Salt Lake Telegram | 1935-01-24 | Page 20 | Ship Builder Quizzed in War Profits Probe

I II I SHIP BUILDER QUIZZED IN WAR WARI I PROFITS PROBE I r f WASHINGTON Jan 24 De JP-De- scribing the senate munitions Ration Cation as ao an inquisition Clinton L L. Bardo Baido former president o of the NewYork New Nev York Shipbuilding company company refused today to waive immunity for any self incriminating testimony h he might ht give Asserting that the committee request request request re re- quest would require him to renounce constitutional rights the white-haired white ruddy faced shipbuilder added that he was 08 perfectly willing willin to testify to al all transactions of which I have knowledge knowl knowl-I knowl e edge Bardo was president of the shipbuilding shipbuilding ship ship- building company during a period when the committee alleges the cos cosof cost of warships nearly doubled Issues Statement I I know of nothing in which I 1 took part art which is an any way reprehensible or in violation of the laws of the United Upped States he said in his statement state ment to the committee Hr He added at the hearings no opportunity opportunity is afforded any an- witness to b bs represented by counsel nor to vol volunteer volun volun- un teer Leer any c.- c. explanation of evidence From the most innocent he said inferences and innuendos innuendos in in- are drawn Intended to induce the newspapers to print and the public to believe that sinister influences n have dominated the shipbuilding industry and much that is reprehensible if j not illegal has occurred Mear while Meanwhile while Lieutenant Colonel C. C T. T THarris Harris told the house military ry committee com com- mi tee the war department was strongly behind legislation to pare ex ex- ex- ex cess ICesS profits during a war He asserted prices pr ces must be controlled rigidly Bardo ardo Questioned After reading his statement Bardo was questioned b by the committee on matters relating to its assertion that thai cruiser unit costs in recent years had climbed from about to 16 The evidence said the Bethlehem Shipbuilding company and the Newport Newport New New- port News Shipbuilding and Dr Dry Dock company had bid for fOt each ship identical ship identical bids The New York company it was added bid a ship and received the contract Bardo explained that labor rates steel prices and other costs were so nearly the same for all aU that such paralleling of prices was not in ing The committee then presented a lettel letter letter let let- ter tel from R. R H. H Hai Haig of or Chester Pa vice president of the Sun Shipbuilding ing lug company to Bardo saying saing other companies had promised to go along alon In the Sun company's desire to get a ship hip job Evidence that the three major shIpbuilding shipbuilding shipbuilding ship shIp- building companies had presented almost almost almost al al- most identical bids on two ships forthe for forthe forthe the United States lines in 1930 was presented by the committee but Bardo Bardo Bar Bar- do declared there was no collusion in reaching such estimates I Named as willing to go 0 alon along were officers of Newport News corn corn- pony pon the Federal Shipbuilding company company com com- pany and the Bethlehem company B Bardo rdo denied nied m any ny y knowledge of or the letter Jetter dated August 19 1933 or of the he construction job mentioned mention