Evening star., 1953-06-01
Metal Process Vital
To Defense Blocked
In Plot, Paper Says
BY the Assoeiussd Press

BY the ASsoeioisd Press
NEW BEDFORD, Mass, June
IA revolutionary metal-work-
ing process. considered important
to national defense, has been
blocked for 13 years by mysteri-
Gus interests within and through
the Government" the New Bed
ford Standard Times says.
The charge is contained in a
series Of seven articles from
Washington by the newspapers
staff writer, Edward B. Simmons.
The articles, the first appearing
today, cite findings of military
experts that the machine has q
tremendous" munitions-making
potential.
A machine gun part was pro-
duced $500 times faster than
ordinary methods. the articles
state.
The process, called "Telenar
Cold Flow Precision Press" has
been involved in controversy since
shortly before World War II. The
dispute is still pending before the
Munitions Board. having carried
through the Truman administra-
tion.
Eisenhower Aid Asked.
The CHIEF sponsor, Raymond
N. Skilton OF Newton, Mass, has
taken the matter up with Presi-
dent Eisenhower and his chief
aide, Sherman Adams. Mr.. Skill
ton said Mr.. Adams has written
him, saying a complete report
will be sought by the White
House.
The newspaper says the ma
chine is based on a process for
shaping metal without heat or
percussion. 1t is also claimed
that little further finishing" of
the metal is required.
Twice during the war, accord
ing to the articles, immediate
production was ordered-once by
the Air Force and then by the
War Production Board.
In both instances" the arti-
cles say. production was not
permitted by persons within the
Government and by outside in
fluenceS brought to bear through
the Government, according to
records of the Justice Depart
ment.
"A two-year investigation of
why production was not per-
mitted, made by the House Ju-
dietary Committee. concluded in
1945 that the circumstances ap-
peared to be so sensational a
public hearing could not be
held"
Hearing Sidetracked.
A proposed closed hearing
was sidetracked because the
committees chief counsel, c.
Murray Bernhardt. who knew
the case intimately, was ap-
pointed to the Federal Court of
Claims.
Mr.. Bernhardt told newsmen
Saturday the Government
should put some money into
Telenar, if only to see whether
it works" He said the money
would be "only a drop in the
bucket compared to other sums
being spent for defense, includ-
ing big outlays for machine
tools"
Mr.. Skilton said Federal sup
port of the process was blocked
because it would have put
thousands of existing machine
tools into discard"
The 63-year-old manufacturer,
who took control of the patent
after death of the inventor in
1941. charged that he was Of
fered S. million in cash and a
salary of $4,000 a year for five
years. tax free. "if would sell
the patent rights so the process
could be put on the Shelf"
II rejected the Offer Mr.. Skill
ton said, when they refused to
make it available to the armed
services to stop the war"
The Standard Times says
Government records were ex-
plored for a year in preparing
the series. One congressional
investigator. the paper says. de-
scribed the records as incomplete
in some places and vigorously
edited and deleted" in others.
The inventor was the late DR..
Charles Howland-Shearman of
Hamden, Conn.,, who, in 1887,
became one of the few Americans
elected to honorary membership
in the Royal Institution of Great
Britain.
AS recently as 1850, the article
says. Mr.. Bernhardt reported to
the House Judiciary Committee
strange inability on the part of
the Air Force, the Army Ord
nance and the custodian of WPB
records. to produce files and cor
reSpondence on the subject )"
He added:
There is a real question of
monopoly here which is shocking
If proved, and the charges are so
startling that it would be inad-
visable to conduct a public hear
ing on the subject"