County Seeking $700,000 in Federal Road Aid SEE STORY BELOW Warm, Humid THEIMI FINAL Sunny, warm and humid to- day. Clear and mild tonight. Red Bonk, Freehold Sunny and hot tomorrow. I Long- Branch 7 EDITION (See Details. P«so 3), Monmouth County's Home Newspaper for 90 Years VOt. .91, NO. 246 RED BANK, N. J., THURSDAY, JUNE 12, 1969 36 PAGES 10 CENTS rjri.ni [MFT^IHIII [JII IMI nJMLiiiiJJuiiiiiiiiiiiiiuiniiM! iiirN?n-r:?? iJiEUMiuiiHEL jiinrjuiuiiUi ii'i mi iiirii'i^iiMMiiiNiii mi MfMiUiini !Ji:irnii;n r:u iiihih<niMiiiiiiitMi]j.jjiri:;.'i.ir!i::j-:* Latta Rebuts Congressman?s Charges By JANE FODERARO FT. MONMOUTH - Maj. Gen. William B. Latta set out yesterday to "set the record straight." Armed with charts, drawings, regulations, statistics and drive, the commander oi the Electronics Command unleashed a barrage oi facts to rebut charges that the Army wastes money. In a four-hour press conference, Gen. Latta did not ad- dress himself to Ms Washington critic, Rep. William H. Harsha, E-Ohio. Rather, he conducted a scrupulous review of the criticism. The congressman for a month has delivered emotionally charged floor statements attacking ECOM, leading up to to- day's introduction of his legislation on military procurements. Citing five case histories of alleged over-spending at Ft. Mon- month, Rep. Harsha also targeted Gen. Latta. (The congress- man says he seeks "to determine aiid expose the real in- dividual source of the problem" then immediately adds, "I do know, for example, that the commanding general of the Army Electronics Command is Maj. Gen. W. B. Latta.") " It's all in the Congressional Record — on May 15, 26, 27 and June 4. GOES AFTER FIVE CASES Gen. Latta yesterday chose to go after those five case histories — date by date, price by price, company by com- pany. They involved contract negotiations on electronic equipment such as sophisticated field radios and aircraft test sets — many of which were launched six years before he took command here in 1965. As Gen. Latta broke down the factors that contributed "We go competitive the first moment "Remember, lives are far more expen- "The lowest bidder Is not necessarily "We operate to the letter . ." to awarding the contracts in question, there emerged broad {Register Staff Photos by. Don Lordi) answers to the congressman's charges. we have a competitive package." sive than hardware." the lowest qualified bidder," Most of the allegations were summed up in one stroke in the Congressional Record of May 26 when the congress- non-competitive sole-source contract, and second, where Rep. Harsha sharply questions "urgency of need" as a "After intelligence," he says, "communications is con- man stated: necessary, it permits competitive bidding, but frequently legitimate requirement in ordering military equipment. He sidered the mo9t important aspect of our capability.' "The Army Electronics Command, one of the most con- ignores the low bidder, even the next lowest and sometimes calls it "the tired old official alibi for this outrage.. ." "In peacetime," he says, "we develop a reservoir of sistent offenders, if not the worst, grants about 85 per cent even the third lowest, under such flimsy claims as 'urgency But, Gen. Latta reports that ECOM has been on a of its contracts behind closed doors and, in the bizarre pro- of need'—any lack of such urgency not withstanding." "crash procurement program" to meet the needs of the men technology, and the normal cycle for an idea to become cess, protects favored companies two ways: first, where pos- While Gen. Latta disputed each point, one of his answers fighting in Vietnam—with priorities established by the De- hardware is 11 to 12 years. But, Vietnam,, we have fielded sible, it permits no competitive bidding under cover of a . is central to his overall response, , partment of the Army. (See ANSWERS, Pg. 2, Col. 4) State Police Head Says U.S. ReDort Unnerves Criminals ; NEWARK (AP) — The legislature to enact a state , formation it might have of al- that some members of the •puzzlement as to why DeCav- head of the State Police as- wiretapping law, had said in leged, criminal activity in state legislature were "too alcante insisted that the fed- serted that organized crime September of 1967 (hat state New Jersey to state law en- comfortable" with mem- eral government make the is "getting nervous" in New probes of organized crime forcement agencies. bers of organized crime. A FBI transcripts available. Jersey in the wake of elec- had bogged down and that His office, the state police legislative committee rep- They theorized that disclo- tronic eavesdropping on its there was little hope of un- and the newly created State rimanded two lawmakers in sure could "put heat" on al- inner workings and structure. covering substantial facts. He ' Investigation - Commission January. leged criminal activities and "We're scaring them," had appealed to the federal have stepped up state probes Several law enforcement of- perhaps on DeCavalcante. commented Col. David B. government to make any in- in the aftermath of chargas ficers privately expressed (See REPORT, Pg. 3, Col. 3) Kelly yesterday, referring to intensified investigations on the state and federal levels. Five years of FBI informa- tion—the result of electronic CONGRATULATIONS — Shftriff Paul Kierivan, second from right, presents a di- surveillance between 1961 and 'Haggle* on School Price ploma to Edward M. Sherman, of the Oceanic Hook and Ladder Company, Rum- 1965 — were filed in Federal Court by the U.S. Attorney's By DORIS KULMAN al high school district, and price at which to start talk- trict to Red Bank High son, at -ceremonies marking the graduation of 24 Monmouth County firemen from office Tuesday at the request The Red Bank, Shrewsbury the new regional board of ed- ing. School, as are Little Silver the county Fire Police School. Looking on, left to right, are J. Grover Carter, fire of reputed Mafia overlord and Little Silver boards of ucation would purchase the ' "We're making progress," and Shrewsbury. police chief; Freeholder Director Joseph C. Irwin, and, at right, Ozzie Sickles, Samuel "Sam the Plumber" education, which are studying existing high school plant. one of the participants re- Red Bank Superintendent of education chairman. (See Story Page 19) DeCavaleante of Princeton, high school regionalization, Reportedly, .there is an of- ported last night.. Schools Robert C. Hoops who is seeking to void an in- last night continued what was fer of $1.3 million on the ta- Red Bank has an indebted- .Tuesday night suggested that dictment for extortion. described as "amicable hag- ble, and Red Bank is trying ness of about $700,000 on the his Board of Education con- DeCavalcante sought to gling" over a reasonable to push the ante closer to the high school plant. sider setting a terminal date show that illegal wiretapping price for the Red Bank High $1.8 million it thinks a good Holmdel is a sending dis- (REGIONAL, Pg. 3, Col. 3) figures in the indictment. The School plant. County Asks $700,000 government denies this. 1 Reportedly, they're "hag- * The transcripts offered ex- gling1! over $500,000. amples of alleged links be- Any suggestion the Holm- tween public officials and del Township Board of Edu- Mafia figures and contained cation, which pulled out of the In U. S. Road Grants graphic descriptions of mur- current regionalization study, Rumson Board Would der, gangland style. might start a tri-town study FREEHOLD — Freeholder pacity and Safety, which was nelization of intersections, Sills Undecided Harry Larrison Jr. announced approved by the federal gov- widening of traffic lanes, with Little Silver and Shrews- yesterday that Monmouth ernment in August, 1968. providing additional traffic State Attorney General Ar- bury is "pretty far-fetched," County has applied for $700,- The program requires 50 lanes on approaches to signal- thur J. Sills said he hasn't an official of that school sys- decided whether to ask the tem said yesterday. Add Regional Grades 000 in federal funds for 28 per cent participation by the ized intersections, installa- RUMSON — Expansion of to the regional board asks Members pointed out that sur- road projects in the county to county and by federal gov- tion of traffic responsive sig- federal government for the And George Kinkade Jr., the Rumson-Fair Haven Re- that it "proceed as expedi- render of the seventh and Improve traffic operations. ernment. nal systems and short recon- tapes but "we're leaning Holmde] school board presi- gional High School district to tiously as possible to a ref- eighth grades will not. solve The total program will struction to eliminate a jog against it." He said his of- dent, pointed out a Holmdel- include seventh and eighth erendum." A majority of the everything. The freeholder said the ap- fice is working on cases with plication was to the TOPICS cost an estimated $1.4 mil- in an otherwise continuous Little Silver - Shrewsbury re- grades was recommended voters in the combined dis-. In answer to a question program, the Traffic Opera- lion, said the freeholder, add- street. legal wiretaps and that using gionah'zation would clobber last night by the Rumson trict is needed to effect the ,from the floor, William tions Program to Increase Ca- ing that it contemplates chan- . Some of the major applica- federal wiretaps could cause the Holmdel taxpayer. Board of Education. expansion. A second referen- Frank, president of the board, tions are for: complications. New Jersey le- The cost of purchasing the The board formally ac- dum would propose construc- said that if the expanded re- Signalization of Asbury galized wiretapping last year Red Bank High School plant cepted the report of the tion of a facility, either a gionalization referendum is Park Relief Route, Asbury under certain conditions re- and furnishings and its athlet- School Study Committee new junior high school, or a defeated, "We will come up Park • $55,000.