[no source, no date]
FARMERS HEAR LAWYERS
ON THE TNT LAND DEAL
Senator Williams Says
Method of Handling Agents’ Commission Is A Conspiracy
900 ATTEND
Property Owners Seem
Bolstered From the Statements and May Invite Action
The manner
of handling commissions in the purchase of land for the TNT plant in the
Howell-Hamburg neighborhood was branded as a conspiracy to defraud the
Government, former United States Senator George W. Williams, declared Wednesday
night at a mass meeting held at Howell.
Practically
every resident of the affected neighborhood came with his family to the Howell
High School gymnasium where the meeting was held. A crowd of between 800 and
900 persons attended the meeting and after the conclusion seemed more
determined to hold out for a fair price for their land.
R. H.
Sinoch of Howell, a member of the committee appointed from people in the area
was in charge of the meeting. Sinoch said he had already optioned his property.
Arthur
Ringland of Washington, D. C., a consultant of the war department said his
department was willing to help the people solve their problems which would
arise through the evacuation and stressed speed was an important factor in the
acquisition of the land.
R. Newton
McDowell, designated to purchase the land was subject to a barrage of questions
submitted by land owners and lawyers who represented various property owners. McDowell
explained he was acting with authority when a five per cent commission which is
returnable to him, plus 1 1-2 per cent for clearing the title is added to the
price of a piece of property. For example if the land was worth $1,000 the
owner would actually receive $1065 to take care of the commission and title
fee.
Senator
Williams attacked such procedure and branded it as a conspiracy between
McDowell and the land owner to defraud the government to which both would be
answerable to the criminal laws of the country.
He told the
land owners condemnation proceedings could not be instituted at the present
time for the purpose to which the Government plans to put the land. He said the
land would be acquired through condemnation only in time of war and added we
are at peace now. “No government can step in and take your land right now.
There must be a new kind of law if someone can select our agent and make us pay
for it.” Williams said the addition of the commission was “a new kind of
animal.”
The former senator
who owns a home at Matson told the people Congressman Cannon and Guy Motley was
feeding them lots of “bologna” Monday when they told them Defiance would grow
into a 15,000 city and New Howell would have more than 10,000 people.
He urged
the formation of a committee to draft a petition asking the Government not to
do this thing. Previously he said the St. Louis Chamber of Commerce had
recommended a site on the Mississippi River near Old Monroe for construction of
the plant but why that site was not selected he could not say.
Ford
Thompson, St. Louis lawyer, asked why the agent should get the 5 per cent
commission when its the Government’s duty to buy the land to which McDowell
replied “that could best be answered in Washington.” Thompson agreed the people
would be subject to prosecution for fraud if they entered into an agreement
with McDowell. He warned the people not to let the agents tell them their
prices are too high. “However if they offer you what you think is a fair value,
take it.”
McDowell
explained in the case of cemeteries or business enough would be added to the
price to cover the removal and establishment of other enterprises. In reply to
a question McDowell said he did not have the contract to construct the plant
but was trying to get it.
McDowell
could not assure the people they would not be put out of their homes before
they obtained the purchase price.
He said
farmers living in the safety zone would hardly have to move before four months,
but the Government might have to take land of others within thirty days. He
added he was sorry he can’t say how much time will be given those whose
property is in the immediate zone of construction.
The spirit
of the people who apparently had been resigned to the selling of the land was
bolstered by the statements of Williams and the other lawyers and many
indicated after the meeting that if their prices were not met they would await
condemnation proceedings in at attempt to get the amount they sought.
