Summaries of Telephone Conversations

Washington, D. C. October 28, 1945 CO SUMMARY 10:25 AM TOM CORCORAN to GEORGE KILLIOM at the Wardman Park Hotel. TOM said he was going to attempt to reach Secretary of Navy FORRESTAL today, although he may be in New York, to ask him about that matter "which I talked to you about". (Getting ED WHEELER out of the Navy.) TOM suggested that GEORGE contact VARDAMAN and have the latter contact Admiral CARTER or Admiral DENFIELD, head of the Bureau of Personnel, and tell them that unless they do something about not having ED WHEELER come to work (for the Navy) three days a week there will be a big blaze about it in the newspapers, there will be criticism about favoritism shown a Senator's son. TOM said ED applied to get out of the Navy two months ago and then was let out with "no strings attached. He was then asked if he was willing to stay in the Reserves. ED said yes. After he got out, said TOM, "DREW PEARSON started to get after him and began to raise hell about his having been shown favoritism." TOM said this tactic on the part of PEARSON disturbed the Admiral who decided to call ED back which they did, or will do as of tomorrow morning, for three days weekly. Originally he was called back as of October 15 but Senator WHEELER was able to get it put off. "There will be another storm in the newspapers when he has to report in again," said TOM. TOM wants to avoid that. TOM said, "This thing isn't sane and it's going to make trouble." He continued, "And the Admiral in charge is the Admiral in charge of the oil business over there, Admiral CARTER somebody like (Commodore) VARDAMAN ought to have political sense enough (ED) is a Lieutenant j.g. assigned to Admiral CARTER's staff. TOM said, "The thing to do is that if they made a mistake--let it lie." GEORGE then said, "If you're going to let your actions be governed by what DREW PEARSON writes, you have government by columnists. TOM agreed. Unless something is done today, said TOM, ED must report to Admiral CARTER who issued the original orders for him to return. TOM does not know CARTER and GEORGE said he would try to find someone who did know him. TOM said the simple thing to do would be to have VARDAMAN get ahold of DENFIELD. GEORGE will see what he can do about it today. GEORGE and TOM then discussed the party for TOM CLARK at Justice BILL DOUGLAS' home last night and TOM said, "Now, did we decide what we're gonna do?" GEORGE said he thought they had. TOM said he would talk to LES (BIFFLE) and "we're getting BILL in." GEORGE said, "TOM (CLARK) is going to get BILL down. Did TOM say he'd do it?" CORCORAN said yes. The following conversation then took place: GK - I wanted to go back. I thought that TOM (CLARK)--I thought that I was gonna be alone with him. At the last minute why ELIOT and somebody. got in the car and I couldn't talk to him. TC - Then you were not alone. GK - Why, ----he'll (TOM CLARK?) take care of that other fellow (MAURICE COLTON?). TC - Okey. GK - I wanted to talk to the two of you, but just for the moment that fellow's name flew out of my mind and I was fishing around and we grabbed it on the basis of his brother and TOM said he'd take care of it.