Evening star., 1949-08-04

dValldDle 10 any UIlc WIlo WaAeCS
to look at them. I believe it was
printed in full on June 2, 1947. in
the Daily News Record, a textile
trade journal.
@. Why did you ask Gen. Field
man for the list?
A. He was actually chief of sup
ply. He was the logical person to
have the information.
@. 1t has been rumored that
Gen. Feldman said in a letter
with the list to keep it under
your hat" Why would he say
that?
A. I don't remember exactly
what was in the letter and I can't
read Gen. Feldman's mind. My
opinion would be that he didn't
have a large supply of these lists
and while they were quite public,
he was trying to restrict them to
the people with real interest in
them and didn't want me showing
it around.
@. Did you ever get any con-
tracts for clients with the Quar-
termaster Corps?
A. No, I did not.
Story on DDT Bombs.
In the course of the interview,
DDT bombs were mentioned and
Mr.. Hunt was then asked if
friendship with Gen. Feldman
helped him to work out a transac-
ton whereby the Army agreed to
repossess the Aerosol bombs. He
told this story:
"These people came to me and
said they had bought from WAA
slightly over 100000 Aerosol
bombs. While they had sold some,
they still had almost 1000, 900 left.
They had paid 40 cents apiece for
them and they told me WAA had
sold another quantity Of them for
% cents. The rug was pulled out
from under them and they still
had 100000 worth. They wanted
me to see what could be done
about relieving them Of the bal
ance Of deliveries.
"This is all from memory, you
understand, but I recall we went
to WAA and talked to the peo-
pie in charge of that item and
they said If we had another GUS
toner wanting the bombs at the
same price, they might be able
to sell, but they did not be-
lieve this was so. They also said
the Army had been repossessing
millions Of dollars worth Of items
and If the Army needed these,
they might be repossessed by the
Army.
1--WE went to the Quartermas-
ter's Office and talked to the chief
OF supply-yes. Gen. Feldman-
and I asked If it might be pos
sible that the Army was in the
market for this item. Gen. Field
man called the people in charge
of that item and they said the
Army was in the market for some
bombs. Gen. Feldman told me
he would talk to WAA about it.
Involved No Shipment.
IT think it was wonderful deal
for everybody. The Army could
repossess the bombs at 40 cents
and didn't need to move them
from where they were when the
price for new bombs was a dollar.
IF the Army hadn't needed
them, my friendship with Gen.
Feldman wouldn't have made any
difference"
Gen. Feldman, informed Of Mr..
Hunts statement on the DDT
bombs, said he was unable to
make q statement at this time.
A check of Army and War AS
sets records, however. shows the
Quartermaster Corps had made
several previous attempts to get
the bombs back from WAA, but
WAA said the bombs had ali
been sold.
These records show that on Au-
gust %, 1946, the Army declared
surplus 100000 Aerosol bombs
They were located at six ware
houses, but the largest number
were at Richmond, Va.
On December 80, 1916, the Army
announced its war reserve policy
to provide for the retention OF
withdrawal from surplus Of GER
tain supplies to meet increased
military requirements based or
anticipated troop strength. This
policy was approved on April 10
1947, by the Army general staff
That constituted authority te
withdraw surplus from WAA.
The Quartermaster Corps ther
sent several letters to WAA tc
withdraw the bombs from WAA
but that agency said they were
all sold with the exception of some
few at Richmond, according to
these records.
Bombs Available in August.
In August, 1947, the records
show War Assets notified the Army
that $4,000 bombs were now
available at Richmond because OF
the default of q purchaser. These
were the bombs Mr.. Hunts client
had purchased and didn't want.
Mr.. Hunt said the transaction
was rushed through because his
clients told him they only had
48 hours before they would have
had to pay what they owed on the
bombs.
Mr.. Hunt also described the
process of getting the Lido Beach
Hotel back in its owners hands
He said he worked for three years
on it. The hotel was taken ovel
by the Navy, which had leased
it to the United Nations. Tht
problem was to get the United
Nations out, get the Navy to de.
clare it surplus and make sure
that WAA classified it on the
priority list where the owner woule
get the first chance to repurchas.