LIBRARY

SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON EXPENDITURES IN THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS

AND A

SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE
TO INVESTIGATE THE NATIONAL DEFENSE PROGRAM

UNITED STATES SENATE

EIGHTIETH CONGRESS

FIRST SESSION

PURSUANT TO

S. Res. 75

A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AN INVESTIGATION
OF SURPLUS PROPERTY AND ITS DISPOSAL

MAY 29, JUNE 24, 25, AUGUST 21 AND 22, 1947

Printed for the use of the

Committee on Expenditures in the Executive Departments

HEARINGS

BEFORE A

SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE COMMITTEE ON
EXPENDITURES IN THE EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENTS

AND A

SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE
TO INVESTIGATE THE NATIONAL DEFENSE PROGRAM

UNITED STATES SENATE

EIGHTIETH CONGRESS

FIRST SESSION

PURSUANT TO

S. Res. 75

A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING AN INVESTIGATION
OF SURPLUS PROPERTY AND ITS DISPOSAL

67066

MAY 29, JUNE 24, 25, AUGUST 21 AND 22, 1947

Printed for the use of the

Committee on Expenditures in the Executive Departments

UNITED STATES
GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON: 1947

CONTENTS

Page

Chairman Ferguson, opening statement.

Hon. Pat McCarran, statement.

5

Frank T. Ronan and Alan B. Brown, of Reconstruction Finance Corpora-

tion___.

15

Hon. George W. Malone, statement.

34

Maj. Gen. Robert M. Littlejohn, War Assets Administrator_

Col. John R. Reilly, War Assets Administration, project manager, Hender-

son, Nev...

Frank Talbot, property disposal officer, War Assets Administration_

Maston G. White, Solicitor of the Department of the Interior

Harvey F. McPhail, Director of Power Utilization, Bureau of Reclamation,

Department of the Interior

Edward Weinberg, Bureau of Reclamation, Department of the Interior..

John Slaten Jenner, Chief, Utilities Branch, War Assets Administration__

Edward Edelin, chief counsel, Public Loans, Reconstruction Finance

Corporation..

Testimony of—

Gen. Robert M. Littlejohn, Administrator....

37

47

48

61

65

66

71

93

97, 139

Irving Gumbel, Chief, Chemicals and Light Metals Branch, Industrial

Division, Office of Real Property Disposal -

97, 139

John A. Loomis, general counsel, Office of Real Property Disposal__

Robert E. Hunnicutt, real property disposal officer, Office of Real

Property Disposal

97, 139

97, 139

Frank Talbot, real property disposal officer, Industrial Division, Office

of Real Property Disposal. _ .

Edward L. Bridges, Chief Industrial Branch, Legal Division, Office of

Real Property Disposal

97, 139

97, 139

John R. Reilly, project manager of Basic Magnesium, Inc., Henderson,

Nev..

James E. McCormack, director, Appraisal Division, Office of Real

Property Disposal.

97, 139

97, 139

J. Slaten Jenner, Chief, Utilities Branch, Industrial Division, Office of

Real Property Disposal, War Assets Administration, Washington,

D. C_

Thomas E. Drumm, Chief of Real Property, War Assets Administra-

tion, Washington, D. C..

Charles F. Duffy, public accountant, partner, Scovell-Wellington Co-

W. H. D. Taylor, regional engineer, Reconstruction Finance Corpora-

tion_.

Harry F. Koerbel, accountant, Reconstruction Finance Corporation__

A. J. Shaver, resident engineer, Colorado River Commission_

Alfred M. Smith, secretary, Colorado River Commission_

Alan Bible, attorney general, State of Nevada, Carson City, Nev..

C. P. Christiansen, director of power, Boulder Canyon project.

Richard J. Coffey, regional counsel, Bureau of Reclamation, Los

Angeles, Calif_

97, 139

159

229

229

235

240

240

240

254

255

E. L. Bridges, counsel, Legal Division, Industrial Branch, War Assets

Administration, Washington, D. C.

273

Hon. Vail Pittman, Governor of the State of Nevada, Carson City,

Nev

274

Guy F. Atkinson, chairman of the board, and E. M. Sauerwein, gen-

eral manager, Guy F. Atkinson Co., Basic Magnesium plant, Hen-

derson, Nev..