Evening star., 1953-01-03

aye<a se>4,.. ~ -aa4 @@-
MCCARTHY IN A HUDDLE-S,
Wisconsin, target Of the Sena
port, holds a confidential conf
publican, of Maryland at the j
mittee never supplied the answers
The report said Senator Nc.
Carthy received check for $4,000
from Alvin M. Bentley, a new
member of the House from Michi-
gan, and a check for $1,000
from Mrs. Arvilla P. Bent.
ley Of Washington, in September
1850, and deposited them in g
savings account in the Nationa
Savings and Trust Co. here. Less
than a month later. the report
continued. $4,000 was withdraw
from that account and by draf
was sent to Henry j. Van Straten
a friend of Senator Mccarthy ane
county school superintendent a
Appleton, Wis.
It said that Mr.. Van StrateI
in turn Endorsed the draft ant
forwarded it to the Chicago in
vestment firm of Wayne, Hum
mer 81 Co., which credited it tt
Mr., Van Straten. The report salt
the money was invested in 30,00I
bushels of soybean futures, which
eventually netted a profit Of SIT,
265.5O.
The report said Mr.. Bentley wa
interviewed by subcommittee in
vestigator at Owosso. Mich, las
October 20 and declared he is
sued his check to Senator Nc.
Carthy to assist him in his figh
against communism In Govern
ment." ...
1t added that Mr.. Bentley alst
said that, at Senator McCarthy's
suggestion, the, amount was con.
sidered loan, rather than a gift
and that he took the Wisconsin
Republicans flve-year note as evi.
dence of the indebtedness and thai
he believed the note was non-in-
terest bearing.
The report quoted Mr.. Bentley
as saying he would be disappointed
if he learned later that Senator
Mccarthy had used the money
for gambling or to advance hi.
personal financial condition"
Mrs. Bentley Not Questioned.
The subcommittee reported thai
it's investigators sought to inter.
view Mrs. Bentley at her home
here on November 26, 1852, but
by telephone she said that sh,
was confined to her home by i'll.
ness and that her physician hac
ordered her not to see any one. I
added that, when asked if she hac
ever loaned money to Senator
Mccarthy. she stated that Sh,
would decline to answer that ques.
ton until she had an opportunit!
to consult her attorney"
Later, when another effort wa.
made to interview her, the sub.
committee said it's investigator.
were told Mrs. Bentley had gone
to Florida and that "her where.
abouts were unknown" For tha
reason, the subcommittee said, il
was never able to question hel
about the $1,000 check and an.
other in the amount of $3,657
which. it said, was issued on Marcel
%, 1851. and deposited in Sen.
ator McCarthy's general account
The report said Mr.. Van Strater
told subcommittee investigator.
that the money used in the soy
bean transaction was his own, but
later said he had borrowed the
$4,000 from Senator Mccarthy
and considered borrowed money
his personally owned funds, but
declined to give further informa-
ton"
The subcommittee reported II
had established that the $4,000
was returned to Senator McCar-
thy. 1t added, however, that il
was unable to ascertain the fina
disposition of the $17,265 profit
and asked:
WAS the $4,000 Van Strater
commodity speculation actually
for the benefit of Senator Nc
Carthy, or a partnership account?
Unsuccessful in Speculation.
why would Senator Mccarthy
speculate with funds advanced to
him for his anti Communist drive
or loan such funds to friend fol
speculative purposes, when the
friends only experience in the
commodity market was limited
and unsuccessful"
This was in reference to Sec
ton Of the report which detailed
Mr.. Van Straten's activities earlier
in the market. in which the SUBJ
committee said that he sustained
losses totaling more than $1,000
The subcommittee also asked
did Senator Mccarthy have
confidential information with re-
spect to the trend of the soybean
future market?" It added that
just prior to the transaction in
question, the Commodity Exchange
Authority and the Agriculture
Department had conducted an in
|vestigation "of alleged soybean
market manipulation involving
among others, . number OF
Chinese traders"
In connection with this same
matter. the subcommittee asked
why Senator Mccarthy would
borrow money for his tight on
Cor munism, as indicated by Mr.