Evening star., 1952-03-19
0usted Official
Assai|s Delays
In Grain Cases
Holf Of Storage Men
Violating Contracts,
White Tells Probers
By james {. Roper

Latham White, discharged di-
rector of the Agriculture Depart
ment's Commodity Office in Dali
las, Tex, said today that half the
warehousemen who store Govern
ment grain in five Southwestern
States technically have violated
their contracts with the Govern
ment.
Mr.. White told the Senate Agri-
culture Committee that for the
last year he has bounded the de-
partment for action in the cases
but said he had been thwarted by
bottlenecks and lack of policy
|directives.
Mr.. White was the first witness
as the committee opened hearings
on a shortages of grain stored by
the Federal Government as part
|of the program to support farm
prices. -,--...
Secretary Of Agriculture Bran
nan fired Mr.. White and his chief
assistant, Harry Solomon, Febru-
larry 6, on grounds that they were
inefficient and had accepted gratu-
tiles from grain storers.
Charges BOttleneck.
The Dallas Office was in charge
of commodity storage in Texas,
Oklahoma, New Mexico, Arkansas
and LOUISIANA.
Mr.. White testified that be-
tween February and August, 1851,
he sent 10 or IL cases involving
deliberate theft of Government
grain to the Departments Com
tpliance and Investigation Division.
but by January 3 of this year,
the division had completed its
Inquiry into only two cases.
Mr.. White said he complained
to his superiors last September
that the division was bottle
neck. He also said he insisted
Washington give him policy
guidance as to what to do about
various types of shortages.
He read into the record a
transcript of a long distance tele.
phone conversation with Elmer
Kruse, assistant administrator
for commodity operation for the
Agriculture Departments Prod.
|duction and Marketing Adminis-
ttration. 2
Complained Of Delay.
In this conversation on last
October 10, Mr.. White again COM
planned of delay In the compliance
and investigation division and de-
manded to know what to do about
technical violations. Mr.. White
said if the Government Cancelled
contracts with all of these vio-
lators. "it looks as If we'd have
half OF them out of the program.
This has been going on q long
time" Mr.. White said in his tele-
phone conversation.
! Mr.. White said he eventually
received a policy statement from
Washington October 26. This
called for all cases of willful en-
bezzlement of Government grain
to be referred to department at
Itorneys to see whether the Justice
Department should be. asked to
start criminal prosecutions. This
system applied regardless Of
whether warehouseman was able
to make up the shortages.
A long wrangle over television
delayed the start of the hearings.
Witness Objects.
Republicans generally favored
Iallowing television and newsreel
cameras and radio microphones to
be turned on the hearing. Most
Democrats lined UP on the opposite
side.
The issue was not decided when
Mr.. White said he objected to TV
and movie cameras. So the ques-
ton was sidestepped temporarily.
at least.
! In a statement issued before
today's hearing Senator KEN, Re-
publican. of Missouri, demanded
corruption, corrupt officials and
shady operators be purged from
the farm program"
'The farmer is the innocent
victim of the sad state of affairs
existing in the Commodity Credit
Corp" Senator KEN said.
1T is indeed unfortunate that
through corruption and lack Of
efficient administration this (price
support) program is receiving an
undeserved black eye," Senator
KEN said.
The General Accounting Office
has reported shortages of $3.8
million worth of Government
grain that was stored with private
warehousemen in the area served
by Mr.. Whites Office. Reported
shortages throughout the United
States now total So million.
/