Evening star., 1952-03-03
Vaughan and 0'Dwyer
FroWned Upon by
Morris in N Show

Unf1attering statements made
; by Newbold Morris about Maj.
Gen. Harry H Vaughan and AM
baSSador William ODwyer focused
attention again today on two con-
troversial appointments Of Presi-
dent Truman.
The Governments new cleanup
boss told a televiSion panel yes
terday that if he had had any,
thing to do with the appointments,
Gen. Vaughan and Ambassador
lODwyer never would have been
named to their high-ranking jobs.
The implied criticism of the
Presidents military aide and the
envoy to Mexico came during an
interview in which Mr.. Morris
said he would insist that any
Government official receiving a
financial QUESTIONABLE from his
office be required to answer or be
fired. About $4,000 stringent"
queStionnaires will be sent out
shortly, he said.
The cleanup chief said he
would quit his inveStigative job
if the balky officials are not dis
charged. But he said he thinks
President Truman is heart and
souf' behind the investigation and
will take action against any Of
fetal who fails to cooperate.
THE President has done every
thing I have asked him to do, :"
Mr.. Morris said, land I have no
reason to believe he isn't COM
pletely sincere and heart and soul
Ibehind this investigation"
Lawrence Spivak, one of those
interviewing Mr.. Morris on the
program Meet the Press" pro-
gram NBC), asked him who has
been responsible for keeping will
liam ODwyer, for example,
against whom you ran, against
whom corruption of some kind
was revealed?"
I'm trying to keep myself in
an objective state of mind and
when you ask me about ODwyer.
it is like waving a red nag to q
bull" Mr.. Morris said
The Ambassador was formerly
Mayor of New York. He twice
defeated Mr.. Morris in mayoralty
elections IN 1945 and 1949.
In 1851 a Senate Crime Investi-
eating Committee charged Mr..
ODwyer with contributing to the
growth of organized crime in New
York. This Mr.. O'Dwyer denied,
saying a few minor and isolated
incidents by inference" has been
blown into exaggerated propor-
tionS and given sinister inSinua-
tionS."
"Who is responsible for
ODwyer?" Mr.. Morris asked
rhetorically, raising his voice.
Calls Appointments Obvious.
Would you have kept ODwyer
as Ambassador" Mr.. Spivak
asked.
He wouldn't have been there, /"
Mr.. Morris replied.
you wouldn't have appointed
him at an?"
mo"
"Who was responsible for ap-
pointing him?" persisted Mr.. Spi-
yak. sa IL .- -...-e ....s ..,4,,
obviously the President ap-
pointedl him." MIR. Morris said.
The cleanup chief was then
asked if he would have kept Gen.
Vaughan as presidential aide "in
the light of the deep freezes and
the Maragon affair"
Il don't think I'd have had
Gen. Vaughan there to start with"
he replied.
But he wasn't dismissed, was
he, after those things were re-
vealed?" he was asked.
MaragOn Conviction Recalled.
| mot yet" Mr.. Morris answered.
The reference to deep freezes"
and the Maragon affair was to
Senate investigation Of influence
peddling in which John Maragon
was sentenced to jail for perjury.
Maragon was on the payroll of
a firm which gave Gen. Vaughan
seven home freezers for himself
and friends.
At Maragon's trial the Govern
ment portrayed him as a man who
turned up at various departments,
saying he represented Gen.
Vaughan or came from the White
House, putting on pressure for
private companies.
Mr.. Morris was pressed to saw
whether he had any assurance
there will be dismissals if low
ethics or corruption are revealed
by him.
Il have that assurance" Mr..
Morris said.
Lawyer to Be Deputized.
Mr.. Morris said, in discussing
his plans for dealing with any
wrongdoing he turns up, that "a
leading member of the bar will be
deputized by me" in the city in
volved to go before a Federal
grand jury and ask an indictment.
And he said his Investigation
will in some cases pick up the
loose ends" left behind by various
congressional inquiries.
you can't just let a man re-
sign under fire." he said. referring
to a number of officials who have
left their posts as a result of con-
gessional com mittee charges.
You've got to find out If he COM
mitted any crime"
! II such q man did commit a
crime, Mr.. Morris said, he should
be prosecuted and If he didn't he
should be restored to his Job.
The lanky investigator said he
needs S11hr0ano Y,ouare - 0o;,,n