Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1951-07-24
Head Of Tank Arsenal
Admits Getting Fayors
From Big Contractors
BY the Associated Press

|gressional committee dug deeper
today in its investigation OF the
Army's Detroit arsenal and tank
|automotive center after hearing
|of favors to employees.
A defense contractor testified
yesterday that he had done favors
for at least 26 employees.
AS the hearing resumed, the
House Subcommittee on Executive
Expenditures also had before it:
/. An admission by Brig. Gen
David j. Crawford, commander OF
the arsenal and center, that he
had accepted free use of WASH
Iington hotel suite maintained by
manufacturers holding $33 million
worth Of ordnance contracts.
Tells of Tree Shipment.
2. An admission by Gen. Craw-
ford that he had shipped trees
from Detroit to his home at
Wayside. Md, via Army truck,
with a soldier crew, and his con-
cession that this probably" vio-
lated Army regulations.
8. An admission by Gen. Craw-
ford that he had used Gov
fernment salvage material worth
less than 5000" in building q "a
foot sailboat, for which he got the
white oak keel free from the
Lebanon Steel Co.
Ken Heavlin, partner in q Arm
holding contracts with the arsenal,
testified he did favors-mostly get
ting items at wholesale-for &c
employees there and at the tank
|automotive center.
Finally" he: said, "they were
running me crazy and I had to
get out of it." 70 "
Got Many Items.
His firm is the Versatile En-
cheering Co. He said he got
automatic washers, dryers, TV
sets and other items at wholesale
for the Federal workers "as q
matter of good will. for the
company" aee.'s-
Gen. Crawford insisted there
was no improperly in his &C
ceptance Of the use of hotel
suites maintained by contractors.
He testified he had listed lodg-
ing in his Army-paid expense
account for the two days he spent
in the Congressional Hotel suite
maintained by the Continental
Foundry and Machine Co. of East
Chicago, Ind, and the Pacific Car
q foundry Co. Of Seattle.
Asked for his idea on propriety
OF accepting use of the suite. Gen.
Crawford told Representative
Hardy, Democrat, of Virginia,
subcommittee chairman:
IF I have to renounce NV
friends to do this job, then think
it would be too much to ask. III
I had to do 1t over again, would
MY business and personal rela-
tionships are separate"
Was Hearing Witness.
Gen. Crawford said he was in
Washington June 1927 to appear
as witness before a congressional
committee when he accepted the
invitation of Ray Middleton, al
retired army colonel and repre-
sentative Of Pacific Car and
Foundry to stay with him at his
suite. 49,
Gen. Crawford then admitted
ne had built the sail boat and was
building another from salvage ma
terials from the arsenal. He said
q man named Wilson of Lebanon
Steel donated about $50 worth of
white pine for the keel and that
he gave Gen. Crawford a receipt
for the $50, although he had re-
fused to accept the money. -.
Mr.. Hardy opened the inquiry
with a comment that 1.-THE situa-
ton looks pretty bad"
He refused to discuss what in
vestigators may have turned up
in their inquiry of the awarding
Of 81 billion in defense contracts
by the arsenal and tank center. |
In Washington the army said
Gen. Crawford's actions have been
under investigation for several
days.