as contribu-
tor to the 1946 Democratic cam
paign Golfers.
Gen. Vaughan said he didn't
know Mr.. Helis was in the liquor
business, that he didn't know the
Whitley Corp. and that he had
never discussed anything with
Frankie Costello.
Senator Mccarthy mentioned
that Mr.. Maragon told the COM
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