Show 1 1 Round Merry t tj j I Contractors Repa e a U. U S. S Generosity J JI I With Tax Fraud t. t By Drew Pearson 0 WASHINGTON WASHINGTON Around Around the giant Pe Pen f tagon ta on building build ng just across the winds a labyrinth of beautiful boulevard boulevard- built during the war at considerable cost cost- to American taxpayers tt The other day in Richmond Va Vat th them two builders of these boulevards McKen MCKe McKenzie zie Davison and W. W J J. J Doc Hardy J into court and md pleaded no Ino contest to fo x J of six counts accusing them of defrauding the government of in taxes the taxes the same government which paid them handsomely hand handsomely on war contracts j Behind this virtual plea of guilty lies long story dating back to October 1948 in which h this lIns column e exposed Hardy an and n Davison not only for income tax evasion but for Cor political concealment 1 and md dodging dodgIn When this column published the story on Oct 19 1948 1048 it was so sensa that some som papers refused to print i iThe it The two road contractors had made ou out false invoices written checks to other contractors contractors con con- tractors who then cashed the checks themselves themselves themselves them them- selves and generally falsified Yet for eight months after this columns column's expose they ar argued geed gued pleaded and haggled with patient j jus justice if tice lice department attorneys j I Finall Finally last July the case was sent to the U. U S S. S attorney in Richmond for prosecution prosecution tion where however it dragged And it was not until after this column on Oct 1 1949 again reviewed the lengthy delay that the tax-evading tax road builders finally were indicted Ii 1 Grave Gra Russian Preparations Preparations Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps' the gravest briefing given to congressional leaders since V-J V day took place at the Pentagon building last week The substance of the closed door closed door session was that Russia must be preparing for aggressive war I IThe The briefing was given by Lieutenant General Alfred Gruenther on behalf behal of the joint chiefs of staff to members of both the senate and house appropriations committees committees committees commit commit- tees and armed services committees I I General Gruenther was cautious in hi his statements confined himself himsel largely to a a. discussion of Soviet armed strength let the tho- congressmen draw their own conclusions I After l listening to the report however Con Congressmen Engel of Michigan Sikes of Florida and Cannon of Missouri spoke out that Russia could have only one purpose in building such a powerful arsenal To wage wa war I Here are some of the main facts pr presented pre by General Gruenther facts Gruenther-facts facts which Moscow 1 already knows since there is no particular secret about our armed strength Russia he said is spending 18 per cent of her national wealth on arms which is triple what the United States is spending Even taking our top budget figure of 15 15 which which includes stockpiling stockpiling- the United States is investing only 6 per percent percent percent cent of her wealth in defense I Russia has tanks This includes the best heavy tank in the world world the the Joe Stalin Mark lark IiI HI In contrast the U. U S S. S army has only tanks none of them heavy In the air Russia has planes including including including ing heavy bombers of the B 29 type Meanwhile Soviet factories are working g feverishly fe to build a strategic air force Production Production Pro Pro- Production of range long-range bombers and jet fighters has been stepped up J i iTo To challenge our navy the Russians have submarines of the latest speediest est German make Most lost worrisome however how how- ever is a new Russian torpedo piloted by byan byan byan an electronic brain that seeks out its own target This ingenious torpedo can locate and blow up a ship eight miles away j 1 Despite all this firepower the backbone of Soviet military militar might is still her man manpower n ma-n manpower manpower power General Gruenther stressed Russia can muster over divisions at the dr drop p of a bomb J I |