Evening Star Newspaper, January 30, 1922, Page 1

. | . » Dy l WEATHER. | | Fair tonight, with lowest tempera- 24 degrees; tomorrow cloudy and unsettled. Temperature for twenty-four hours ended at 2 p.m. today—Highest, 41, at 3 p.m. yes- terday: lowest, 25, at 7 a.m. today. ture about Closing New York Stocks, Page 19. Entered as second-class matter post offce Washington, D. C. No. 28,400. eni - Che Eoening WASHINGTON, D. C, MONDAY, JANUARY 30, 1922.—TWENTY-FOUR PAGES. Member of the Associated Press The Associated Press is, exclusively entitled to the use for republication of all mews dispatches credited to it or not otherwise credited in this paper and also the local news published herein. All rights of publication of special dispatches herein are also reserved. Star. Saturday’s Net Circulation, 76,259 Sunday’s Net Circulation, 79547 TWO CENTS. FINAL THEATER CRASH DEATH TOLL PLACED AT 101; 'FOUR SEPARATE PROBES STARTED TO FIX BLAME INJU Tangled Debris in Ghastly Ruins Has Been Thoroughly Gone Over, It Is Declared. THREATENING WALLS TO BE RAZED; PILES OF WRECKAGE CARTED AWAY Forces Which Have Bravely Labored in Removing Corpses and Wounded Have All Left Scene Save Police. The death toll of Washington greatest disaster, the crashing in of the roof of the Knickerbocker Theater, is 101 men, women and children, with four reported dead, but not accounted for. The number of injured, some of them in such serious condition that they may yet die, is more than a hundred and twenty-five. These are the figures compiled after careful checking, and completed nearly forty-two hours after the fatal accident. The work of rescue stopped about daybreak today, thirty-two hours after the catastrophe. No bodies had been removed since 10 o’clock last night. The authorities were convinced that all had been found. Stark and grim as any ruin’ in the war-swept area of France or Belgium stood the walls of the Knickerbocker Theater today. Bright sunlight, reflected by the gleaming snow that lay on all sides, fe- lieved the gruesome sight. Within the.walls, which still stand shell- like, lies a mass of crumbled concrete, twisted iron girders and debris of all character, but all of this material has been gone over, the police insist, and there is no possibility of there being further dead—and certainly no living—under this wreckage. g w mained, but the underpart had been As a matter of precaution, and to | cleared out like a cave. prevent any loss of life that might result from the caving in of the thea- ter walls, Building Inspector John G. Healy today ordered the razing of the theater walls. The work of re-| moving the walls must be done by | the owners of the building and must | be begun today. v Outside the theater great piles of | wreckage are being placed upon | trucks and carried away. The Sol- | diers, sailors and marines, which gave | such valued service Saturday night | - and yesterday, have all left the scene. | The blue-coated police are in control. Ropes stretched along 18th street a Columbia road keep back the cu: ous throngs, which continue to visi the theater site. The first aid station and temporary morgue, which was established Sat- urday night in the basement of the First Church of Christ, Scientist, Co- | lumbia road and Euclid street, today had demobilized. All of the dead bodies had been identified and re- moved from there last night, by the undertakers. srner of the basement nl vas there today a reminder of the aw- | acted there Saturday | A huge pile of | terda . and other the rescuers up by amined for marks of ow Building Inspector Healy day ordered the walls of th razed as a safeguard against further loss of life or injury, has thoroughly examined conditions at the theater since the disaster. Seex No One to Blame. He is satisfied, he said after a scrutiny of the plans of the building, thateno one is to blame for the col-i lapse. 1 He has found the plans for the con- | struction of the roof to be both sound | and practical and that the necessary | tests following the construction were | met. | “In my opinion,” Inspector Healy said when asked for an expression as | to the cause of the collapse, “it was | nothing more than the hand ‘of God 1t was one of those things that can-; not be explained. However, the facts are such that it would suggest that although the construction of the roof | met all the necessary requirements, | the point which first gave way under | the strain was not strong enough to| hold the great weight of the snow. “It is my information that there was an average snowfall of a trifle, more than twenty-six inches, but no one can tell just how much snow was piled up on the roof at the point where the break occurred. Because - of the drifts there may have been as much as five or six feet of snow at_this pefnt. This fact, however, will never be determined.” Roof of Truss Type. The roof of the Knickerbocker The- ater was of the truss type of con- struction, and according to Building anspector Healy is a standard design used to cover a large expanse of in- terior, where girders and columns are not to be used as supports. It con-j sists of one principal beam attached ; to which is a network of steei member beams of much smaller size, which are placed by mathematical cal- culation to hold the weight of the roof. This truss type of roof is used by all other motion picture theaters of the larger size. according to Inspec- tor Healy. This type is popular be- cause it permits the elimination of columns or pillars which. to a certain extent, obstruct the view of the seresn. Tt is considered highly prac- tical and safe. Remarkable Progress Made. The physical situation at the Knick- erbocker Theater at 9 o'clock this morning was remarkably good. Any one viewing the progress made by the time darkness had fallen last evening would hardly have believed the accomplishment possible. The night's labor worked wonders. By the time the office-golng crowds started the ruined interior, although not_cleaned out. had been so thor- oughly explored that but slight chance remains of any bodies being | found. The great mass of the half of the slanting balcony still re- | | | s Ordered Razed. ' | The fire department had left the scene. The naval forces left last even- ing and were relieved by marines who ‘were able to quit the job about 6 o'clock this morning. The cavalry and artillery from Fort Myer were packing up their equipment preparatory for the difficult Jjourney home. Maj. George, who ac- companied the second and larger de- tachment that started early Sunday morning and who worked for many hours until relieved by Maj. Patton, was back on the job early this morning. The first group of soldiers got in from the post in small trucks about midnight d | Saturday, but the larger contingent had to utillze mule transport. Another | medal for the Army mule. Last Body Removed. . ‘Workmen employed by the District government were breaking up, burn- ing and piling rubbish, which wag being carted off by the vehicles of the ash and trash departments. The police department had entire charge, under command of Capt. Lord of the tenth precinct, and everything was working with utmost smooth- ness. The last body removed was that of Dr. Shea, which reached the tempo- rary morgue in the First Christian Seience Church about 10 o'clock last night. Detectives Kelly and Embrey were in charge of the piles of cloth- {pg at the church, and these will be aken to police headquarters, Dozens of the hot water bottles, blankets and other accessories loanad by the public-spirited citizens of the neighborhood also were laid out ip rows awaiting claimants. Represen- tatives of the canteen seérvice of the local chapter of the Red Cross wera getting their stuff toegther. Raymond E. Nash, superintendent of the building, was still on the job. He has been on duty continuously since early Saturday evening. Be- cause of the blizzard he had gone over to the church to attend to the fires, and thus was able to admit at once a member of the congregatiom, who gave the alarm.. Church Splendidly Equipped. All having to do with the catas- trophe are unanimous in emphasiz- ing how fortunate it was that the neighborhood possessed a buildi this church’s size, characteris! cquipment. In similar disasters some big, bare, inadequate place usually has to serve as a morgue and hos- pital. Here were telephones, run- ning water, toilets, dozens of tables and chairs, retiring rooms for hys- terical relatives and friends—even a | little room specially arranged for young children. The neighborhood centering around 18th street and Columbia road is like @ small town. Every one know: every one else. They are as proud of their particular policemen and fire- men as if they were the only units in this theoretical town. They know them all personally. Man after man and woman after woman called atten- tion to the devoted service of the No. i" truck and No. 21 engine men, who form a “combination company” with headquarters on Lanier place. Some wing-footed citizen ran around and got them out when the crash came and the affectionately admired truck stood by the corner for far more than twenty-four hours. The men were the first to come at 9:30 o’clock Saturday. This shift worked continuously and RED NUMBER OVER 125 SOME OF WHOM MAY DIE; RESCUE WORK IS HALTED [ 1 i Flags of D. C. Build- | | ings Ordered Half Staff To Honor the Dead. ! The Commissioners today, as a tribute to the memory of those who lost their lives in the Knickerbocker Theater tragedy, ordered all fiags on District buildings, haif-staft for a period of tem days. COMMISSIONERS ISSUE STATEMENT THANKING .ALL WHO AIDED RELIEF The Commissioners met in board seasion at 10145 o'clock this morning and later issued the following state- | ment regarding the Knickerbocker! disaster: “The first information of ghe catas- trophe reached the fire department about 9 o’clock Saturday night, and shortly thereafter the chief of the fire department reached the scene -.ld) took charge of the rescue work. He| was nbly assisted by the police de-| partment and by the Army and Ma. rine Corps and sailors from the mavy yard, who were called into ervice ax woon as the extent of the eatastrophe was realized. ‘Herole work was dome by these services and by bullding and other contractors, who were called In to as- sist. The Commi ners feel that they canmot individually thamk ah | who rendered such splendid service, but they do specially desire to com- mend the soldlers, wallors and mn- rines, the men from Walter Recd, the Red Cross, the authorities of the Christian Science Church, the hotels| who sent food and coffee to the work.- | ers, Salvation Army, the Potomac Electric Power Company, the Wi ington Railway and Eiectric Com:- pany the Capital Traction Com. pany. It would be impossible to men- | tion by name the willing and compe- tent ecitisens who rendered such mag- nificent service, but whose names un- fortunately are not known. They will have the satisfaction, however, of feeling that they remdered a most noble service and that the gratitude of the city is theirs, “The emergency work at the build- ing e over and the bullding has been | roped oft and the police put in charge with orders to keep people away from the walls of the building. The build. ing department has been ordered toi make a careful and close inspection of the building and take such steps as are mecessary to protect the publie. If the walls are found unsafe they! will be taken down and any other source of danger removed. “The Commissioners in the meantime have ordered an investigation for the purpose of determining the cause of the eatastroph: PRESIDENT GIVES UP,- RECEPTION PLANS The Krgickerbocker Tragedy Causes Postponement of , Other Affairs in D. C. Declaring “there is so much of griet in Washington today,” President! Harding today announced postpone- ment of a reception tonight at the White House at which Washington residents of Ohio birth were to meet in observance of the birthday anni- versary of President McKinley. The President in a letter to Milton E. Alles, chairman of the arrange- ments committee, said. “While I have looked forward with most agreeable anticipation to the re- ception to be given tonight by the Ohlo Soclety, at which we were to} meet and happily recall the memory ! of the late President McKinley, I can- not but feel’ that we would begt an-l swer all our inclinations if the re- ception were postponed. There Is so much of grief in Washington _today, 80 much sorrow attending the Knick- erbocker Theater disaster, that 1 should prefer to omit a social affair while Washington is suffering “from the great shock. P “It is especially becoming, as:you CONGRESS, GRAND JURY, D. C. HEADS, CORONER, TO PRESS INQUIRIES COLUMBIA’S ANGUISH. The Known Dead. Mary Ethel Atkinson, 2233 18th street. Albert Baker, address unknown. Former Representative A. J. Barchfeld of Pennsylvania, 1945 Calvert street. . Mrs. Elmer Barchfeld, daughter-in-law of former Representa- Barchfeld, from Pittsburgh. Joseph W. Beal, 1488 Chapin street. . Archie 2111 Bancroft p'~ce northwest, 35 years old. Em- v Depnrhnent.ra native of Vill;eh:d, N. J. William I. Bikle, 1639 19th street, fifty years old. Miss Frances Bikle, sixteen, 1639 19th street. tive ploye of the War Capper Presents Resolution for Investigation by - Senate | District Committee. DEFECTIVE MATERIAL IS BLAMED BY THE ENGINEER COMMISSIONER Federal Grand Jury Visits Scene of Dis- aster—No Effort Will Be Spared to Place Responsibility. i B E Blame for the Knickerbocker Theater disaster that wiped out more than 100 lives and injured scores of others is going to be fixed by all the power of Congress, the law-enforcing branch of | the federal government, the District authorities, the federal grand {jury and the tremendous driving force of public sentiment. Four investigations to determine the cause of the crash— and to let the blame rest wherever it may—were started today— | by Congress, by the District Commissioners, by the federal grand jury for the District of Columbia and by the District coroner, Dr. Frank Alexander, 'List of Injured. 1830 Biltmore SRl Alexs j.‘Ramsey Nevitt, who personally visited the scene within a few renobile Tomauso Auserto, third sec- | minutes after the roof fell. etary of t 5 : c‘:-mfn.mk ieety it i Pledge was given in doth branches of Congress today that !;..".";2'..'.:,::,."},.,.,.“ 5 whatever might be overlooked or left undone by local authori- 1S eiatcman, :&':: ind myari- | ties Ain placing the blame for thi} disaster would be checked up Mrx. €. B. Bateman, Cortiand | by Congress, and that Congress itself proposes to go deeply into tments; fractured arm and amkle, | - 5 2 3 5 St u;-.:m.,. not serlous; Garfield Hos- | the subject, not only with a view to fixing blame at this time, but P wne Bergman, 1521 Biltmore strect, | 3150 t0 gtiard against future calamities that might be preventable. Injured arm. | Miss June Bergeman, 1821 Biltmore street; bruises, mot serious; Garfleld | Defective Material Hinted At. It is the opinion of Col. Charles Hospital. ! Keller, Engineer Commissioner, who 3 -llfi-llhr‘:.ma’ul};' Garvey gozld}fly;;zgm street. 230: fiu‘l%&%?z.ffi}:fim‘&fi%flg“fl&?fif i Beze e wmr st r: . street. Left leg broken. | Albert Buehler, 121 th Raymond Bl 1 230! . Mrxs. Bernard Bresslau, 1792 l'o-i Portner apartment, prenm;lly re- |lumbin road; both shoulders brokenm, not serious; Garfield Hospit: ported missing. ¥ . . . J.) Howen, ! William N. Canby, Woodward building, representing Mid- Biltmore. ':1::-;":«"::"{“; i daugh & Shanno gency Honpital. 1 irs. B. H. Covell, 2409 18th street. I:_,.’..'.:"I e A W. N. Crawford, Corcoran Apartments. arfiel E W. M. Crocker, Congress Hall Hotel. of Miiford, Mawes arm badiy gashed; | Naval Hospital “Elliott_Bri gh, 1954 Blltmore as 2524 17th | atreet; shock and bruises. i Mrs. Albert Bueller, 2467 18t Vinson W. Dauber, 10, 1800 Belmont road. .. Thomas M. Dorsey, given on auto card street, apt. 25, and 314 N street S.W. , & © [street. Brokem wrist and ether i Miss Helen Dortch, 1656 Euclid street. s s SR Kirkland Duke, 1719 Riggs place. Margaret Dutch, 1740 Euclid street, apartment 60. Home in ! * Ludington, Mich. Was employed at War Department. 1 Mrs. Alfred G. Eldridge, the Nelson Apartment, 1733 20th: treet. F A. G. Eldridge, 1733 20th street, organist at St. Margaret’s Church, identified by friend. Guy S. Eldridge, 1824 Biltmore street. Is brother-in-law of Senator Smoot of Utah. F. H. Ernest, District manager of the Washington office, Dictograph Products Company, offices 402 Evans building, 1926 Biltmore street. § McC. Farr, Henderson Furniture Co. Christian Feige, sixty-eight, 1010 18th street. Miss Virginia Ferand, sister of the Guatemalan minister. John P. Fleming, 1861 Wyoming avenue, thirty-three years old, assistant examiner in the patent office. Miss Mary Lee Fleming, 1861 Wyoming avenue, 26 years old. Thomas Fleming, 1861 Wyoming avenue, identified by name on watch and date, 1872. | Miss Mary Forsyth, 1802 Belmont street, died at Garfield * Miss Esther Foster, 1713 Lamont street. G. S., Freeman, musician, 2827 Connecticut avenue. Mrs, Clyde M. Gearhart, 1868 Columbia road. F. H. Hall, address unknown. Douglas Hillyer, 2021 Hillyer place. William G. Hughes, 2503 Champlain street. Daniel K. Jackson, 2701 Connecticut avenue, broker in the Evans Building, and a brother of E. Hilton Jackson, well knowa local attorney. . Miss Elizabeth Jeffries, 1767 Massachusetts avenue. ntreet, Cl on: head and bruises on body; at Emer- George E. 2841 Conmecticut avenue; bruised, head cut; employed at Treasury Department. ] Miss Margaret Cole, 107 East Flor- ence Courts, doing well at Garfleld Hospital. Has fractured ribs and body and limbs badly cut and bruised. ! X-ray to be used this afternoom to'! determine internal injuries. Mrs. W. Crocker, Cortland apartments, 1760 Euclid street nort west; badly bruised, but doing well. ! {Was wedged in one and one-fourth hours. Mrs, James A. Curtin, 2462 Ontarlo road, mative of Florence, Masn.; atrained internally and bruised on legs. George Kelno Daly, 2701 Connecticut avenue, shoulder and leg bruised, in mes Davidson, 1872 California street, bruises; at Emergency Hospi- tal. 1872 California james Davison, street. L B. Dodson, 1860 Columbia road, ‘badly cut and bruised about the limbs: X-ray examination mecessary to de- termine if bones are broke: suffering from cuts and bruises on legs. J; J, L. Durland, 2109 18tk street, cuts and bruises. Mrs. J. L. Durland, 2109 18th street, shock, cuts and b Mrs. Guy El treet. Was John M. Jeffries, 1767 Massachusetts avenue. ve hours, Condition mot serious. At = (Continued on Fifth Page.) G.Jron::. g:-pll::.l.-d.. 1840 Biltmore street, left leg badly hurt. Miss Ruth Fouts, 1300 Belmont treet, bruises; mot serious. At Gar- field Hospital. Clara Fisher, 517 23d street, leg frac- The. Star Voices Appreciation tared. | York shipbuilder, heroically till 8 am., when another|have suggested, to have the Ohio So- crew took their places and worked | clety take note of its own particular far into the night It goes without;share in the great sorrow, and the saying that every fire company ren- cancellation will be a befitting expres- dered yeoman service. The fact that|sion of the grief which has come these lads were striving to rescue' through accident and death to mem- men and women they knew and|bers and valued friends of the society. youngflstg;s wt;:nwahre wont t? hhanz President Harding’s reference to around the engine house must have|Qnio's share in the great sorrow re Stre th to their li - e mbs and en- | ;. 1ed to the fact that Dr. Gearhart thusiasm to- their hearts. L The clothing rescued or cut away|and Louis W. Strayer were former residents of Ohio. from the injured was of all descrip- G. A. R. Banquet Of. tions and all qualities. One fireman “There will be no banquet tonight,” was seen to toss down a fur coat that mu:t Jave heenhworfl‘l’ $400 at the leas ny watches and jewelr: i and other articlea of more or less|53id Col John McElroy, commander of value were picked up and promptly | the Department of the Potomac, turned in to the authorjties. Grand Army of the Republic, which ‘“Debr:‘- Alw;t (;Ielnd t::“,. had completed arrangements for a ter the work of more n thirty | banquet o Ci - - hours with tractor, cable hauls With | or. which wad to. ::fl::u;n: m‘;g:ll:t tonight. Three hundred acceptances had been received and it was expected (Continued on Page 2, Column 2.)_ _ powerful motors and hundreds of men dragging on steel cables and heavy - hawsers and with living lines of (Continued on Page 2, Column 6:) Of Employes’ Arduous Service To all employes who were able to assist the circulation department in ‘the extraordinary emergency Saturday and Sunday, The Evening Star-Company wishes to publicly express its grateful appreciation. With the help of these volunteers the city circulation was nearly 100% and The Star was the only paper circulated in many districts. Without this' splendid assistance the distribution of the paper would have been paralyzed in many sections and the public would have been without news, in these sections, of the terrible catastrophe which shocked the whole city and nation. Some employes were continuously on duty for thirty-six hours in either the news department or in helping out the circulation depart- mént and are on the job this morning as usual. The company hereby voices great appreciation to all for their u’-openlinn ‘and loyalty to the organization. = THE EVENING STAR NEWSPAPER COMPANY. At Emergency Hospital. Clara Fischer, 517 23rd street. Willlam A. Galloway, 3320 16th street; bruises about leg and chest; very scrious, Emergency Hospital. -Norman L. Gibson, 1832 Biltmore street, shock and severe bruises. Dis- charged from Gnarfleld Hospital. Hugh Glenn, 1855 Calvert street. Sergt. Lorin M. Goldman, Q. M. C., ‘Washington barracks; fractured knee and bruises. Paul Golibart, 1932 Calvert street, salesman for T. P. Cully Plano Com:. wshoulder dislocated, cuts and bruises. Moe Gold, 1715 1Sth street, frac- tured jaw. Emergency Hospital. John Grissinger, 1731 S street, slightly injured. 2 Dr. Custis Lee Hall, 2001 16th street, (Continued on Fifth Pn(u.) d, fourteen years old, | spent the greater part of Saturday | Ontario road; arm bruised, ear | night and yesterday at the scene of ithe disaster, i that the cave-in was caused by a defect in material at some point of the support for the roof. He said so far as the support for the roof generally was concerned the plans indicate that the capacity for weight was grealty in excess of any requirement in a climate of this na- ture. Col. Keller doubted whether there was any large pile of snow above the breaking point which had been caused by a drift. He said. how- ever, it will be utterly impossible to determine now whether or not there actually was a defect in material Martin McQuade, foreman, and his associates on the grand jury today | suspended the inquiry into the trans- actions of Charles W. Morse, the New with the TUnited States Shipping Board, and in a body visited the Knickerbocker Theater. The grand jurors made a.complete inspection of the scene of the disaster and later will call witnesses and con- duct a sweeping inquiry into the cause of the fall of the roof of the building. No Time Will Be Lost. TUnited States Attorney Gordon and Foreman McQuade both declared that no time would be lost in starting the investigation, from which it is hoped the cause of the appalling tragedy may be disclosed. The grand jury will look into the question of the construction of the building and especially of the roof with the view to find if any blame attaches to the architect or builders. They will also inquire, it was said, as to the in- spection given to the building dur- ing construction and since comple- tion, and also whether any effort was made to find out if the excessive fall of snow should have been removed. If there has been negligence in any quarter, it is expected, the grand jurors will take action against the persons found by their inquiry to have been remiss in their duty. Maj. Gordon had ngt determined this morning whether he would ask the grand jury to await the outcome of the coroner’s inquest before sum- moning witnesses. Should the cor- oner proceed at once, it is expected the grand jury may delay its inves- tigation, but if the inquest does not proceed shortly witnesses may be called before the grand jury and the inquiry by that body go forward. . District Coromer Nevitt visited Peyton Gordon, District attorney, to- day and requested that he ask the War Department to assign expert Army engineers to make an exami- nation of the ruins of the theater, to determine, if possible, causes for the crash. Maj. Gordon said he would do so. Capper Calls for Investigation. A searching investigation of the Knickerbocker Theater catastrophe by the entire’committe on District of Columbia of the United States Sen- ate, with a view to determining the responsibility as well as laws neces- sary to preclude any possible recur- rence of such a disaster, was proposed to the Senate this afternoon by Sena- tor Arthur Capper of ber of the District committee. The resolution was referred to the com- mittee on audit and control of con- tingent expenses of the Senate. This is a formality merely to authorize the necessary expense. Investigation of the. entire city government with a view to getting “some_civic leadership” here was sug- gested by Senator Frelinghuysen. of New Jersey in supporting the Capper resojution. He charged that the city was full of fire-traps, which, he said, he knew of his own personal knowl- edge to exist here. He said that if at any time a Casualty should occur there would be & great loss of life. The Knickerbocker catastrophe has shocked not only the city, but the whole country, Senator Capper told the Senate, and in introducing the resolution, said: “I think that Congress has a re- 'sponsibility in this_connection that canriot be evaded. - We should know the facts, and if any one is to hlmnl it is the duty of the Congress or o the officials here in the city of Wash- Kansas, a mem- |ington to find out who {s to blamd - |and place the responsibility.” & | He told the Senate that in order to obtain the knowledge necessary a thor- ough, searching and immediate investi- gation shodld be made. Text of Resolution. | The resolution follow. | “Whereas, the tragedy at the Knick- | erbocker Theater last Saturday even- | ing, resulting in the death of 109 citi- {zens and the serious injury of many {others. has profoundly shocked the | People of Washington and the entire | mation; and “Whereas the explanation. that sno although of an extraordinary quantity, was the chief cause of the | collapse "of the roof appears to be unsatisfactory. and | “Whereas it is currently reported | that contractors and builders, espe- cially during and since the world war, | have ignored, evaded or treated | lightly the rules and regulations pro- vided in the building code of the Dis- | trict of Columbia, especially those sections which make mandatory pro- vision for assurance against such a terrible calamity as has just oc- curred, and “Whereas it has been persistently rumored that contractors and build- ers, determined to save money on the erection of residences and building structures, have acted in collusion with inspectors of buildings em- ployed by the District of Columbia, and “Whereas it is the imperative duty of the Senate of the United States to know all the facts relating to_ this inexcusable tragedy and also to learn what, if any, truth there is in the repeated assertion that the safety and health of thousands of citizens and residents of the District of Co- lumbia have been jeopardized by the actions of careless contractors, build- ers and building inspectors, be it “Resolved, that the Senate commit- tee on the District of Columbia be and hereby is authorized and directed to make a searching investigation into the Knickerbocker _tragedy, including the operations of builders, contractors and building inspectors, especially in rela- tion to structures erected during and since the world war. “Resolved, that the committe be authorized to employ such expert and other help as may in its judgment be needed ta obtain all the facts confect- ed with this disaster. “Resolved, that the expenses of the investigation be defrayed from the contingent fund of the United States Senat. As soon as_the resolution was in- troduced, Senator Frelinghuysen asked Senator Capper if he had any knowledge of local building laws or how they were administered. Sena- tor Capper replied that he had no intimate' knowledge of the laws, but he had considerable information to the effect that the laws were not what they should be, and the enforce- ment under the few regulations ex- isting is lax. | House for an Investigation. “I think that this {nvestigation should be made a widespread one, covering the entire city government,” said Senator Frelinghuysen. “I think that the time has come, and I speak as a property holder, for a general improvement in the municipal laws relating to this city. There are twice as many auto accidents here as for any city'in the country of its size. “There is a great laxity in the ad- ministration of the traffic laws. There is no method of determining ‘?y by qualified examination who should and who should not run cars. “I know from personal knowledge that there are in this city at the present time many buildings that are fire-traps and if any time a casualty should occur there will be a great loss of life. This city has grown far beyond its proportion in ten years and it is time that Congress should pay some attention to this matter and that some civic leadership should be established to give protection to eciti- zens who reside here.” Senator Bell of laware, chair- man of the Senate District committee, was in conference with Senator Cap- per this morning regarding the reso- lutfon of the latter. Senator Ball was of the opinion, he said, that any in- vestigation that the Senate or n- ss makes should follow the inves- {Continued on Page 2, Column 32 ..