[no source, March 24, 1941]
CANNON TO APPEAL IN
BEHALF OF LANDOWNERS
Contends Contract
Govt. Made Landowners Is Binding and Courts Will Sustain Amounts
SEES LONG WAIT
Payment in Leave to
Take Action Is Sometimes Deferred 20 Years or More, Congressman States
WASHINGTON,
March 24.—Representative Clarence Cannon of Missouri said today that he is
making every effort to compel the War Department to pay the full option price
for land in the TNT site at Weldon Spring.
“The
Government entered into a contract to pay those prices,” Cannon said, and that
contract is binding, just as it would be with a private individual.”
Cannon, who
represents the district in which the site is situated has arranged to appear
tomorrow before the House Military Affairs Committee to protest against the
action of the War Department in abrogating the contract entered into with R.
Newton McDowell, Kansas City contractor, to acquire the site on a 5 per cent
commission basis. The contract, together with the options called for under it,
was set aside after special appraisers for the War Department reported that
McDowell’s option prices were far too high.
“I am not
interested in Mr. McDowell,” Cannon said. “I didn’t approve of the method of
obtaining the site. I thought it was terrible that they should pay a commission
on that basis and that they should go 300 mile to the other side of the State
to find an abstractor.
“But the
War Department can’t clear itself for its neglect and inefficiency by
penalizing these farmers who are my constituents. They can’t take it out on men
who accepted in good faith the prices offered to them.
“I am
confident the courts will sustain the option prices. But here is the most
unfortunate phase of that. The War Department has made it clear that in such
instances payment above the amount allowed by the department in leave to take action,
is sometimes deferred 30 years or more.
“It isn’t
right to make these farm- [one or more lines missing]
